Organization Spotlight: ResLife
The Resident Life Organization (ResLife) is responsible for overseeing residence halls and on-campus life at Meredith College. A key feature of the association is the integration of Resident Directors (RDs) that Meredith’s website highlights as “full-time staff members” to live on campus and “respond to crisis situations” for Meredith students living in a residence hall or the Oaks apartments. The Herald was able to speak with Director of Residence Life Amanda Morales and several other Residence Directors (RDs) about what ResLife offers for Meredith’s campus.
ResLife’s services are focused on “fostering student growth” according to Morales, and Launa Steward, Residence Director of the Vann and Brewer halls, stated that Residence Life serves as a “community building entity.” ResLife provides to students live-in Resident Assistants (RAs) as a service that Steward said are “a guide to help students find where they need to go” when it comes to their on-campus experience. Student organizations can also find help with event planning in ResLife, with Morales sharing that the team aids in “advertising, event planning, and engagement strategies.” Currently, Morales is co-advising the First Generation Empowerment Network (FGEN) that aims to serve first-generation college students to “[provide] a space for them to thrive, connect, and navigate” their time at college.
Meredith’s on-campus apartments, The Oaks, are also an extension of ResLife. Kelsey McKelvey, Apartment Manager (AM) of The Oaks, says that the services still reach apartment living as she said “[they] are piloting a campus partner program series” where ResLife plans to work with different campus offices to host various programs at Meredith. Recently, The Oaks partnered with the Residence Housing Association (RHA) on Oct. 23 to host this year’s Halloween Spooktacular at the apartments, where students dressed up in costumes and participated in on-campus trick-or-treating.
Residence Life’s mission statement mentions supporting “student development” so that residents are “safe, supported, and comfortable” when living on campus. Morales stated that RD of Heilman hall, Vanessa Gutierrez, had updated the statement this past summer, and Steward shared that the team is “very proud of it.” The services that ResLife provides are how this mission is upheld, as RAs and CAs play a large role in making that happen.Steward told The Herald that a large aspect of their work is to “show up for [students],” and that this type of engagement is a testament to how “humanity becomes just a little better” when people are able to spend this time together.
The ResLife staff discussed the enjoyment behind both the purpose of their work, as well as the many personal elements of their jobs. When asked what made her join ResLife, Morales recalled how she “served as an RA for three years starting in 2007” and how that inspired her to get the degree she needed to be Graduate Hall Director at Arkansas State University. After that, she continued to hold residence positions at “a variety of institutions” until she found her current position at Meredith. From then on, she noted how she finds passion in “supporting and engaging with students holistically” on campus to this day.
Engaging with students is the unanimously favorite aspect of the interviewed ResLife staff’s jobs. Steward said that she could describe the best part of her job “in one word: students” and that her and other ResLife staff “get a literal front row seat” in watching them grow as people amongst each other. Students existing together helps McKelvey learn “many different perspectives and ways of thinking,” and that seeing others “grow and lead” is something she enjoys. For Morales, the opportunity for growth that ResLife produces in students is “rewarding.”
If students are looking for on-campus events, ResLife’s planning a few. Morales shared that ResLife is partnering with RHA to host “Pancakes on the Last Day of Class.” Details for the Dec. 4 event will be sent out soon according to Steward. In addition, a monthly newsletter is also in the works and will debut as a single place for event information around campus. And if students are looking for job opportunities, ResLife is hiring. Steward also mentioned the hiring process for the 2025-26 school year is starting in January and that the first information session for interested students took place on Nov. 20 in Kresge Auditorium.
By Ericka Hewitt, Contributing Writer
Local Election Updates
Like most election years, the presidential election has consumed most media attention. As a result, statewide elections are often overlooked. Countless people entered new positions in the Federal Office, Council of State, NC Senate, NC House, Judicial, Referenda, and Cross-County Local Offices. All of the results from these races can be found on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.
One major statewide election that occurred was for Governor. According to the Associated Press, the candidates listed on the ballot were Josh Stein (Democrat), Mark Robinson (Republican), Mike Ross (Libertarian), Vinny Smith (Constitution), and Wayne Turner (Green). The Associated Press called this race as Josh Stein reached 54.8% (3,041,149) of the votes, with the next closest candidate being Mark Robinson with 40.2% (2,226,767) of the votes.
