04/04 Full Print (Senior Edition)

Feature: Leaving A Legacy: Senior Student Leaders Reflect on Growth & Impact

As graduation approaches, a number of Meredith College student leaders reflect on their experiences, the growth of their organizations and the lessons they've learned. Serving as presidents of student organizations has been a transformative journey for these individuals. Here’s a look at their experiences and what they hope their legacies will be as they prepare to leave their mark on the Meredith community.

For Briana Long, ‘25, the most rewarding part of being president of the Anime Angels has been witnessing the club’s growth. She believes that  “the most rewarding part has been seeing how many people really love the club, want to join, and see me as a reliable leader for them.”

Under her leadership, the club grew from humble beginnings, with members blossoming from quiet, reserved students to outgoing, confident individuals. Briana notes, “It warms [her] heart” because she shares that she  “used to be the same way, and it feels like [she has] created a safe space” for those that join the club.

Long’s advice for future student leaders is simple yet impactful: “Go for it, don’t hesitate. The longer you wait, the less time you have to make your ideas become attainable goals.” As she prepares to pass on the torch, she ensures the club’s continued success by documenting her event planning and mentoring potential successors.

For Leilani Del Cid-Leiva, ‘25, the growth of the Sociology/Criminology Club has been the most rewarding part of her presidency. Del Cid-Leiva shared that “The most rewarding part of serving as President is the ability to see the club grow and the pride that [she feels] knowing that this club has started to make its mark within [the] department, as well as on campus.”

Del Cid-Leiva encourages underclassmen to embrace leadership, advising them to attend leadership training sessions and to never hesitate to ask for help. She reflects on her time at Meredith and noted that she wishes that she had known it was “ok to ask for help sooner than [she] did” and that in doing that, it would have helped “solve a lot of [her] stressors”  she had in the beginning. Her hope is that her legacy will be one of dedication and impact, stating that she has “worked hard to try and get the club to start mingling within campus culture and had to start from the beginning of this club to make it what it is today.”

For Sydney Nelson, ‘25, the most rewarding part of serving as president of the Meredith Dance Association (MDA) has been collaborating with her peers to benefit the dance community. She has loved “working alongside other members of the organization to help fundraise and plan events and service projects to help benefit the Meredith Dance Community.”

She emphasizes the importance of stepping into leadership roles early noting that her “number one recommendation is to go for it!”  Nelson added that she got her first leadership position in her freshman year, going in with the thought process that the “worst thing” they were going to say was “no.” 

Nelson leaves behind a legacy of organization and teamwork. She hopes that her legacy will reflect in some of MDA’s fundraisers and that they will become annual events in the hopes that the next president  “will be set up for success” because of how much the organization has learnt.

The leadership journey of SarahElla Harlan, ‘25, President of WINGS, Silver Shield Leadership Society, and Psi Chi Honor Society, has been marked by building lasting relationships and creating impactful changes. “Building relationships and working with amazing fellow students, staff and faculty toward real, positive and lasting change,” she shares, has been the most rewarding aspect of their presidency.

Through their work with WINGS, Harlan helped organize a successful toy drive and the “Shower with Flowers” initiative, tripling the number of flowers distributed across campus. Harlan also shared that WINGS has worked to get students actively involved in their meetings and also ran what they believe was a  “very successful toy drive for Duke Children's hospital.”

Harlan offers a piece of advice to future leaders: “Start small and grow. Leadership doesn’t mean doing it all. It means empowering a team to do it all together.”

Katalyna Ortiz Ardila, ‘25, has been integral in growing the Meredith International Association (MIA). “The most rewarding part has been seeing MIA grow into a stronger, more engaged community. Bringing people together from different backgrounds and creating meaningful cultural experiences has been incredibly fulfilling.”

Under her leadership, MIA expanded its reach with events like the “Cultural Show” and “Voices of the World,” promoting cross-cultural understanding. “MIA has expanded significantly, both in membership and event impact. [MIA has] introduced new, innovative events like Voices of the World... and the International Murder Mystery,” Ortiz Ardilla said.

Artiz Ordila encourages underclassmen to take initiative: “Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about being adaptable, learning from others and creating opportunities for growth.” Her legacy, she hopes, will be one of inclusivity and cultural celebration.

Destiny Calvin, ‘25, has experienced firsthand the rewards of creating meaningful events that foster unity and advocacy. “One of the most rewarding parts of serving as President of the Black Student Union has been seeing the events we plan come to life and witnessing the impact they have on our community,” she shares.

