‘We can accelerate equality.’ New Wesleyan president to focus on growth, inclusion

Wesleyan College has been a fixture in Middle Georgia since 1836, but even institutions with storied histories go through changes, the most recent of which comes in the form of new president Meaghan Blight.

Blight, who became Wesleyan’s 26th president in early July, came to Macon from Canada, and she already has ideas for even more changes. Her goals focus on growth and inclusion, like raising the campus enrollment to somewhere between 1,200 to 1,300 students.

Blight plans for 25% of those students to be international.

“I think that would create a diversity in the classroom — a richness around conversations and perspectives — that then challenges our students in a really interesting way to think about how they author their ideas and how they become persuasive advocates,” Blight said. “That’s a formative experience. That changes you.”

Other initiatives include raising fundraising and growing Wesleyan’s brand, which Blight specialized in at her previous job at Huron University in Ontario. She started a program called “Meaghan’s Million Dollar Match” when she arrived at Wesleyan in July with a goal of raising $1 million within her first 100 days as president. The program has already raised $572,000.

Blight said she aims to use her specialization to grow Wesleyan’s recognition and influence while relying on teamwork with academic experts to improve learning.

Female mentors and university life

It’s easy to see where Blight’s passion comes from, as her personal background offers a prismatic look into what makes her such an advocate for growth and equality.

Her focus on women’s rights advocacy stems from growing up in Ontario among strong women like her grandmother, who encouraged her to pursue a higher education.

“I was very fortunate to have incredible female mentors my entire life,” Blight said. “I was told at a very early age by my grandmother that education was the key to social mobility. If I wanted to advance myself, I needed to go to school.”

Blight’s aunt ran businesses and traveled the world. Even Blight’s first bosses were influences and models of strength, with women telling her to always turn in her best effort and work her hardest.

Then there’s Blight’s love of academics and universities, which blossomed as soon as she moved to Calgary and began working in the field.

“I started working in universities and I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the energy and the spirit. I fell in love with working with students,” Blight said. “I knew I wanted to be part of it. I knew I wanted to lead within the industry, and so I structured my life and my career around finding really smart people and listening as much as I could.”

Blight’s listening paid off, as she eventually worked at Huron and helped the school improve its domestic enrollment by 110%. As executive director, then swiftly as vice president of growth and chief of staff, she also raised fundraising from $2 million to $10 million.

Armadillos and film festivals

As for moving from Canada to Macon, Blight said it has been a very interesting transition.

“Culturally your heat and your bugs have been something that is new for me,” Blight said with a smile. “We moved to Macon in July, so July and August have been something to experience as a Canadian.”

Everything from armadillos to lizards have surprised Blight and her family, but the different critters and climate haven’t deterred Blight’s interest in Macon history. She has already begun learning about Macon’s musical heritage and planned to attend some screenings at the Macon Film Festival.

Regardless of where she is working and living, one thing becomes clear when you talk to Blight: her mission remains the same.

“Our desire is to recruit wonderful, smart, energetic and ambitious women who want to lead from across the globe,” Blight said in an interview about her goals with Wesleyan. “We can accelerate equality for women.”