According to his website, Josh Stein ran a campaign where he promised to “do right by every single North Carolinian.” Stein clearly lists what he prioritizes as the Governor of North Carolina in a list on his website called “Josh’s Priorities.” Here, he shares many goals including “making the economy work for everyone,” “improving education,” “building a strong workforce,” “keeping North Carolinians Safe,” “addressing housing affordability,” “increasing access to health care,” “standing up for women’s freedom,” “protecting our fundamental rights,” “strengthening rural communities,” “supporting small businesses,” protecting and preserving our natural beauty,” “supporting veterans and their families,” and “making government work for the people.”
One local race that may have been overshadowed by the presidential election is the Raleigh mayoral race. According to ABC11, earlier this year in April, the current Mayor of Raleigh, Mary-Ann Baldwin, announced that she would not be running for re-election in a YouTube video. As stated by ABC11, Baldwin had been in office since 2007 as a city councilor and took office as the mayor of Raleigh in 2019. She shared in her video that in 2023 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following this, her cherished dog was hospitalized and her husband experienced “complications with open-heart surgery.” Although she shared that “her head and her heart conflicted with each other about what to do,” she ultimately determined that it would be best to put her full attention and energy towards herself and her family. She ended her video by thanking the citizens of Raleigh and asking them to “support the candidates who have experience in government and know how to keep Raleigh moving forward.”
According to Ballotpedia, the candidates listed on the ballot to be Mayor of Raleigh were Janet Cowell, Paul Fitts, Terrance Ruth, Eugene Myrick, and James Shaughnessy IV. NC Newsline shared that Janet Cowell beat the four other candidates in the “nonpartisan contest to lead” the capital city of NC. Cowell received 59.8% (131,544) of the votes, with Paul Fitts being the next closest candidate to winning with only 18.4% (40,467) of the votes.
The new Raleigh mayor-elect, Janet Cowell, was the former State Treasurer according to The News & Observer. She was also formerly a member of the Raleigh City Council and the state Senate. Cowell shared that she is “certainly going to be working to ensure that Raleigh is a city that works for everyone.”
It is easy to get caught up in the election race that determines who our next president will be. It is easy to get swept up in the chaos of this election, but it is crucial to not overlook the importance of local elections. These are the elections that will directly impact the quality of life within local communities. By participating in both local and national races, citizens help create a more effective, balanced government that addresses all issues.
By Ellie Phillips, Contributing Writer
Volleyball Season End
The Avenging Angels swept the Greensboro Lions 3-0 in the first round of the USA South Conference, as seen on the Go Avenging Angels website. Lillie Davis, ‘26, made 36 assists and 15 digs, and Caitlyn Russel, ‘27, scored 11 kills for the Angels. Additionally, Emma Duncan, ‘25, and Ali Polidori, ‘25, made 10 and 9 kills respectively.
In the semi-final match, the Angels were bested 3-0 to Southern Virginia University (SVU) 3-0, as reported by the Go Avenging Angels website. Duncan and Russel both made five kills each, Daven Brabble, ‘28, made three, and Polidori scored an additional two. Duncan felt that the team “definitely could have executed [their] play better, but SVU put up a very tough fight” and they couldn’t get their “groove back after that first set loss.” Duncan added that the team “always love[s] playing SVU, it’s a fun environment, especially at The Barn (their home gym).” Duncan believes that SVU had a “strong team this year and [SVU] deserve the title of conference champions for sure.” She stated that she “will definitely miss playing [SVU].”
Duncan stated that it “feels unreal” to have completed her senior season, but that she is “so grateful..for all the experiences and [friends] she made throughout the experience.” She will be pursuing an accelerated Bachelors of Science in Nursing at Northeastern University in Charlotte in May.
The 2024 season ends with a 16-12 overall record, winning them 5th place in the USA South conference before heading into the tournament and tied for third in the tournament, according to Coach John Wasielewski.