She offers valuable advice to future leaders, suggesting that  student leaders should “Use [their] student services and collaborate with student organizations that align with [their] agenda” and that  “Doing club collaborations gives you more experience working with a different team and lifts the load of what might be heavy planning.”

Calvin’s legacy will center on empowering future leaders. She hopes that her legacy will be one of “intentional growth, unity and empowerment.” Calvin added that she wants to  “be remembered for strengthening BSU by fostering collaboration and creating meaningful events.”

Natalie Barlow’s, ‘25, time as president of Angels United (AU) has been focused on education and advocacy. Barlow shared that AU’s meetings “ tend to focus on education, so bringing awareness to important topics such as food insecurity and sexual assault is so rewarding when [AU] play[s] a small part in breaking the stigma and creating conversations surrounding these topics.”

Barlow’s leadership has emphasized collaboration, and she encourages underclassmen to start small and explore different opportunities: “Start small, become a member first, see what works for you, become involved, you aren’t tied to anything you don’t want to be.”As she prepares to graduate, Barlow hopes Angels United will continue its educational mission. 

For Peyton Vanada, ‘25, the most rewarding part of being president of the American Chemical Society (ACS) has been fostering a love for chemistry among her peers. “The most rewarding part of being president of the American Chemical Society has been watching [her] peers grow in their love for chemistry.”

She advises students interested in leadership to step up, even if they don’t feel fully prepared, stating that students should not “be afraid to step up and take on leadership roles, even if you don’t feel 100% ready.” 

Venada’s legacy will be one of accessibility and excitement surrounding chemistry. 

These student leaders exemplify the values of dedication, growth and service, leaving a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations of Meredith College students. As they prepare for graduation, they’ve worked diligently to ensure that their organizations remain strong, with detailed planning, mentorship and clear strategies for success. Their presence and strong leadership skills will be missed next year, but they have all set up their organizations for success as they move forward.

By Ellie Phillips, Staff Writer 

News: The Herald Bids Farewell To Their Seniors

As the spring semester quickly sprints to the finish line, this special edition is dedicated to the seniors of Meredith College and their time spent towards their education as well as their goals beyond that. The Herald has a few seniors on staff that will be saying goodbye at the end of the semester, and as Editor in Chief, I wanted to dedicate a piece to the seniors on staff who have all played an integral role in making The Herald a success. 

Shae-Lynn Henderson, EIC 

I have been with The Herald since my freshman year and held several positions on the team. Stepping into the EIC role in 2023 was a huge honor and privilege to have so much trust instilled in me. While this is an article dedicated to the seniors, a huge thank you goes to the entire Meredith Herald team, including Jeremy Spearman, Dr. Sarah Roth and Dr. Rebecca Duncan. 

It has been a great pleasure to serve  The Meredith Herald, and my hope is that my time spent on the team has contributed to serving Meredith and the greater community in efforts to highlight important moments, events and people that define our community.

Cady Stanley, Associate Editor

Cady, thank you for your wonderful contributions to The Herald as Arts & Entertainment Editor and most recently as the Associate Editor. Your dedication to the team is commendable, offering your thoughts and input even when you were abroad in Italy for a semester. Cady has been essential in the planning and editing process, always willing to step in and edit a piece as needed or co-ordinate with the printing company. 

Destiny Calvin, Co-Podcasting Director

Destiny, thank you for your dedication to The Herald. It has been wonderful to see the growth of the Angels After Hours podcast and your passion for the film and editing process in general. You have been essential in creating engaging content and building our social media presence. Your creativity and skills have been a wonderful asset to the team and I look forward to seeing what you do next.

Caroline O’Daniel, Copy Editor

Caroline, you have always been a consistent presence on the team. You show up in quiet and meaningful ways that benefit the team. Thank you for ensuring we are on top of our efforts to bring news that is accurate, and just as importantly, grammatically sound. Your commitment to The Herald and the podcast team is greatly appreciated.

Rebekah-Anne Allen, Contributing Writer

Rebekah-Anne, you have not been on the team for long, but your impact will be long lasting. It has been wonderful to work with you over the last semester and we are glad you chose to challenge yourself in joining the team. Your adaptability and willingness to learn has been inspiring!

