In 2024-25, Meredith alumnae and donors made a remarkable difference for students and the entire campus community.

Through countless hours of volunteering, attending events to welcome students both before and upon their arrival, and contributing annual gifts (under $24,999), major gifts ($25,000 and above), and deferred gifts, alumnae and donors strengthened the Meredith experience. Every gift – large or small – has an impact. From scholarships to facility improvements and new programs, each donor’s choice of where to give aligns with Meredith’s needs, helping the College continue to grow and thrive.

Institutional Advancement serves as Meredith College’s fundraising arm, partnering with donors to help them choose where their gifts can have the greatest impact. The generosity of these donors has made a clear and lasting difference for the College, with overall giving rising significantly over the past 15 years.

“I am continually inspired by the love our alumnae hold for their college and the generosity they demonstrate,” said Lennie Barton, vice president for institutional advancement. “Our goal is to partner with donors to align their passions with the areas of greatest impact, ensuring their support strengthens the College in meaningful and lasting ways.”

Institutional Advancement staff during the 10th annual Giving Day in 2025.

Annual Giving – Loyalty in Action

Many alumnae make gifts to the Meredith Fund, the College’s annual giving program, each year, and support has steadily grown. Last year, the Meredith Fund raised a total of $2.8 million, with $922,751 supporting Meredith’s Greatest Needs, a fund that provides budget relief and enables the College to allocate funds to pressing needs.

The Meredith Fund raises money with different audiences, such as 50th reunion classes, parents and families, senior class gift, faculty and staff, current donors, and new donors.

Annual competitions are also held by the Meredith Fund, including Meredith Mayhem, where alumnae classes compete for the most donors, and it is always fun to witness. Class gift agents and classmates rally one another to give, fueling both friendly rivalry and meaningful impact. In 2016, the Meredith Fund started Make It Count for Meredith Giving Day, held each year during Meredith’s birthday week, inviting alumnae and friends to give to whatever area they choose. That first year, the goal was $125,000 to honor the 125th anniversary of the granting of the College’s charter in 1891. This year, the bar was set at $1.2 million – but the Meredith community went above and beyond, with 2,706 donors contributing an incredible $1.6 million.

Board of Trustee members Claire Sullivan Slaughter, ’72, and Quintala Parham, ’08, always encourage others to support Giving Day.

By supporting Meredith, our donors strengthen Meredith’s reputation, provide for future students, and increase the value of every Meredith degree.

Director of the Meredith Fund Jean Gambrill said annual giving plays a vital role in helping Meredith move forward each year.

“These gifts – no matter the size – directly support students, strengthen academic programs, and provide resources where they’re needed most. Annual giving helps bridge the gap between tuition and the full cost of a Meredith education, allowing the College to respond to immediate needs and invest in future opportunities,” said Gambrill. “Events like Giving Day and Meredith Mayhem highlight how powerful our community can be when we come together – fueling not only spirited participation but real, lasting impact. We are deeply grateful for the loyal support of our alumnae, faculty, staff, families, students, and friends. Every gift enriches the Meredith experience and helps ensure that current and future Angels can thrive.”

On Giving Day, students thank donors for their gifts.

Classes Come Together

The goal for Institutional Advancement is to always match a donor’s passion with a project or scholarship that will improve a student’s experience.

A great example of this is the 50th Reunion Gift Program that the Meredith Fund launched in 2016, with the Class of 1971. It is a collective effort by a class starting at their 45th reunion to decide on a meaningful gift – one that leaves a lasting legacy at Meredith and reflects the enduring strength of their class bond. Their goal is to raise $250,000 by their 50th reunion. The first step is for classmates to attend their class meeting at their 45th reunion. Classmates learn how they can fund a reunion gift and discuss options with a Meredith Fund representative. The goal is to align the class’s passion with what the College needs.

