40 Years of Service: Meredith Jones Gray

Professor of English, Department of English

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“To Meredith Jones Gray,” shares Beverly Matiko, “Andrews University …[is] The Family Business. No one sees more, knows more, retains more, shares more, lives more of this University’s history, legacy, and possibility than Meredith Jones Gray.”

Dr. Matiko’s words could not be truer. Institutional historian, foundational mentor, consummate friend, devoted colleague and chair, selfless, warm teacher—these are all descriptors that friends, colleagues and students use to characterize Meredith, or Merrie as she is affectionally known to those lucky enough to have a relationship with her.

Celebrating Meredith’s 40 years of service to Andrews University means recognizing her wide-raging professional accomplishments. A Medievalist by training, Merrie speaks fluent French, “passable German, a little Latin,” and, according to one insider, a bit of “middle Welsh.” Following a career trajectory that began with doctoral work at the University of Michigan studying medieval manuscript construction, Meredith made Andrews University her academic home, as well as the focus of her scholarly pursuits through her book “As We Set Forth: Battle Creek College and Emmanuel Missionary College”(Andrews University Press, 2002). She is currently working on a second volume that traces the development of what we now know as Andrews University.

Meredith is equally accomplished in the classroom. Monique Pittman shares how Meredith “articulated the interest in marginalized voices that has come to constitute the focus of my own professional work,” while Scott Moncrieff observes that “She seems to always have excellent rapport with her students in the classroom, and she has an inimitable chuckle that encourages shy students to participate in engaging discussions.”

Student Shannon Huang sings her praises as an academic advisor who served as an advocate, a listening ear, and a blessing. And Vanessa I. Corredera notes how Meredith’s generous and astute mentorship of her colleagues was instrumental in helping her navigate her own professional life at Andrews University. In short, “Merrie is simply awesome,” according to Brian Urias, a former student and current colleague.

In addition to her various professional accomplishments, Meredith is also a doll collector, an avid reader, an exquisite flower arranger, a devotee of the Armand Gamache mystery series by Louise Penny, and a hockey and baseball fan.

Each and every voice who shared a memory about Meredith did so with profound admiration and gratitude because, as expressed in Beverly Matiko’s words, “All Meredith has done and all she continues to do at Andrews University is distinguished by her devotion to duty, her attention to detail, and her unfailing commitment to truth, fairness, integrity and inclusion.” These commitments, Monique Pittman notes, have and continue to transform countless lives.

Thank you, Merrie, for 40 years of exceptional service to the Andrews University community.