By Shae-Lynn Henderson, EIC

News: Crook Hunt 2025

This year's Crook Hunt happened from Mar. 19 through Mar 26. Per the Meredith College Traditions page, Crook Hunt is “an elaborate hide and seek that has been staged annually since it was revived in 1929.” Each Spring, seniors hide a wooden crook from the juniors. Using clues, the junior class spends the week searching campus for the stick. If the crook is found, it is brought into Class Day with a black ribbon. If it is not found, the crook is brought into Class Day with a ribbon of the senior class colors. 

In the book “A History of Meredith College” by Mary Lynch Johnson, Johnson talks about the history of this tradition. Crook Hunt started in 1906, when an instructor presented the graduating class with a crook. Since then, the tradition has been done almost every year with a brief hiatus from 1914 to 1929 because of high risk, and from 1948because of lack of interest, before its revival in 1969, as per Johnson. The crook has been hidden in many places, some more unusual than others. Johnson notes that the crook had once been sewn into a mattress belonging to the mother of a faculty member, for example.

This year, clues were posted to Instagram, @crookhunt2025, for juniors to decode and try and find the crook. Clues included pictures of oreos, an oak leaf, a water fountain and even a picture of the “Twilight” cast. The last clue was the number four. The clues were not only updated on the Instagram page, but were also posted on a board outside the Student Leadership and Success (SLS) office. After a week of hunting, it was reported by the crookhunt2025 Instagram page that the crook was not found. 

By Dawn Arnold, Contributing Writer

A&E: 2025 Senior Grad Recitals

For graduating music students, spring semester is a busy time. Each senior is required to prepare and perform a student recital in order to graduate as both a final cumulation of four years of work and as a first step into the world of professional music. 

For senior Audrey Hubbard, the labor that goes into preparing for her grad recital is important for her, both professionally and personally. After graduation, Hubbard, a mezzo-soprano, plans to enter a convent that is part of the Salesian Order, which is a  Catholic province dedicated to educating at-risk children, as noted by the Salesian Don Bosco website. One of their locations where they serve is in New Jersey. According to Hubbard, the first few years in the convent will be for her to work towards degrees in religion and philosophy, after which she will be placed in another Salesian Convent as a teacher, where she will “very likely” teach music. As a result, Hubbard themed her recital around the life of Christ, which she noted was a very spiritual experience for her. 

“ [She] found ways that [she] could grow in [her] faith and express [her] love for the faith in new ways,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard stated that it took a long time for her to solidify her recital program. She took “a lot of time in the early morning to sing through [her] whole recital program, especially so that [she] could work through the vocal and physical fatigue of the program.” Hubbard also had to conduct research on her pieces, their composers, the translations and the meaning of the text. According to Hubbard, “Doing the background research helps [her] to be able to understand what the song is about or what the composer was feeling when they chose to write the songs.”

Hubbard conducted her recital on Mar. 22 in Jones Chapel—one of the first recitals held in the chapel during the school year. 

Hubbard shared that, by the time she finished her recital, she looked at her collaborative pianist Eric, and described the feeling that “That doesn't even feel real.”

Hubbard noted that her recital “just seemed to fly by” and that it took time for her to realize that she was done. Although she’s still waiting for the sense of completion, Hubbard is also ready to turn her focus to the end of the semester and final projects.

Hubbard’s recital is the first of several recitals held by graduating seniors. Anna Cochran, ‘25, is preparing for her piano performance recital on April 5, at 5 p.m. Her recital will be held in Carswell Concert Hall. Cochran agrees that the preparation process is “long and tiresome,” especially as her recital will not only be a recital, but will consist of both a performance and lecture piece. Cochran stated that the first half of the recital will be a solo piano performance, and the second half will be a Music Therapy lecture, in which she will “be talking about different musical therapy interventions and how they can be used in different contexts, and playing and singing a song that would work for that intervention!” Cochran intends to pursue her Master’s in Music Therapy at Appalachian State University after graduation.

Soprano Alaire Donofrio, stated that she began planning her recital during the fall semester of 2023, when she decided that she wanted her recital “to revolve around fantasy and fairytale elements.” Donofrio described the recital preparation process as “a marathon instead of a sprint with many self-imposed deadlines and ambiguous requirements.” 

“As someone who can get overwhelmed by decisions and who prefers to down [her] responsibilities in one shot, this was particularly daunting,” Donofrio said.

Donofrio’s repertoire will include two musical theatre selections, as “whether it be cheesy golden age crooning or poorly rated Disney Channel Original Movies,” she has considered musical theatre to be her “favorite escape” and that she wanted to honor that in her recital. Her recital will be held April 11 at 7 p.m. in Carswell Concert Hall. 

