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Becoming a Child Life Specialist – Meghan Brooks

Meghan Brooks, ’16, is one Meredith Angel who knows how to spread her wings. The Raleigh native completed her degree a semester early and graduated magna cum laude. During her time at Meredith, she was an Honors scholar, a member of the lacrosse team, and was an Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society inductee. She also completed a 600-hour clinical internship that prepared her for the responsibilities of being a child life specialist.

The child development major then landed a position as a child life specialist, first in the children’s emergency department at the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital in Greenville, N.C., and then at WakeMed in Raleigh, N.C.

“We work with kids and their families while they’re going through the process of hospitalization,” Meghan said. “Our goal is to help normalize the process and reduce any psychosocial fears and stressors.”

Meghan credits Meredith College’s Undergraduate Research Program for providing her with the networking opportunities she needed in order to land a job in her field.

“I did my thesis on child life, and I was very close to my professors,” said Meghan.  “They helped put me in contact with a lot of child life specialists in the area, and I think that was ultimately what helped me get a job so quickly. It’s a very hard field to break into.”

Meredith’s small size helped Meghan make connections with her professors and challenged her to stay on task with her responsibilities.

“One of the benefits of going to a small school like Meredith is that the professors are able to take the time to get to know you and help you succeed,” Meghan said. “There’s also a lot of accountability. The professors definitely know whether or not you’re coming to class. It’s an incentive to work hard and take advantage of the many opportunities you’re given.”

By Caroline Diorio, ’20


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