The Class of 1975 celebrated their 50th reunion in May 2025 and were happy to announce they had reached their $250,000 goal of endowing the Chaplain’s Fund, an emergency fund to cover student financial needs as they arise. Their endowment will provide funding in perpetuity to the Chaplain’s Fund. These needs include but are not limited to food, gas costs, housing costs, transportation home for an emergency, the Daisy Trade campus food pantry, and basic nutrition education. During the five-year fundraising campaign, Gift Agent Sherri McGee, ’75, communicated the importance of philanthropy with her classmates and inspired them to take action with a gift. The Class of 1975 answered, and their spirit of giving back shows their loyalty to the Meredith community.

Class of 1975

“This fund is very important for students. The need has risen sharply in the past four years,” said Stacy Pardue, campus chaplain. “Many students have told me that they couldn’t stay in school without it, and they are very appreciative of the support. I meet with most students we give funds to, so I can support them in their various challenges.”

The College is deeply grateful to the reunion class volunteers and generous donors who mark their 50th reunion by creating a legacy that strengthens Meredith for future generations. Whether through endowments, special projects, or campus enhancements, these gifts honor their time at Meredith and help ensure that today’s students can create memories just as lasting.

Donors Establish Endowments to Provide for Years to Come

Staying Connected to Meredith

Meredith donors give over and over again to the College in generous ways. No matter the size of the gift, the Institutional Advancement team wants donors to give to what they care about. Maybe an alumna had an amazing professor in their major and wants to give back to that department, or maybe they had an enriching study abroad experience. When making a gift online, it is easy for the donor to designate where to make their gift, but sometimes an alumna wants to talk through a major gift ($25,000 and higher) with a gift officer.

Meredith College gift officers work with the donor to discuss where their gift might match up with the College’s priorities. That happened with Judy Williams, ’74. Williams could not decide on a particular gift until she heard about the new nursing program that Meredith was starting. 

“I got excited. I have some family members who were nurses, and I know how nurses have benefited me and my family,” said Williams. “They contribute so much. So I thought, here is a chance for Meredith College to develop a successful new program. This is what I really want to contribute to. It was a great opportunity.”

This year, Williams established the Judith Lynn Williams Scholarship in Nursing. The endowment will support a student in the Baccalaureate in Nursing program.

Linda Carter, ʼ82, senior director of gift planning, was very helpful to Williams in deciding to make a major gift to the nursing program.

“She approached the situation with me. Her job is to benefit Meredith, and she does a wonderful job,” said Williams. “She focused on me and wanted to help me work through what I wanted to do for Meredith. It made a big difference for me that she involved me as a person and helped me decide that nursing was where I wanted to make my gift.”

Left to right: Provost Anita Thomas, President Aimee Sapp, Judy Williams, ’74, and her friend Delores Biggers, and Michelle Hartman, nursing program director, celebrated Williams’ nursing scholarship at an endowment signing in May.

Williams was the class gift agent for the Class of 1974 and served on the Alumnae Association Board, so she has stayed very connected to Meredith through the years.

Serving as a long-time class gift agent, Williams is well-respected by her classmates. Her leadership and generosity are reflected in the Class of 1974’s outstanding philanthropic record. The Meredith Legacy Scholarship was the class’s first gift, and at their 50th reunion, they raised over $250,000 for athletics. She became more interested and involved with the College at her 40th reunion and developed a relationship with Erin Cleghorn, who at the time was the director of the Meredith Fund. Williams found her to be a wonderful asset as Cleghorn would give her advice on how to encourage classmates to give to the College.

“As I got older and the opportunity to stay involved as a Class Gift Agent and on the Alumnae Association Board, it was a good way to have interaction with alumnae, the staff, and students,” said Williams. “That makes me feel like I am doing something helpful and exciting to benefit students at Meredith and people working there.”

A Perfect Gift

The family of Ruth W. Holleman established a scholarship in her memory this summer to support nursing students studying abroad in Kenya. These funds will allow students to experience community health in another country. In addition, their gift supported Michelle Hartman, nursing program director, to travel to Kenya for a site visit as she plans the nursing study abroad program.

The process of establishing the gift started when Warren Holleman called Claire Ruocchio, director of strategic giving. Warren wanted to do something in memory of his mother and to also honor Betty Webb, ’67, and Cathy Rodgers, ’76.