Soprano Madison Abigail, will hold her recital on May 3 at 5 p.m. in Carswell Concert Hall. Similar to the other vocalists, Abigail stated that the preparation process involves “considerable time in the practice room” rehearsing, translating and researching. Abigail finds that the process is “well worth it in the end,” noting that during her college career, she also conducted a sophomore and junior recital. She added that she loved the challenge of preparing and performing a recital.

Abigail’s recital is themed around “the depths of storytelling,” including a repertoire from the opera “La Fille du Régiment” and songs from Abigail’s own EP, “Sunday Matinée.” She shared that her own composition is based on the impact that her college experience has had on her life. After graduation, Abigail intends to pursue graduate studies, continue to perform with the North Carolina Opera and continue to produce her own music. She hopes to one day obtain her doctorate in music and perform professionally. More information about Abigail’s music is available on her website, madisonabigailmusic.com. 

Mezzo-soprano SarahElla Harlan, will be basing their recital around their struggle with mental illness “through music composed by artists with diagnosed or suspected illness.” Harlan said that “it definitely gets very dark at times, but the ultimate message is one of resilience, victory, and the beauty of authenticity.” Harlan is additionally contracting her recital for the Honors program, which allows her to include elements from her second major, Psychology. She stated that her recital also requires lots of preparation with moving sets, lighting, sound and magic in order to reflect the themes of her recital, as well as preparing program notes about the composers and their mental illnesses. 

“[They] started thinking about this recital during [their] junior year and had most of the music selected by the beginning of [their] senior year, but really, [their] graduation recital is a cumulation of years and years of work and growth,” Harlan said.

Harlan intends to pursue a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience Research but is taking a year to focus on the work she was doing before returning to Meredith College to complete her degrees, “specifically as a professional magician, mnemonist (memory expert), author, and artist.” Harlan’s recital will be held on May 4 at 7 p.m. in Carswell Concert Hall.

All student recitals are free to the public and count as an academic or cultural event. Information about other recitals and performances is available through the Music Department's Instagram, @meredithcollegemusic.

By Lola Mestas, Copy Editor

A&E: A Spotlight of Spring Fashion at Meredith

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been interested in fashion, so when Shae asked me to highlight spring style, I couldn’t say no. With campus in full bloom, more and more students have been stepping out in their favorite florals, light jackets, timeless denim and flowy silhouettes to celebrate the new season. 

I’ve always been inspired by the spring season, and wanted to keep the lookbook simple and light to truly highlight student style. 

In order to provide the best fashion advice possible, I took to my favorite magazines to dive into the past runway season’s trends (so you don’t have to). As always, florals can be found on almost every spring runway, but I was surprised to see the dominant print at the moment is picnic plaids and ginghams. Experimenting with new prints is always fun and can freshen up any wardrobe for the beginning of a new season. Additionally, light jackets are a must when the weather is as unpredictable as it is during transitional seasons. Specifically, sporty style jackets were showcased on the runway nodding toward an athleisure chic look. The colors of the season are reflective of the soft mood of spring and the first rays of sunlight with icy blues, pistachio green, buttercream yellow and ballet pink.

After turning many virtual magazine pages, I was ready to venture through campus to learn from the people around me. Our fellow students have shown great interest in floral skirts, light sweaters and flowy patterned shirts. From my peers, I learned that all you need to make an outfit shine is to showcase a favorite item, whether it be a floral sweater, blue corduroy pants or a striped dress, and to add simple staple pieces to let your piece of choice speak for itself. Check out my Spring Style Spotlight to draw some inspiration from your fellow students!

Above fashion, my main passion is photography. I’ve been taking pictures since I was nine years old and have grown to love it more and more over the years. I specialize in portrait photography but can be found any and everywhere with my camera. If you’d like to check out more of my work, head over to @graysonteaguephotography on Instagram.

As Meredith’s fashion continues to grow and change with each season, The Meredith Herald continues to enjoy exploring the latest trends across campus and the endless potential fashion has in connecting us in fun and unique ways.

By Grayson Morris, Co-Podcasting Director 

OPINION: Booming Overconsumption In The Digital Age

Consumerism is booming in the digital age with things like TikTok shop, influencer sponsorships, convenient online shopping and a normalization of overconsumption. According to Merriam Webster, overconsumption is defined as “excessive consumption or use of something.” Cara Nicole, who goes by @thefinancialfreedomgirl on YouTube, explains in her video titled “Let’s talk ‘UNDERCONSUMPTION CORE’” that underconsumption is a trend that involves “buying fewer items, using what [people] own until it's finished versus buying new and just generally rejecting the aspects of overconsumption that have become normalized.”

