This document discusses 4 alumni from Meredith College and their experiences and accomplishments. 1) Maitlyn Healy graduated with an English degree in 3 years and earned a master's. She now works in fan development for a professional soccer team, drawing on skills developed at Meredith like writing and time management. 2) Hannah Thornton taught abroad and interned extensively. She was named a top first-year teacher for her middle school work drawing on her passion and organization from Meredith. 3) Kendyl Cole gained hands-on experience with autism programs and research to prepare for occupational therapy graduate studies. 4) Neda Kazemi came to the US as a refugee and now works

1. WANT TO KNOW WHAT
STRONG
LOOKS LIKE?

3. There’s a
reason our
graduates are
so strong.
It starts before they get here. Because women who choose
to come to Meredith share certain characteristics. Traits like
determination. A desire to make a difference. Self-
confidence. And a strong academic background.
But that doesn’t mean our students are all alike. Like you,
every student has her own unique set of strengths. You may
already be well acquainted with some of your strengths –
others you have yet to discover. And that’s where we come in.
At Meredith, you’ll find a community who is invested in you.
Through StrongPoints®
, we’ll help you figure out what you’re
meant to do, how to make your innate strengths even stron-
ger, and develop a plan that will prepare you for success.
This process is not easy. It’s not always straightforward. But
we’re really good at it, because we’ve been doing it for 125
years.
Without a doubt, the women you’ll read about here are
strong. So are you. Come to Meredith and find out just
how strong you are.

4. MAITLYN HEALY, ’14
MANAGER OF FAN DEVELOPMENT,
CAROLINA RAILHAWKS
ENGLISH MAJOR
Maitlyn Healy is a woman on a mission. After
graduating from Meredith in three years, she
earned her master’s degree in Sports Industry
Management from Georgetown University. Then
she accepted her current position as manager
of fan development for the Raleigh-based
professional soccer team Carolina RailHawks. And
she’s just getting started.
In spite of her considerable accomplishments as a
young alumna, the path to her current position has
hardly been direct: while at Meredith she changed
her major several times. She counted on support
from faculty and staff to keep her moving forward
while trying on majors that ranged from English to
interior design to history.
Even after declaring English as her major, Maitlyn
continued exploring other interests – and adding
to her resume. She conducted research on
the history of slavery in North Carolina. Served
as staff writer and sports and entertainment
editor for Meredith’s student newspaper, The
Herald. She was both residence hall president
her freshman year and a resident assistant her
sophomore and junior/senior years. She also was a
communications and PR intern for the RailHawks.
Maitlyn’s undergraduate education prepared
her well for her graduate program because of
Meredith’s focus on writing and critical thinking.
And while her impressive organizational and time
management skills were essential during her
time at Meredith, those skills also came into play
in graduate school. While at Georgetown, she
worked with the Washington Redskins, interned
with Most Valuable Kids (a non-profit that sends
underprivileged children to sporting events), and
volunteered on the White House lawn at the Easter
Egg Roll alongside current NFL and MLS players.
According to Maitlyn, her dream job has changed
several times since she started her undergraduate
career. She has landed on wanting to work in
community relations for a team or league while
giving back to her community. There’s no doubt
this strong alumna will continue to reach her
goals even as she continues to set new ones.
Setting goals is
important – achieving
them is powerful.

5. “Meredith prepared me
for success as a young
professional because of the
confidence I gained as a
woman during my three years
on campus. I was given every
opportunity as a student and
ran with it.”

6. HANNAH THORNTON, ’14
6TH GRADE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS
& GLOBAL STUDIES TEACHER,
DANIELS MIDDLE SCHOOL
HISTORY MAJOR, 6-12 SOCIAL STUDIES,
6-9 ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS LICENSURE
Teaching middle school can be challenging,
especially for a first-year teacher. But Hannah
Thornton embraced her first year the same way
she met all of the challenges during her four years
at Meredith, and with equally strong results: she
was named the Wake County First Year Teacher of
the Year for middle school.
At Meredith, Hannah took full advantage of every
experience, big or small. Her favorite memories
were made during the times she spent studying
abroad. In Iceland she hiked volcanoes, cooked
eggs in hot springs, saw wild horses, helped herd
cows, climbed glaciers, and talked with a famous
Icelandic author. In Belize she taught English at
a local school, visited Mayan ruins, and canoed
and hiked into spectacular caves. In Ghana she
guest-taught elementary school. (No wonder her
professors dubbed her and her fellow students the
Intrepid Explorers!)
Back in North Carolina, Hannah was equally
intrepid – and determined to make the most of
college. With the encouragement of her faculty,
she interned at the N.C. Department of Public
Instruction and worked at Historic Oak View
County Park. She dissected pumpkins as part
of a plant and people course. Wrote poems
about drought-resistant rice. Found herself loving
calculus, and made a dragon using a computer
program to combine math equations and formulas.
And honed her teaching skills by tutoring other
Meredith students. At every turn she thrived under
the guidance of her faculty mentors who rooted for
her success even as they provided reality checks,
constructive criticism, and direct advice.
Hannah’s natural curiosity and drive to both learn
and teach others helped her enjoy every moment
at Meredith – and prepared her to succeed in her
chosen career as an educator. Now she uses her
passion, determination, and strong organizational
skills to teach reading, writing, grammar, speaking,
and listening to 120 middle school students. No
two days are alike, and there is plenty of drama
and grading – but this capable teacher knows
she’s chosen the right profession.
Strong teachers
never stop learning.