By Lola Mestas, Copy Editor
Adele to Take a Break from Music
Adele announced that she will be taking another hiatus and will be stepping back from her music career at a concert in Germany on Sept. 1, 2024, as noted in Entertainment Weekly. Fans were quick to post videos of her announcement on social media, including on TikTok. Adele also confirmed her last showings in Oct. of 2024 following her Las Vegas residency. It is interesting that she would take another hiatus only three years after her last one, which lasted six years (from 2015 to 2021). According to Newsweek, Adele shared with her audience in Germany that she "will fantasize about these shows and any shows that [she has] done over the last three years.” In addition, she shared that she will hold the shows in her heart, and spoke to how amazing it has been. Adele’s last performance is scheduled for Nov. 23, 2024, at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Tickets for this show are still available online.
According to Biography, Adele signed with XL Recordings in 2006. Since then she has made headlines, tv shows, performing all over the world. The article also notes that in 2009, she won her first Grammy for ‘best new artist’. Now, Adele has several awards under her belt according to IMDB, which include 16 Grammys according to the Grammy Awards, and many more awards. The IMDB also noted that in her career, she has published 4 albums and 17 hit singles. People also reveal that she was married to Simon Konecki from 2018-2021 where she had her son during their relationship in 2012. According to the OfficialCharts on the UK standard, Adele’s top song is Someone Like You (2011) which has hit Number 1 on national records.
Her last hiatus started in 2011. Adele went into her hiatus in order to undergo throat surgery and continued her break after giving birth to her son, as reported by Hola!.In her return in 2015, she announced her return with an album, 21. Since her last hiatus, Adele has released her album “30” in 2021, and Hola! Noted that she recently confirmed her engagement with Rich Paul, a sports agent. Both of them have brought children from past relationships into their current relationship.
It is possible that she wants to leave the music industry to spend time with her son, Angelo, who is only 11 years old. Paul brings three children from his previous relationship into his relationship with Adele, as reported by Hello!. This could be a time for Adele to live a dream of having a family life in peace and quiet without people chasing her around with cameras and questions. Adele would not be the first celebrity to leave their career to raise their children. FoxNews reported that Eva Mendez, a retired actress, left her professional career to spend her time as a mother and wife. The article also makes mention of Angelina Jolie who also left her mainstream career to spend time with her family. It is not uncommon for this to happen to women in music and acting.
According to The Post Athens, Adele has reflected on her music career, missing the life she had before being famous. They noted that while her fans are “deeply saddened at the official announcement, there is also overwhelming support heading Adele’s way.” It appears that Adele wants to live her life out of the spotlight for a while. There is uncertainty if or when she will return to the music industry, but fans are hoping that she will.
By Ellie Penton, Contributing Writer
The Legacy of Quincy Jones
“When I look back it, feels like 200 lives” This quote is from Quincy Jones, a legend in the music industry who passed away on Nov. 3, 2024 surrounded by his family in his home in Los Angeles, as reported by AP News. Throughout his life, Jones had been a significant influence in the music industry, bridging together various genres and generations of musicians through his work.
According to the National Endowment for the Arts, Jones held many titles throughout his career as a bandleader, a trumpet player, a composer, an arranger and a producer. American Songwriter shared that Jones worked with a diverse group of artists from musicians like Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Dizzie Gillespie, to modern artists such as The Weeknd with Jones’ appearance on the “Dawn FM” album in the track “A Tale BY Quincy,” and he helped write “Good Life” by Kanye West and T-Pain. Jones also worked in film scoring for movies like “The Color Purple,” as noted in a Complex article detailing the ways in which Jones changed the music industry. Some of Jones’ most notable work in the music industry includes “We Are The World,” “Beat it” and “It’s My Party,” to name a few, according to a BBC article
As noted by CBS, Quincy Jones explained in his autobiography that his love for music began in a recreation center when he was 11 years old and had stumbled upon a piano on an empty stage. From that point on, he began playing trumpet and started attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston before he dropped out to pursue his music career, go on tours and do freelance work as a composer, conductor, arranger and producer, CBS explained.
