Institutional Advancement held a Scholarship and Donor Recognition Dinner on February 18 at The Royal Banquet Hall. The dinner honored Meredith donors who give graciously to the College and gave students receiving scholarships the opportunity to thank donors for supporting their education. Donors, senior scholarship students, the Board of Trustees, and the Meredith leadership team were in attendance.
Sierra Grande, ’26, gave a welcome and introduced all the speakers. Grande is a senior scholarship recipient majoring in health, exercise, and sport sciences and is a student-athlete on the field hockey team.
The theme of the night was hearing from students, a donor, and President Aimee Sapp about what scholarships mean at Meredith.
“We are all joined together by one common value, and it’s that we love and support the mission of Meredith,” said Grande. “Tonight will be special as we honor our seniors.”
Student Body President Georgia Fulghum, ’26, majoring in public health and biology with a minor in pre-law, spoke about her journey since her freshman year and how she pivoted in her senior year to add the pre-law minor so that she could pursue law school after graduation.
“Your generosity allowed me to focus on my education, my service, and my future. It allowed me to say yes to leadership opportunities, yes to new experiences, and yes to the possibility of changing my path when I realized where I was truly meant to go,” said Fulghum.
Fulghum has been deeply involved in leadership at Meredith. She served as the SGA Executive Board vice president for two years and as the solicitor general of the Honor Council two years before her current role as president. She says those roles taught her how to listen, advocate, lead with integrity, and stand up for others, and illustrated the power of community.
“Meredith has become a place that feels like home. It is a place where we are encouraged to lead, to serve, and to grow into the best versions of ourselves,” said Fulghum. “None of this would have been possible without the generosity of our donors. The scholarships I received made it possible for me to be here, to stay involved, and to take advantage of every opportunity Meredith has offered.”
David Williams, a trustee and donor, spoke about his mother’s time at Meredith and her development during those years. His family has a number of Meredith connections as both his wife and he were raised in Meredith families, as both of their mothers are alumnae. His father was a trustee emeritus, and his sister, Nancy Williams Cheek, ’63, was chair of the Board of Trustees. He has always felt an affinity for the College and gives to ensure that Meredith will thrive.
Grande spoke about her experience coming to Meredith as a student-athlete and how her interests in her major changed through hands-on experiences she had in the last four years.
“Being a student-athlete at Meredith was the most transformative experience of my life. I am not the same person I was when I entered these campus gates three and a half years ago,” said Grande.
Grande began playing on the field hockey team her freshman year, when the program was only in its second NCAA year. Serving as the team captain for two years and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee president taught her how to lead with kindness, firmness, and humility, as well as be a trustworthy leader.
During her academic journey, she was consistently drawn to exercise science, though she initially felt uncertain about which path to pursue. She once envisioned a future as a strength and conditioning coach, but classes in clinical exercise prescription, health education methods, and exercise physiology reshaped her perspective. Through those experiences, she discovered a passion for supporting individuals with clinical conditions. In addition to her coursework, Grande has also gained valuable experience through undergraduate research.
“I hope that every donor here knows how impactful, sacrificial, and life-changing your gifts are. You provided me with an opportunity that, in turn, shaped my future,” said Grande. “I’ve worked hard these past four years, supporting myself in college and paying my tuition each semester. The only way this was feasible was because of the financial gifts I received. My life has truly been changed.”
President Aimee Sapp thanked all the donors and seniors in attendance, acknowledging that Meredith has more than 620 named scholarships, comprised of donations from more than 7,500 donors.
“Our donors who support students with scholarships give their recipients a path to academic success, and it shows them the confidence they have in them through their four years at Meredith,” said Sapp. “There are many people who work together to support students in their success. When a student has been at Meredith for four years, they have interacted with many faculty and staff members, from their professors to the Financial Aid office that helps them figure out the financial impact of attending Meredith, and what we can do to help. Every person our students encounter on campus is there to help them achieve their goals.”
Twenty-two student-athletes were in attendance, and 20 majors, 11 minors, and 10 states were represented at the scholarship dinner.
“This event is great for both donors and students because it lifts the veil of philanthropy. It transforms the money that a donor has given to a person. It makes real their valuable dollars and brings to life what they thought those funds could do,” said Astra Ball, director of advancement services. “The student gets to connect and understand why a stranger may be interested in supporting another stranger. This was most evident to me when I heard speaker Sierra Grande say to her donor, ‘I see this large amount of money applied to my bill yearly, and a person I have never met, I now know who that person is!’ “
To support scholarships at Meredith, visit meredith.edu/support.
Melyssa Allen – News Director
316 Johnson Hall
(919) 760-8087 | Fax: (919) 760-8330 | allenme@meredith.edu