“He didn’t know about our nursing program until we started talking, and that became the best fit for him, as his mom was a nurse anesthetist, plus the study abroad part really appeals to him,” said Ruocchio. “Giving nursing students the chance to be in Kenya and to see that community health model in action is exciting to him.”

Growing up next door to Webb, Warren, and his brother Toby were deeply influenced by her.

A lifelong connection began for them all. They met Rodgers after Warren wrote the play Forged in Fire – The Story of Apex, based on Warren and Toby’s book, Pluck, Perseverance, and Paint: Apex, North Carolina: Beginnings to 1941. Rodgers directed the play.

Left to right: Marsha and Warren Holleman, President Aimee Sapp, Toby Holleman, Cathy Rodgers, ’76, Brooke Shurer, director of international programs, and Michelle Hartman, nursing program director, gathered for an endowment signing in June.

Warren and his wife, Marsha, now live in Houston but have stayed connected to Webb and Rodgers. Warren is a former professor of behavioral science at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and for 10 years, he directed MD Anderson’s Faculty Health and Well-Being Program. He has extensive work in medical ethics and started a community health clinic for the homeless in Houston.

Warren and Toby’s mother, Ruth, was a pioneer for women in community health, creating a path for those seeking careers and positions in leadership. She served as chair of Rex Hospital’s Department of Anesthesia as well as nurse anesthetist for central North Carolina’s psychiatric hospitals and prison hospitals. During the era of racial segregation, Ruth provided anesthesia services for St. Agnes Hospital, which served Raleigh’s African-American community.

After talking to Ruocchio, all the pieces fell in place. The scholarship was crafted to honor their mother, a woman who cared deeply about her patients, and two women, Webb and Rodgers, who have been a part of the Meredith fabric for years. Ultimately, the gift will support students while honoring people who are dear to the Holleman family, and that makes a perfect match. 

“Building relationships and listening to the stories of our alumnae and donors are part of the joy of working in Institutional Advancement. Many of our major gift officers are alumnae and feel passionately about Meredith,” said Cleghorn, associate vice president of institutional advancement. “Our goal is always to connect people with opportunities to make a difference here, advise them on how their gifts can make the most significant impact, and celebrate their contributions on campus. We have outstanding, generous alumnae, and their support helps us thrive in our mission to educate the next generation of strong women.”

Parents and Families Giving

“We’re continually inspired by the commitment of our parents and families, whose involvement strengthens the Meredith community in meaningful ways,” said Gambrill. “Their ongoing support of the Parents and Families Fund reflects the deep pride they have in the Meredith experience for their students.”

The Parents and Families Fund plays a vital role in Meredith’s yearly fundraising initiatives. Contributions from parents and grandparents help bring the Parents and Families Project to life. An annual campus enhancement effort is identified by getting input from current parents, listening to the campus community, and hearing students’ needs. The idea is presented to parents who are on the Meredith Fund Advisory Board. Every gift to the project makes an immediate impact, enhancing facilities and programs that directly benefit students during their time at Meredith.

In the last two years, funding upgrades to campus security technology have been the Parents and Families Project. The two new Flock license plate reading cameras are an additional security feature that ensures that all traffic coming to and from Meredith is recorded and can be easily accessed in case of an emergency or incident.

A second year of focusing on security allowed Campus Police to upgrade the blue light emergency call phones. The upgrade will include a system update and movement of the lights for easier access by students. Two new solar-powered blue lights were installed this past summer for added security.

Angels Connect Welcoming Voice

At Meredith College, students are the backbone of the Meredith Fund’s Angels Connect program. These students call alumnae and donors to tell them about upcoming events, raise funds, update contact information, and build relationships with alumnae.

“You may even receive a thank you call from students who are genuinely grateful for your support, as every gift – no matter the size – enhances their experience on campus,” said Gambrill. “So when you receive a call from Meredith College, please answer your phone and have a conversation with a student. Learn what makes Meredith special for them.”

The campus community, not just the Institutional Advancement staff, thanks you for giving to Meredith College each year and helping us to Go Strong!

Interested in giving to your passion or contacting a member of the Institutional Advancement staff? Visit meredith.edu/giving or meredith.edu/support/institutional-advancement-staff.