Jones spent a lot of his career experimenting with many genres, such as jazz, pop, rock, gospel, R&B and others to transform them into more unique sounds, according to Complex. Jones is known for using his background in jazz to incorporate jazz into other genres, like hip hop, even when other jazz musicians rejected the hip hop genre. In addition to his history in music, his role as a Black executive in the music industry and his work on film scoring made him a significant figure in Black culture. According to Complex, along with “The Color Purple,” Jones has worked on other Black staple films like “The Wiz” and “Roots,” a TV series, which set the standards for Black pop culture.
Quincy Jones is survived by his seven children as well as many artists he had an impact on. Several of these artists have paid tribute to him on social media and have been publicly mourning his death. Michael Caine, an actor, described Jones as being “unique and wonderful” in a post on X. The Weeknd, a famous pop and R&B artist whom Jones has worked with before making an appearance on The Weeknd’s most recent album “Dawn FM”, was given the opportunity to write a foreword for Jones’ book which he posted on X. In his heartfelt message, The Weeknd explained how Jones changed the course of his life and commended Jones’ humility and generosity in his role as a musician and an inspiration to others.
Even while mainly playing a background role in music production, Quincy Jones has not been overlooked for all his achievements. In addition to acknowledgments by fellow artists and celebrities, Jones has received 28 Grammys, an honorary Academy Award, an Emmy Award, a National Medal of Arts Award and an award in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, according to MassLive. Jones's work will not be forgotten as his impact can be seen throughout the music and film industry. His creativity,versatility and legacy will live on to inspire others.
By: Elaina Irving, Opinion Editor
OPINION: Hear Me Out: Bring Back Hot Takes
Hear me out: hot takes just are not that hot anymore. We see it everywhere and our TikTok pages are filled with “hot takes” and “hear me outs,” but most of the time I am either indifferent or I am already fully on board. I want to live in a world where hot takes live up to and spark the same amount of discourse as the infamous pineapple on pizza hot take, and yes there is a wrong answer. Is this too much to ask for?
It would be hypocritical of me to judge the internet’s latest and hottest takes without recognizing that I am also a culprit of mediocre hot takes. It has almost become part of my vocabulary in the sense of saying “hot take but,” and then proceeding to say something the whole room agrees with. To be honest, I am actually okay with not having the hot take. Sometimes it feels better to receive the validation that I am not alone in my feelings and it feels like a relationship-building moment when we are on the same page. With that said, when it isn’t my own hot take, I like to stir the pot just a little and play the devil’s advocate, just to see where it takes the conversation. It's a balancing act and sometimes you just have to jump in the deep end and hope that someone will either jump in with you or offer you a life raft.
So, to practice, I figured it would be fun to jump into a hot take of my own and see who jumps in with me. My hot take is that parasocial relationships are not that bad, and it's okay to engage in them every so often. In fact, I will go as far as saying that parasocial behaviors are the backbone of modern society in a lot of ways. Celebrities wouldn’t be celebrities, media would be boring and most of the activities we engage in would lack excitement. I would argue that we would live in a very apathetic world if we didn’t have parasocial relationships. How, you ask? I am so glad you asked because I would love to tell you why we need parasocial relationships on some level in our world.
The Cambridge English Dictionary defines parasocial as “involving or relating to a connection between a person and someone they do not know personally” and examples include fictional characters, celebrities, sports groups and organizations. I would like to clarify that I do think there are limits to when these relationships can be dangerous to our mental health, with Forbes Health explaining how parasocial relationships can lead to individuals being unable to distinguish between what a real relationship is and what a parasocial relationship is. But, like anything, parasocial behavior engagement in moderation can be healthy. A Time article defends parasocial relationships and looks at studies that have shown the benefits of them for a majority of individuals.
Of course there are also levels to these relationships. Crying at the death of a fictional character? Been there. Watching a good old-fashioned TikTok edit (an absolute masterpiece of cinema)? Done that. Doing a deep dive on a celebrity, watching all their interviews and learning about them? Got the T-shirt. I am not ashamed to say that I am a fangirl at heart and that I want to be invested in people, even if they do not know I exist. I am okay with that. If you think that you have never had parasocial relationships, I hate to tell you this, but you likely have. We all have a favorite movie, show, book, podcast, artist, or whatever it may be. You get excited about the next episode for example because of the anticipation of knowing what is going to happen in these characters’ lives next and that's a form of parasocial relationship. Having a favorite athlete or team that you are cheering for is a parasocial relationship because you care about their success, you know their stats and you follow their lives on social media.
