Why I Chose Meredith College

In today’s blog, you’ll hear from Grace Dunn, ’25. Follow her journey from a high school student first discovering Meredith to her current role as one of our dedicated Admissions Counselors.  

“I remember starting my college search process like it was yesterday. Being the Type A person that I am, I had a set list of what I wanted coming into college. My number one item? Community. I knew that I would find it at a smaller school, so that’s where my focus was in my search. 

I think back to when I was sitting in the basement at home, and my mom asked me, ‘Why don’t you take a look at Meredith?’ Meredith? What in the world is that? I thought. I had never heard of it. That’s when I began exploring the website, finding that I could be as involved as I wanted to be. The more I searched, the more I fell in love with what Meredith had to offer. 

During the application process, I learned about all of Meredith’s traditions. Every student I talked to was getting excited about them, their eyes lighting up even through a screen (my interviews for scholarships were virtual – COVID times!). It made me even more excited about the possibility of attending. 

When October of 2021 hit, I was finally able to come to visit campus for the first time – and boy, did it take my breath away. I remember my mom and I driving up to Johnson Hall and all its beauty, my jaw practically on the floor in awe of what was in front of me. My mom looked at me and smiled, asking, “This is home, isn’t it?” and I responded with the quickest “Yes, yes, it is.” 

Community, again, was my top priority. As an only child, the close-knit community at Meredith was something that immediately struck me, as well as the support that you gain from the faculty and staff. I experienced what community truly meant during my second year at Meredith when my world flipped upside down. My second year did not go at all how I envisioned it. It was, in fact, quite the opposite. During the fall 2023 semester, grief entered my life in a way that I never expected. I lost a friend that August, my grandmother that September, and my grandfather that October. 

All of this took place in the course of 12 weeks. On top of that, I was taking 18 credit hours, serving as a resident assistant, and going to placements, as I was pursuing a K-6 teaching license at that time. When this happened, I was quickly surrounded by friends and family, and faculty and staff who quickly felt like family. They went out of their way to accommodate my needs to process all that had happened and made sure that I was able to complete my coursework. While it took the rest of the semester for me to catch up, my professors gave me the flexibility to be able to get all of my assignments in for the semester, finishing on the Dean’s List. Each professor that I interacted with constantly checked on me, making sure that I was a functioning human, not just a student, during this trying time in my life. 

So, why did I choose Meredith? Meredith College gave me the community that I was searching for – through friends, faculty, staff, and alumnae connections. I know that without a doubt, it would do the same for anyone else who walks through the gates of this campus. The faculty and staff here truly care about students, not just academically, but personally as well. 

Now, I’m proud to be a part of this prestigious group of faculty and staff. I serve as an Admissions Counselor, where I get to share my experiences and give back what Meredith gave me – community, opportunities, and confidence. Confidence that I can navigate whatever life throws at me, that I can go out and change the world, making an impact – one student at a time.”