From volunteering abroad to helping humankind land on the Moon to studying sharks to fighting fires, these bold women push boundaries in pursuit of the extraordinary.

At Meredith, we pride ourselves on not just the academic excellence of our alumnae but also their remarkable journeys beyond the classroom. The following alumnae have each pursued uniquely adventurous careers. Their experiences show how a strong education can form the foundation to achieve the most daring dreams.

Yohpe inside the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Megan Yohpe, ’12

Megan Yohpe, ’12, has worked for NASA since she was an undergraduate student at Meredith. Her advisor encouraged her to apply for an internship at the organization and Yohpe has never looked back. For two summers, Yohpe worked at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) as an intern in the commercial crew and commercial cargo programs.

“I never thought I would be able to work at NASA,” said Yohpe. “I am where I am today because of Meredith.”

After graduating from both Meredith and NC State through the Dual Degree Engineering Program, Yohpe pursued her master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Central Florida. While earning her master’s, Yohpe simultaneously went through NASA’s Graduate Pathways internship program. Immediately after completing graduate school in 2014, Yohpe joined NASA full-time and is currently the Program Technical Integration Branch Chief for the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) at the KSC.

Yohpe on top of the Mobile Launcher – the large traveling launch structure for the Space Launch System.

In this role, Yohpe supports Artemis missions, which aim to establish the first long-term presence on the Moon. Her team works diligently to ensure ground and flight hardware and software are fully operational for the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft. “Typical days include meetings both internally and externally with our cross-program partners. One of the challenges is getting stuck in the ‘daily grind’ of meetings and tests,” said Yohpe. “My team and I often have to remind each other we are making progress and will return to the moon.”

Although the day-to-day can be difficult and demanding, Yohpe finds it rewarding to work with a passionate team dedicated to NASA’s mission of exploring space for the benefit of humankind. Additionally, there are unique perks of the job such as witnessing space vehicles being assembled and launched and having LEGO release a set of the Space Launch System, which Yohpe helped test.

One day, Yohpe hopes to return to Meredith’s beautiful campus to speak with students about her experience with NASA and encourage them to pursue a career there if they are interested. “There are many benefits of working for NASA and they hire more than engineers,” said Yohpe. “They recruit almost all fields including accounting, art and design, legal, and business.”

Yohpe plans to work at NASA for her entire career and continue on the management path. At Meredith, she learned the importance of a supportive community. As a supervisor, she strives to model that by communicating effectively and showing her team she genuinely cares for them. “The work often requires long days and weeks. My primary goal is to support my team however I can with an emphasis on work-life balance,” said Yohpe. “Each mission is a marathon, not a sprint.”

Photo courtesy of Margo J. Alfieri ’11, ’21.

Venetta Baker, ’77

Growing up in North Carolina, Venetta Baker, ’77, dreamed of experiencing the world beyond her home state. Volunteering for the Peace Corps was Baker’s ultimate goal but, first, she had to earn her bachelor’s degree. Baker, who became legally blind in high school, often found herself frustrated with the learning materials available to her. She even considered dropping out but was determined to accomplish her goals.

“When I lost my sight, I said ‘I am going to do everything I would have done had this not happened to me,’” said Baker. “It was difficult but I did it. I graduated high school and college right on schedule.”

The support Baker received from the Meredith community was instrumental to her graduating in four years with a degree in social work. Baker praised one of her Spanish professors for acknowledging her frustration and ensuring Baker had the resources she needed to succeed. “One time, we had to learn the countries of South America and their capitals,” said Baker. “That professor and another student punched holes in a map outlining each country so I could feel where they were located. It was so helpful.”

Three months after graduating, Baker traveled to Colombia to begin her assignment with the Peace Corps. Working at a school for deaf and blind girls in Antioquia, Baker taught daily living skills, such as making a bed. Her experience in the Peace Corps was not all that she expected. Baker went through a series of unfortunate events, such as spraining her ankle and having her braille watch stolen. Despite the mishaps, Baker is grateful to have had the opportunity to fulfill her goal.

Upon her return to the U.S., Baker attended the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary to earn her master’s in divinity. Her desire was to pursue a career that made a difference to others. After she earned her degree, Baker moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, as she still wanted to explore new places. In Albuquerque, Baker taught Christian education at a college preparatory school.

Her time there, however, was cut short when Baker decided to return home to help care for her parents. She served as a chaplain at what is today the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, which provides services and support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Now retired, Baker spends her days writing. She is working on a book she hopes will one day be published. When she reflects on her life, Baker is glad she never gave up on her dreams. Everything she set her mind to, she pursued with joy and determination. “I just enjoy living and jumping in with both feet,” said Baker. “And when you get knocked down, you get back up.”

