Faculty/Staff Accomplishments and News Briefs 8/21/24

In this issue, we celebrate the accomplishments of faculty/staff in accounting, chemistry, child development, communication, hospitality and tourism management, the library, and psychology. We also share information about new Zoom backgrounds and an additional opportunity to get professional headshots taken.

Assistant Professor of Practice Michael Altman and students in Meredith’s MBA Entrepreneurship and Innovation class sat down with Chris Powers, Trophy Brewing co-founder, to learn about the start of his business along with the challenges and opportunities the business faces. This “Barrel Side Chat” was held on July 10. Altman is the director of Meredith’s Hospitality and Tourism Management Program.

Dr. Nancy Johnson, CPA, instructor of accounting in the School of Business, presented her research teaching case, “Financial analysis and succession planning: The William Violet Funeral Home” at the Society of Case Research conference in Grand Forks, North Dakota on July 25. The teaching case was deemed to be novel for its “macabre” theme of how revenue is earned and expenses are incurred in a funeral business.

Associate Professor of Chemistry Andrea Carter, Professor of Chemistry Sasha Ormond, and Laboratory Manager Jessica Thorpe held a workshop titled “Cultivating Inclusivity and Equity in the Classroom” at the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education 2024 at the University of Kentucky in Lexington on July 28. Carter and Ormond then organized a symposium with the same title on July 29, 2024. The workshop and symposium were well received, generated many productive and thoughtful conversations, and gave more ideas to the presenters. This work was based on The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations Grant #2008-21284, titled “Cultivating Equitable and Inclusive Pedagogical Practices in STEM Higher Education.”

Dr. Joseph Mazzola from the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program presented the plenary speech at the Cooperating Raleigh Colleges conference held at Meredith in July. His presentation was titled “Striking Harmony: Best Practices for Work-Life Balance in Organizations and Individuals.” 

Dr. Pamela Norcross, Associate Professor in Child Development, presented two posters from the AIMSS project at the International Congress of Infant Studies (ICIS) in Glasgow, Scotland, in July.  Norcross’ first-authored poster was titled “Impact of prenatal group social support on postpartum depression and emotion dysregulation” (second author Dr. Betty Shannon Prevatt, Psychology), and the second poster, which Norcross co-authored with Peyton Frye and Prevatt, was titled “Why disparities in adverse delivery outcomes for Black birthing people matter for the birthing person-infant dyad.”

A third poster from the AIMSS project was presented at ICIS by a graduate student, Inga Nordgren from Purdue University. This poster, “Associations with infant birthweight and trust in US physicians during pregnancy,” was also co-authored by Norcross and Prevatt. The mission of ICIS is “to advance the understanding of infant learning and development across the globe through the creation, dissemination, and promotion of leading edge science.”  Norcross also serves on the undergraduate student committee for ICIS.

Instructor of Communication Linda Shields has been inducted into Marquis Who’s Who. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process. Recognized as one of North Carolina’s 50 Women in Know in 2023, Shields is the owner of Speaking With Authority, which provides its clients with practical voice tips and techniques that improve how others communicate personally and professionally, in addition to her role on the Meredith faculty.

Carlyle Campbell Library Staff Present at CRC Conference
In June, several librarians from the Carlyle Campbell Library presented at the Cooperating Raleigh Colleges (CRC) 17th Annual Library Workshop. The conference was held on the Scott Northern Wake Campus of Wake Tech. Research and Instruction Librarian Jake Vaccaro was on the planning committee for the event. The theme for the conference was creative collaborations. 

In their first appearance as interim co-deans of the Carlyle Campbell Library, Carrie Nichols and Jeff Waller participated in a panel discussion alongside other CRC library directors about building community and fostering collaborations on their campuses. Amanda Sullivan, another Research and Instruction and Librarian, presented about the library events she has organized to foster creativity and community among Meredith students. Her presentation covered the library’s Murder Mysteries, as well as events in which students made bracelets, zines, and bookmarks.

News Briefs

New Zoom Backgrounds Available
The Marketing Department has created new Zoom backgrounds for use by campus community members. The new backgrounds can be downloaded from the Marketing Department website. Instructions for using the images in Zoom are included on the page.

Get Your Professional Headshot
The Department of Marketing is offering another professional headshot session for faculty and staff. Join us on Monday, September 9 from 10-10:50 a.m. on the second floor of the SMB Atrium. You can register in advance or simply walk in—just drop by any time during the session. Your headshot will be added to your profile on the Meredith College website, and high-resolution copies will be sent to you for personal use.

Registration Form: https://forms.gle/25nKb3KL518c3yFH8

Contact Charlotte McKinney at cmckinney@meredith.edu with questions.