May 11, also known as commencement day, is quickly approaching. It is no secret that Meredith will miss the graduating seniors, but the class will be moving to bigger and better opportunities. On April 17, the Class of 2019 began their journey as alums at the Alumnae Induction Ceremony. During the ceremony, seniors were introduced to what life will look like as an alumna. The highlight of the Alumnae Induction Ceremony was the introduction of the class doll. Every year, the class doll resembles the fashion and symbols of the past four years that are unique to the graduating class.
The Class of 2019’s doll is named Hannah Cate Joy Strong. The first name is a double name to honor the many sisters of the class who have a double name. Hannah was chosen to give back to the class’s president for the past four years, Hannah Kicklighter. Cate refers to the Cate Student Center, where members of the senior class enjoyed socializing and buying food from the Beehive. Joy is a symbol of the class’s first Cornhuskin’, where Inside Out was the theme. The last name Strong was chosen because the Class of 2019 was the first class to welcome the branding of the slogan “Going Strong.” Hannah Cate Joy Strong’s attire is a jean skirt, a black shirt, a long, maroon cardigan and knee-high boots.
The Alumnae Induction Ceremony indicates that the seniors will soon leave Meredith College and become Meredith alumnae. Departments are working hard on last-minute details for the graduation ceremony, but shortly after the commencement, these same departments will be preparing for the arrival of new students. The Herald is excited to meet new faces next year, but graduating seniors will surely be missed on Tuesday nights. Below, The Herald highlights the remarkable seniors who have dedicated their time to The Herald these past few years.
Nikki Wertz: With a degree in studio art, Nikki has been using her expertise as a layout designer for The Herald since spring 2018. After graduation, Nikki will be looking for a job that aligns with her interests while also allowing her to travel the country. For all underclassmen, Nikki’s one piece of advice is, “don't sacrifice fun like I did. Be selfish, don't take on more than you can handle and don't be afraid to say no or to disappoint. At the end of the day, you're going to college and you're the one going into life after college.”
Sarah Kiser: The Meredith Herald would be nonexistent if it weren’t for Sarah’s love for and dedication to the paper. For the last four years, Sarah has committed their time to The Herald and has done a wonderful job this past year as Editor-in-Chief. Sarah has been accepted into the Disney College Program, and three months after graduation, their new job will be Photopass Photographer in all four WDW theme parks Although Sarah will be working at the happiest place on earth, they will most miss “the people [they] care about but didn’t get to spend a lot of time with.”
Abigail Ojeda: For the past four years, every Tuesday night, News Editor Abigail could be spotted helping The Herald plan and edit each publication. Abigail enjoyed her time with The Herald because “The Herald staff members are incredibly smart and always passionate about something.” It is no surprise Abigail has taken an amazing opportunity to work at Red Hat as a Marketing Communications Intern. A piece of advice Abigail has for underclassmen is to “make a friend who's a year or two older than you. Learn what to do (and what not to do) from them and avoid the more painful mistakes.”
Caroline Garrett: Caroline has a passion for helping others, as evidenced by their role as A&E Editor for The Herald for the past three years. Furthering their commitment to helping others, Caroline will be attending UNC Chapel Hill for a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Public Health. While Caroline will still be attending school after graduation, they will miss “the friends [they’ve] made here and the relationships [they’ve] formed with [their] professors.” Caroline’s one last piece of advice to underclassmen is to participate in the extracurricular activities Meredith offers because they will often lead to finding another passion.
Ashley Ricks: During the summer of 2017, Ashley Ricks came to realize she had a passion for passing on stories to others, leading her to come out of her comfort zone and write for The Herald. Although Ashley began writing for The Herald with no background in media writing, the support from fellow students who were a part of the organization helped develop her language skills and confidence. With a major in business administration, Ashley may not be the typical student who helps with The Herald, but she attributes much of her success as a student to being a part of the school newspaper. Ashley’s piece of advice to underclassmen is to go out of your comfort zone and join student organizations you are even slightly interested in because these organizations may unearth an unknown passion you may have.
Micah Clark: For the past year, Micah has been making us all laugh with their comics featured in The Herald. Micah has been able to keep those brought down by depressing news stories sane with their humorous comics. Micah said they will miss “hearing the feedback on [their] comics. [They] love hearing that [they] made people laugh or smile.” After graduation, Micah will be moving to Tacoma, Washington, to take a gap year before pursuing grad school. When asked what they will miss most, their response was the friends they’ve made at Meredith these past four years.
Rebecca Dowdy: Rebecca joined the staff of The Herald this year as Opinions Editor and has been an invaluable member of the editing team. The newspaper staff will miss Rebecca greatly when she leaves Meredith to embark on her future adventures. The Herald will miss each graduating student greatly, but continuing members are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for each of them. Even if a senior is still deciding on what to do after graduation, every Meredith graduate has the knowledge and abilities needed to excel in their field. The little black ring on a Meredith graduate’s right hand is a symbol of knowledge, integrity and perseverance that distinguishes her from the rest of college graduates.
By Ashley Ricks, Staff Writer