7. “I loved being in an environment
where I could learn anything I
wanted, choose any path that
I wanted. No other student
would ever have the exact
same experience. My goal
was to experience as much as
possible.”

8. KENDYL COLE, ’15
CLINICAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT,
DUKE CENTER FOR AUTISM AND
BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
PSYCHOLOGY AND SPANISH MAJOR
Kendyl Cole came to Meredith knowing that she
wanted to work with individuals on the autism
spectrum. And she knew that gaining lots of
hands-on experience was the best way to hone
in on exactly what she wanted to do in the field.
So as an undergraduate student, she pursued an
incredible range of opportunities to do just that.
Perhaps most significantly, Kendyl participated in
the Meredith Autism Program. It’s one of the few
such programs in the country that makes it possi-
ble for undergraduate students to gain early clinical
experience working with children on the autism
spectrum.
Kendyl also sought out a number of other intern-
ships and paid positions to build on her knowledge
and skill set. She worked at a summer camp for
individuals with autism. Held internships in multiple
occupational therapy clinics that served a range of
ages. And worked as a rehabilitation therapist for
two different organizations.
Wanting to expand her horizons even further,
Kendyl studied abroad in Chile for six months,
choosing a program that included an internship in
a clinic for children with diagnoses on the autism
spectrum.
She also conducted her own research on Sensory
Sensitivities of Young Adults with High Functioning
Autism Spectrum Disorders. Kendyl presented her
research at the Eastern Psychological Association
conference. Notably, she did so in the professional
session along with the Ph.D. candidates and junior
faculty rather than the undergraduate session – the
conference organizers placed her there based on
the level of her proposal.
Kendyl’s connection with her faculty was essential
to the quality of her time at Meredith. They sup-
ported her in everything she did, from late nights
spent working on research with her faculty adviser
to just having coffee and interesting conversations.
Now she’s gaining even more experience as a
clinical research assistant at Duke University before
applying to graduate programs in occupational
therapy. Kendyl has mastered the fine art of living
life to the fullest while anticipating and planning for
the next opportunity – qualities that will ensure
this alumna continues going strong.
There’s no substitute
for experience.

9. “At Meredith I was able to
gain early clinical experience
working with children on the
autism spectrum, develop and
conduct my own independent
research, study abroad in
a country that tested my
communication skills and
flexibility, and hold internships
in occupational therapy
settings unavailable to most
undergrads.”

10. NEDA KAZEMI, ’15
TECHNICAL ANALYST,
CREDIT SUISSE
MATHEMATICS AND ECONOMICS MAJOR
Neda Kazemi brought a lifetime of real-world
experiences with her to Meredith. While living as a
refugee with her family in Iran, Neda studied English
and, with hard work, became fluent. When she
returned to Kabul, Afghanistan, she was hired to
work as a translator for the United Nations with a
special unit that provided services to women who
were the victims of domestic violence.
As a translator, Neda accompanied international
staff to meetings and interviews and also translated
documents. Being exposed to such sad and painful
stories was difficult, but she found herself marveling
at the courage of the women she interviewed and
worked hard to focus on their strength and the
sense of hope they exhibited.
When a scholarship from the Initiative to Educate
Afghan Women enabled her to attend Meredith, she
made another choice: to be the best student she
could be. Neda embraced every challenge that came
her way, pursuing a double major in economics and
mathematics and a minor in finance. She wrote an
honors thesis about the impact of gender norms on
the educational and career choices of young adults.
Her thesis topic gave her the opportunity to bridge
her two majors, using her math and statistics skills to
analyze a survey she conducted, and then using the
results and analysis to feed her economics research.
Neda also sought out ways to give back to the
community that she found so welcoming. She was
president of the Meredith International Association
and loved sharing real stories of her country with
students whose knowledge of Afghanistan was
limited to what they had seen in the media. She also
worked in various offices on campus, which allowed
her to further build her sense of professionalism.
As a result, when she accepted her current position
with Credit Suisse, Neda felt well prepared for her
new role as a technical analyst. Whether using
business, communication, or technical skills to
solve clients’ issues, she knew from day one how
to function effectively in a work environment. As
someone who appreciates the lasting value of
education, this strong woman fully expects
learning to be a lifelong endeavor.
A strong woman
knows courage is
contagious.

11. “I thought I was strong when I
came to Meredith. Little did I
know that Meredith would turn
me into a stronger woman – a
woman who would help other
women and girls become strong
one day as well.”

