Meredith Lewallen Roberts (07C) has demonstrated time and again that she will go to great lengths for the causes she loves, once gracing the back cover of this very magazine after donning her wedding gown and rappelling off a 20-story building in support of a local charity. Now that can-do spirit has propelled her to the top post on Berry’s Alumni Council.
“I did not immediately get involved as an alum,” Roberts reflected. “I was unaware of how alumni could engage with the college until I attended a meet-and-greet in Chattanooga with the then-new dean of the Campbell School of Business.”
That meeting led to involvement with the Campbell Young Professionals Advisory Council, which spurred additional opportunities to connect with fellow alumni and the college, culminating in service on the Alumni Council, Berry’s elected body of alumni volunteers.
“I was amazed that there was such a robust and diverse group of alumni dedicated to Berry’s mission through volunteer service, and I wanted to be a part of that,” Roberts said.
With her two-year term beginning this summer, Roberts will head the Alumni Council during a pivotal moment in Berry history, with new leadership on the horizon as Dr. Steve Briggs begins his final academic year as college president.
“I was a junior at Berry when Dr. Briggs began his tenure, and I was able to see firsthand how his student-focused leadership inspired many graduating classes,” she recalled. “I am honored to represent the alumni body as we search for Dr. Briggs’ successor, which will be no small feat.”
Roberts will balance her service as alumni president (including concurrent service on the Board of Trustees) with her work as director of strategic advancement at the Tennessee Aquarium. One point of emphasis is encouraging other alumni to deepen their connections with the school.
“Berry has had such a profound impact on me, both personally and professionally,” she related. “I love that I can pay it forward through service on the Alumni Council. I have an 8-year-old daughter who I hope chooses to attend Berry one day. I look forward to bringing her with me to Mountain Day, Alumni Weekend, Berry sporting events or even just hikes on campus. That is something all alumni can do, which is a great way to get involved with our alma mater.”
Banner photo courtesy Doug Strickland/Tennessee Aquarium.