Theories about underconsumption and overconsumption have existed previously, and they are similar to ideas like minimalism and maximalism. Minimalism is associated with someone who prioritizes function and use, while a maximalist thinks that more is better. According to Merriam-Webster, minimalism is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity. Minimalism and maximalism refer to the amount of belongings someone has, and it can relate to fashion and design, too. Maximalism is “rooted in a more-is-more philosophy,” according to Architectural Digest. Youtuber Hannah Alonzo makes a great point in one of her videos about consumerism, sharing that restock and consumption content “speaks to how much [society] value[s] materialistic goods and how much of an importance [individuals] place on consumerism and overconsumption to a gluttonous degree.” 

Overconsumption has been over-normalized and almost romanticized, especially on TikTok. With this recent increase in overconsumption, some users have gotten fed up and begun to post videos in support of underconsumption. On TikTok, the hashtag “underconsumption” has over 35,000 posts, with a majority of the videos trying to showcase what underconsumption is and how to combat the influences that encourage overconsumption. Shawna Ripari creates videos on her YouTube channel in an attempt to de-influence and discuss with audiences where TikTok’s consumerism issues are headed. In one compilation video titled “is tiktok finally doing something about its overconsumption problem?” Ripari says that trends such as these are “often a mix bag, helping some people but potentially being co-opted by others.”

I have almost fallen victim myself to the trending overconsumption videos and ways of thinking, but when I realized that I was being influenced by videos on TikTok and other digital platforms to behave and purchase in this way, I began doing research and watching other videos to counteract the effects of this deliberate influence. While I wish a healthy relationship with purchasing new goods was easy to accomplish for the masses, in the digital age and boom of consumerism, people have to work harder than ever to combat overconsumption. 

By Kailey Wurr, A&E Editor

OPINION:Redefining Success As A College Student

When I first entered college, I had no idea what I wanted to do—at least, not with certainty. I knew I loved writing, journalism, history and creativity, and at one point, I was obsessed with “Grey’s Anatomy”—so much so that I declared pre-med, convinced I was on my way to becoming the next Addison Montgomery. Fast forward to now, and I’m about to graduate with a degree in Public Relations, preparing to go to law school. A major plot twist.

Originally, my only post-grad plan was law school. No backup, no alternative—just one road to success, and I was certain it was the only path for me. But life had other plans. When those law school acceptance letters didn’t roll in as expected, I was stunned. Rejection? Me? I had never been denied admission to anything before. I wasn’t sure how to pivot. I felt like my carefully crafted narrative had been rewritten without my permission.

Then, something unexpected happened. The internship I had taken mostly for class credit and experience, offered me a full-time position after graduation. And I hesitated. It wasn’t what I had envisioned for myself. Even though the internship was both creative and involved my public relations skills, it wasn’t part of my grand plan. For a moment, it felt like a failure instead of success. But was it really? Or was I just holding onto an outdated definition of what success was supposed to look like?

Success is a moving target, and college students today are redefining what it means. We’re told that life should follow a linear path—declare a major, graduate, land the dream job or get into the dream school—but reality rarely unfolds that neatly. Some of us switch majors three times. Some of us discover passions we never knew existed. Some of us take detours, only to find they lead to better destinations.

Adaptability is one of the most crucial skills we can have. Since plans and life change constantly, being able to adjust and still feel confident in our path is what truly matters. Success isn’t just about fulfilling a plan—it’s also about the things we accomplish along the way, even if they aren’t directly related to our ultimate goal. Success can be not skipping a class for a week, learning a new recipe or actually following through with a morning routine. There are so many aspects of our lives that contribute to success beyond academics and career paths, and if we have to take a different route to reach our goals, the journey is still meaningful.

When we take a step back and redefine success for ourselves, we gain multiple perspectives and develop the resilience needed to navigate life after college. The truth is, that success isn’t just about sticking to a plan. It’s about adapting, about recognizing that new opportunities don’t mean failure—they mean growth. Maybe success isn’t just about getting exactly what we planned for but embracing what comes our way. Sometimes, the backup plan turns out to be the best plan of all.

By Enfiniti’ Jones, Staff Writer