12. ANDREA BRASWELL, ’14
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT,
NC SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY MAJOR
Andrea Braswell has always had a passion for
stewardship and a desire to make a difference.
After reading Rachel Carson’s seminal work Silent
Spring, watching movies like Erin Brockovich,
and learning about other pressing issues such
as energy conservation, it became apparent to
Andrea that environmental degradation was a huge
problem. More important, she wanted to be a part
of the solution.
Andrea found the perfect way to do so by majoring
in environmental sustainability. And she deepened
her learning through her involvement on campus,
particularly as treasurer and president of Meredith’s
student-led environmental awareness organization,
Angels for the Environment, also known as A4E.
As a leader in A4E, Andrea guided a number of
initiatives. She worked with campus facilities to
conduct a campus-wide trash audit, planning the
event and participating in the audit, as well as
analyzing the data and reporting improvements in
campus recycling efforts.
Other initiatives led by Andrea included “Earth Day
Beneath the Stars,” an event that encouraged
students to appreciate our planet, and an annual
plant sale that was the organization’s most
significant fundraiser. She also directed A4E’s
volunteer efforts at Meredith’s community garden
and Raleigh City Farm.
Andrea’s drive to make the most of her experience
was supported by Meredith faculty and staff. She
worked in the Office of Student Leadership and
Service as a student assistant, where she honed
valuable skills such as database and project
management. Academic Advising and Career
Planning staff helped her create a four-year plan
to give her efforts intentionality. And her faculty
adviser helped her select the courses that would
best feed her interests as well as challenged her to
take courses outside of her comfort zone (several
of which turned out to be her favorites).
Today Andrea has achieved her goal of working
in the field of sustainability. Because she’s able to
connect with leaders in the clean energy industry
while building her knowledge of the subject matter,
she’s also preparing for additional opportunities
to make an impact. For this young alumna,
ensuring that the natural world is going strong
feeds her own sense of purpose.
A strong woman finds
a way to be part of
the solution.

13. “Although I am one of the
youngest staff at NCSEA,
because of the preparation I
received at Meredith I have the
confidence and determination
to have a rewarding career and
make valuable contributions to
society.”

14. Meredith alumnae are strong leaders. Whether they
choose to attend graduate school, professional
school, or pursue a career, they expect to succeed
– and they do. And their success lasts far beyond
graduation. In fact, 95% of alumnae say Meredith
prepared them to earn an additional degree or
certification, and 91% reported that they were well-
prepared professionally.
That preparation makes a powerful impact on
our world. Among Meredith alumnae you’ll find a
retired N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice. The first
woman and first African American officer to hold
command roles in the Chaplain Corps of the U.S.
Navy. The first woman to hold a leadership position
in the N.C. House and Senate. A Tony-Award
winning actress. Fulbright scholars. Vice-Presi-
dents at major corporations like McDonalds, Bayer
CropScience and Toyota. And the first female U.S.
Attorney in North Carolina.
Once you graduate, you’ll join this network of
19,000 graduates who will become your mentors,
your professional community, and your friends.
Meredith women know one another by the onyx
they wear. And they know that competence, com-
passion and confidence are hallmarks of Meredith
alumnae. All are making a difference in the world.
All going strong.
Strong women know
how to succeed.
Companies and organizations that have hired
recent Meredith graduates include
• Biogen
• Credit Suisse
• Habitat for Humanity
• IBM
• NBC-17
• Nortel
• Oxford University Press
• Quintiles Transnational
• Red Hat
• SAS Institute
• Walt Disney World
Graduate and professional schools attended
by recent graduates include
• Columbia University
• Duke University
• Emory University
• Elon University School of Law
• Meredith College
• University of California at Berkeley
• University of Virginia
• Vanderbilt University
• Wake Forest University
• William and Mary Law School
• Yale Medical School
What Success Looks Like

15. Accomplished people rarely stumble upon
their success. They have a plan – and a strong
community backing them.
At Meredith, we’ll help you determine the right path
for you. One with specific goals and concrete steps
to ensure you’ll achieve them. One that makes the
most of your strengths, and prepares you for a life
of impact and distinction.
Take the next step. Come to Meredith. Discover
exactly how strong you are – and how to
become even stronger.
EXPERIENCE MEREDITH As an admitted
student, you are invited to attend Experience
Meredith, a day-long event that will provide you
and your family an opportunity to speak with
faculty and current students, learn about living
at Meredith and how to participate in study
abroad, speak with your admission counselor
and a financial assistance counselor, and meet
other strong young women who plan to study at
Meredith. You’ll leave campus with an in-depth
view of how Meredith can make you even stronger.
CONTACT US Your admissions counselor is
available to provide information and answer any
questions. And because we know the cost of
college is an important consideration, we’ll partner
with you to help fund your education.
RESERVE YOUR SPACE When you’re ready to
choose Meredith, officially reserve your space by
submitting your non-refundable deposit.
meredith.edu/admissions/admitted_students
QUESTIONS? Contact us at
(919) 760-8581
admissions@meredith.edu
meredith.edu.
Next Steps

16. Office of Admissions | 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5298
(919) 760-8581 or 1-800-MEREDITH | FAX (919) 760-2348 | admissions@meredith.edu
meredith.edu
Meredith College admits qualified women students without regard to race,
creed, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age or disability.
WHEREVER YOU’RE
GOING IN LIFE,
GO STRONG.
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