Renovations Coming to Campus! 2025-26 Parents Project to Collaborate with Interior Design Department

The 2025-26 Parents and Families Project will support enhancements to the second floor student study spaces in the Cate Center. This year, the Meredith Fund Office and Interior Design department have come together to collaborate and make these improvements a reality.

Julie Watkins, ʼ07, assistant professor and program coordinator in the Interior Design department, and Megan Philbin, ʼ26, an Honors student, will focus on creating renderings for the space and suggesting improvements based on projects from years past.

“Exciting progress is underway on the Cate Center project,” said Watkins. “Megan has officially begun her Honors Thesis this semester and is developing detailed drawings along with finishes and furniture selections. She’s expanding on an earlier design concept (shown below) and incorporating insights from parents and students. We look forward to sharing her designs soon.” 

Philbin recently presented her work to the Parents Council and Meredith Fund Advisory Board, and plans to present her thesis on Celebrating Student Achievement Day. 

The Meredith Fund Office looks forward to using this valuable campus resource and using the renderings to help donors visualize the renovated space.

Make a gift to this fund during the College’s 11th annual Make It Count for Meredith Giving Day on February 24 at meredith.edu/MakeItCount4MC. Stay tuned for more information about challenge gifts to this project and more updates from the Interior Design department!