Olivia Seeger, ’15

Research assistant Dr. Olivia Seeger, ’15, investigates functional neural adaptations of different species at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. “One day I may be extracting RNA from sparrows and the next fishing for sharks on a boat or running behavioral trials on chickens,” said Seeger.

Seeger always wanted to work with animals and, originally, thought she would go into the veterinary field. As a biology major at Meredith, she discovered veterinary medicine was not the only career path to work with animals. At the suggestion of her academic advisor, Seeger began looking for research opportunities to explore other career options. The summer before her senior year, Seeger landed an incredible internship with the Oceans Research Institute in Mossel Bay, South Africa.

“I was out on a boat every day, observing great white sharks, dolphins, and whales. I loved it,” said Seeger. “In research, you get to ask questions and design experiments to find the answers, as opposed to memorizing facts. That appealed to me.”

Upon her return to Meredith, Seeger had the opportunity to present the research she did as an intern at Celebrating Student Achievement Day. “It was so rewarding seeing all my professors, classmates, friends, and family in the crowd, clearly eager to hear about my work,” said Seeger.

Even more exciting, Oceans Research reached out again to Seeger during her senior year to offer her a one-year position after graduating. Seeger did not hesitate to accept. “I had my bags packed before I even finished my last exam,” she said.

While working at Oceans Research, Seeger met researchers from Macquarie University’s neurobiology team. Interested in their work, she decided to pursue her master’s in neurobiology at Macquarie once her time in South Africa came to an end. For her master’s thesis, she studied the vertebrate eye of sharks and how it reflects sharks’ adaptations to their environment. Recently, Seeger has also earned her Ph.D. in neurobiology from Macquarie and continues to conduct research at the university.

When asked about her long-term career goals, Seeger said she is unsure if she will continue in academia or join a wildlife organization. Whichever path she chooses, she hopes to focus on the protection of native animals and plants as she has learned the importance of their role in preserving ecosystems. Eventually, she could see herself returning to Meredith as a professor to inspire and guide other young women scientists. 

For those interested in pursuing research, Seeger encourages seeking out and accepting any hands-on opportunities. “There are countless internships and volunteer opportunities in the field,” said Seeger.
“You will never know what you want to do or what you love if you don’t try it.”

Kat Pike, ’19

Being active is a way of life for Kat Pike, ’19. At Meredith, she studied exercise and sport sciences and played on the soccer team. Her initial goal after graduation was to become a Marine Corps officer; however, her plans shifted after undergoing hip surgery. Keen on pursuing a physically active career, Pike became a trainer with Camp Gladiator, a fitness and nutrition platform that offers in-person and online training.

Unexpectedly, Pike found herself in front of a screen for long hours as the role involved behind-the-scenes work to promote her workout classes. “It was a lot of sales and promotional work on social media,” said Pike. “It allowed me to improve my interpersonal communication skills but I did not want to be at a computer all day. And so I thought ‘Why not be a firefighter?’”

Earlier this year, Pike left Camp Gladiator to train as a firefighter for the Town of Carrboro and realize her intrinsic goal to push herself physically. On the job, she has learned how to throw a 24-foot ladder, cut open a car, and much more. It is a role that requires extensive and consistent physical training, both on and off the clock. Pike credits her education for preparing her for the fire service. “I took an injury prevention and care course as part of my major which was great,” said Pike. “I also learned skills that help with emergency medical services, such as taking blood pressure and measuring heart rate.”

Pike and a crewmate during a practice fire exercise.

In addition to the physical nature of the job, Pike enjoys the sense of family and camaraderie in the field. During their 24-hour shifts, firefighters eat, sleep, and train in the fire station with their crewmates. The time together is essential for the crew to learn to work and communicate effectively in times of emergency. “Teamwork is super important to get the job done,” said Pike. “Playing on the soccer team and participating in activities like Corn at Meredith taught me how to work with different people and viewpoints, which are skills I still use today.”

A challenging aspect of the job is the mental demand of responding to emergencies. “Sometimes we respond to really bad motor vehicle collisions or fires in which we can’t help the individuals,” said Pike. “For mental health purposes, talking things through with my crewmates is helpful. They are a great support system.”

In the next few years, Pike hopes to continue working for the Town of Carrboro and reaching new goals such as becoming a firefighter driver. As she becomes a seasoned firefighter, Pike would also love to mentor new firefighters transitioning into the field.