Colleagues bestow accolades on Meeks at retirement luncheon today

BOARDMAN

Compassionate, caring, passionate, gutsy, hard-working and a woman of God – those are just some of the adjectives friends and colleagues used to describe Laura Meeks, president of Eastern Gateway Community College, at her retirement celebration luncheon.

Meeks, president of the college for 16 years, retires at the end of July. Tuesday’s luncheon at The Embassy also was a fundraiser for a scholarship in her name.

“This is going to help the students that you always put first,” Melanie DiCarlo, Meeks’ administrative assistant, said of the more than $13,000 raised.

Meeks, who saw the expansion of Jefferson Community College to include Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties to become EGCC, began her education at a community college before earning her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

When she was 12, her father’s business burned down. She was scared, and bicycled to the minster’s house where she, the minister and his wife prayed. Knowing that Meeks was concerned about money, the wife asked Meeks if she knew how to iron. Meeks learned she could earn money by ironing clothes.

“I went home with two things: a prayer and knowing I could work,” Meeks said.

She said those things helped make her the person she is today.

Read more of her story and what colleagues had to say about her in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.