I will say it– if engaging in parasocial behaviors is wrong, then I am not sure I want to be right. Parasocial relationships are what make us human and they bring escapism, which is okay to admit. If you disagree, that is okay too, otherwise what purpose would hot takes serve if not to spark discourse? I hope that my hot take allows readers to embrace their own hot takes with open arms and feed my anticipation of having hot takes that are funny, relevant, and most importantly open the floor to conversations among people. And lastly, no, pineapple does not belong on pizza.
By Shae-Lynn Henderson, EIC
OPINION: Beyoncé: Illuminati or Powerful Woman?
Many celebrities are being examined for their possible connections to the current Sean “Diddy” Combs case. According to AP News, “[Diddy] has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years with help from a network of associates and employees, while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings,” and is awaiting trial at a federal detention center. Videotapes and photos showing some of these actions exist and are currently being examined in the court case. Given Diddy’s high status in the music industry, social media users have speculated about which other celebrities could be involved in these events, with Jay-Z and Beyoncé being some of the most mentioned. Beyoncé has faced many accusations about a variety of topics, but the rumors discussed the most online claim that Beyoncé is satanic, has been involved in the Diddy “Freak Off” parties, and is a member of the Illuminati, according to Rolling Stone.
Celebrities have long faced accusations of being members of the Illuminati, a secret society that is a hot topic among conspiracy theorists. According to an article from Complex, rumored Illuminati celebrities include Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Donald Trump, Madonna, Kim Kardashian, Kayne West, Lindsay Lohan, LeBron James, Rihanna and Michael Jackson. Celebrities are usually accused of being members of the Illuminati for their fame, money, influence and secretive lives. Illuminati translates to “enlightened” in Latin and is most closely associated with the Bavarian Illuminati, who were a movement created to be a religion based on reason turned secret society, according to Britannica. The Bavarian Illuminati was disbanded in 1785 by the Bavarian government, but the Illuminati name is still associated with dozens of modern day conspiracy theories, according to Britannica. One of these modern-day conspiracy theories is that Beyoncé is an important member of the Illuminati and secretly controls events that happen throughout the world.
According to Forbes, “Beyoncé and her husband, Jay Z, have long been the subject of conspiracy theories and wild fantasies; the idea is that the two are members of “the Illuminati,” and are secretly ushering a revolution, a new world order, brainwashing the public through music videos and dance routines.” These conspiracy theories and wild fantasies are simply what the words imply: made up by people with vivid imaginations. Diddy’s son has been seen wearing clothing that had the Illuminati symbol on it, which further expanded the rumors of musicians being members of the Illuminati, according to The Week.
Are we as a society too quick to judge women, especially women of color, for their actions? Are we as a society doubting women’s ability to get to high positions of power? Rather than prosecuting women for the crime of simply achieving success, we should instead be investigating and forming opinions on people who are proven to be directly connected to bad events. As a society, we tend to put women under a microscope but do not do the same for men.
In a recent YouTube video titled “chronically online girl explains Beyonce illuminati lore. (PROOF),” Nicole Rafiee said, “Beyoncé is like a victim of the modern-day Salem Witch Trials over something that a man did.” I think Rafiee said it perfectly here, and in connection with this statement, it is important to question if the Salem Witch Trials were hunts for witches or just hunts for smart outspoken women. Rafiee also asked viewers, “How many times has this happened where a man is clearly in the wrong, the evidence is all laid out there, is in literal custody and yet we somehow find a woman to blame for all of this who is not yet involved in the case.”
While I am not a devoted Beyoncé fan, I do think she is a creative genius and has earned her place in the music industry. I highly doubt that the Illuminati is deserving of credit when discussing Beyoncé’s amazing musical talents. It is time that we stop doubting strong powerful women and believe that they earned their place of power and fame. As The Muhlenberg Weekly states, “if you are looking for someone to blame, or someone to accuse, maybe don’t just find the nearest woman and rest it on her shoulders, perhaps relocate yourself to the likely man that’s actually at fault.”
By Kailey Wurr, A&E Editor