Concord University Alumni Magazine - Fall 2025

Dr. Bethany Meighen can’t pinpoint the exact mv i voimd leynrtesmh ee mc hboesres at hcea rpeeerrs oi nn hwi ghhoegr ueiddue cdaht ieornt, obwuat rsdh ei t . "gIe hn audi nteh ii ns twe roensdt ei nr f uml eD,”esahneosfaSi dt u. d“ He ne tgs otthma tet oi novkosl vuecdh ian student organizations, gave me opportunities to lead, and when I was trying to figure out my next steps, he said, ‘You really have the personality for student affairs.’” TC hh aa rt lme set no nt o, rh, eDl op ue dg WC oanl tceorrsdaUt nwi vheart siist yn oPwr e st hi deeUn nt iMv eeri gs iht ey no f see the blessing it is to be a part of the students’ journeys to help them figure out who they are, who they want to be, awnady.how they can change the world in the best possible Ah il so ns igg nwai tt uh rhe i sh ac ba ri te: ecra gl lui ni dg aenvceer, yWo na el t e“ frrsi eanl sdo. ” h“ Ha ne dl oe od kdeodw n at ht omueg hatn, d‘ Osha,i dy o, ‘uB’ er et hrai gnhy,t ,eDv eoruygb,’o” dMyeiisg yhoe un rs fariide.nTdh.’ aAt nsdi m, Ip l e pa nhdi l or seos pp ehcyt —— ai ps pornoeaschhei n’ sg coatrhrei erds wi nittoh ewv ae rr my lteha, doepresnhni pe s s , role since. She officially took office as Concord’s 13th pr er me sai di neendt oJ unl yb 1o a, wr dh ai lse ar eptri er isni dg ePnrtei as il dceonnts Ku let na dn rt at hBrooguggehs s August to assist in the transition. Mi n ehi gi ghheenr be rdi un cg as t mi o on rteo t thhaen rtowl eo. Hd eecr acdaerse eo rf eb xe pg ea rni eant ct eh e Ul ena idveerrsshi tiyp opfoCs hi tai or nl ess, tionnc,l uwdhi ne rgedsihr eecst eorrvoefdailnu ms enviear na ld pr ealraetni otnrse,l aa tnido ndse, adni roefcst ot ur doef nmt al irfke .e t i n g a n d a l u m n i Sphareeanltsoenfogcaugseemdeonnt , bausiwldeinllgacsobmomosutinnigty, alumni, and retention, and supervising a broad range of student organizations, including overseeing the Office of Student Life operations. Tt hheoUu gnhi vde reseipt yl yocfoCnhnaercl et esdt otno, tthhee MMoe ui gnhteani nf aSmt aitley a n d mopopvoerdtutoniNtioerst.h Carolina in pursuit of new professional SWhiel me ai nr gn teodn haenr dEsde. Dr v. ef rdo ams tt hh ee vUinc iev pe rr se ist iyd oe nf Nt foorrt ha cCaadreoml i ni ca and student affairs for the University of North Carolina System Office, the governing body for the 16 public us ynsi tveemr s’ ist ipeus bi lni cNuonr itvhe Cr sairt oi el isn, aa .dTv ha ne rc ei n, gs hset us du epnptosrut ec dc etshse through policy, research, and cross-campus collaboration. Tf ohsrt oe ruignhgoauctche es sr tcoa reedeur,c Ma t ei oi gnhaenndheans hbaenecni ndge dt hi ceast teuddteon t ec ox pl l ae br ioernactei otnh,raonudg hd aptoal-idc yr idveenvedl oe pc ims ieonnt-,mi nasktiint ugt. i o n a l

When Boggess announced her retirement, Meighen was selected as a finalist and ultimately earned the seat in aapypelaicr-alnotnsg. , nationwide search that drew more than 60 Ismo uptrheesrsne dWbeys tt hVei rwg ianrima cwo me l cmoumnei t fyr, oMme itghheeAnt ahne dn shaenr df a m i l y are eager to make Concord their home. Bt oe ef oxrpee ar irer ni vcien gt hoens- mc aaml l pmu os mf uel ln- tt si mt he a, Mt me iagkhee Cn Uwaans de xocui rt e d Mountain Lions unique. “a[l Io’ mn g lsoi do ek ifnagc uf ol tryw, satradf f taon] db es itnugd ebnatcsk eoanc hc adma yp. uI ns , mwya lmk ionsgt recent role, I was at a system office. I visited campuses, but I was not truly part of the campus community. I—’ mt oe xactitteenddf of or omt byaflal mg ai lmy et os , bc eh eaepr aartt aotfhtl he ti si cceovme nmt us ,nai tnyd ys he se , leaautgihnetdh. e“ Bd ui nt i snegr ihoaul ls lsyo, sI edeoi nn g’ t mh ayv ke i tdos croi doek tdhi eninr ebri, ”k e s a p c la r c o e s . s ” campus — that's special. This is a really special President Meighen, faculty, staff, and students welcomed members of Senator Shelley Moore Capito's team to campus this fall. Steve Miller (on left), director of the physical plant, walked the group through the future Center for Rural Healthcare Workforce Solutions. Photo by Tammie Presley for Concord University.

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WRITTEN BY TAMMIE PRESLEY