William Peace University

William Peace University honored 14 graduates from the School of Professional Studies (SPS) program in August.

Students from the William Peace University Simulation and Game Design department earned some hardware at the Serious Play Conference.

William Peace University congratulates students who earned Dean's List honors during the Spring 2024 semester. More than 200 students have been named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2024 semester at William Peace University (WPU). To qualify for WPU Dean's List students must earn a GPA between 3.3 and 3.69. Those with a GPA between 3.7 and 3.99 qualify for the Dean's List with Distinction, and it takes a 4.0 to be eligible for Dean's Scholar. Congratulations to these distinguished scholars on earning this academic achievement.

WPU student Ajani Robinson is a member of YMCA Skippers and participants in jump rope competitions all over the country. He hopes to earn a spot at the World Championships in Japan next year.

Tanner Brown, a William Peace University graduate, will be the new University chaplain.

William Peace University congratulates students who earned Dean's List honors during the Fall 2023 semester. More than 200 students have been named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2023 semester at William Peace University (WPU). To qualify for WPU Dean's List students must earn a GPA between 3.3 and 3.69. Those with a GPA between 3.7 and 3.99 qualify for the Dean's List with Distinction, and it takes a 4.0 to be eligible for Dean's Scholar. Congratulations to these distinguished scholars on earning this academic achievement.

William Peace University is proud to announce its two student speakers for the 2024 commencement ceremony. Each of William Peace University's student speakers is already getting experience in their respective fields. On Saturday at the 2024 commencement, they'll get to share those experiences and how WPU got them there. The School of Professional Studies (SPS) student speaker is Tiffany Webb. The Traditional Undergraduate (TUG) student speaker is Samuel Teague. SPS Commencement Speaker Tiffany Webb currently works at Combs Elementary School in Raleigh, as part of the Instructional Assistant to Licensure program. She finished her studies at WPU in December and has been at Combs dating back to the time she did her student teaching. Webb was recently honored at the Governor's Mansion, part of WPUs Education Celebration. She says that's just one of the many experiences that made her time at WPU memorable. "I told [Frank Rizzo VP for Student Life] how easy it was to find positive things to say about Peace because my experience has been nothing but phenomenal," Webb said. Webb added that being selected as the student speaker was a "big honor." "I feel like to have been picked to be able to say amazing things about the college itself and my experience, just being part of a fantasy community," Webb said. "I know I have amazing new friendships that will be forever friends. Professors who have turned into friends and mentors, it's been an honor and I'm excited." TUG Commencement Speaker The TUG Commencement will be Samuel Teague, who will be earning his Bachelor of Science in Biology plus a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Teague has been working part-time as a Clinical Nurse II (RN) at UNC Health Rex since May of 2023. Teague has been accepted into the Master of Science in Microbiology and Cell Science program at the University of Florida. Teague also gained experience working as a RN at Brightspire and Wake Skin Cancer Center.

Each year for commencement William Peace University recognizes the student whose academic record places them at the top of the class as Valedictorian. The Katherine Bryan Sloan Graham Award for academic achievement was established in 1969 in memory of Katherine Bryan Sloan Graham, the first student to matriculate at the Peace Institute in 1872. Additionally, this award is given to the student who, in the faculty's opinion, exemplifies commendable traits of citizenship, cooperation, and concern for others. The 2024 winner is Emmarose Boylan. "My first reaction was that of disbelief and shock because I never would have thought that I would be getting such an award," Boylan said. "Especially when younger me previously thought that she wasn't going to get anywhere in life, but now years later is able to say that she was able to do this is amazing to me. It took a couple of days to truly process what it meant, and when it did, that disbelief turned quickly into excitement." Boylan, a native of Raleigh, will earn her Bachelor of Arts in Game and Interactive Design. Boylan is a two-time Junior Marshal for commencement and boasts a 4.0 GPA. She reflected on her time here at WPU. "I am most proud of two things during my time at peace; my growth, both personal and skill based, from the beginning of my college career to now and the friends that I was able to make and seeing their talent grow alongside me," Boylan said. Boylan credited her professors throughout her time at WPU who helped facilitate her creativity and curiosity, allowing her to grow her technique as a game artist and a storyteller. "I honestly would not be here today without them as they were the amazing bunch of individuals that I knew that I could rely on," Boylan said. "I am so proud of all of them to see how much they have grown throughout the years as well."

WPU senior Kai Stallings spent the spring interning at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Stallings worked in the naturalist center.

William Peace University is proud to recognize two standout students ahead of Commencement this week. Each year, the University honors a Traditional Undergraduate (TUG) Outstanding Graduate and a School of Professional Studies (SPS) Outstanding Graduate. This years winners were Keslee Hylton (TUG) and Kimberly Noriega (SPS).

Five students from William Peace University participated in the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Long Beach, California. The NCUR brings brings together a diverse array of students and their research from all over the country. Alex Butler, Jasanee Killins, Keslee Hylton, Esteban Barillas, and Julianna Moreland represented WPU at the event. The conference, a significant gathering point for undergraduate researchers, allowed these young scholars to present their findings in various formats including oral and poster presentations.

William Peace University congratulates students who earned Dean's List honors during the spring 2023 semester. More than 200 students have been named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2023 semester at William Peace University (WPU). To qualify for WPU Dean's List students must earn a GPA between 3.3 and 3.69. Those with a GPA between 3.7 and 3.99 qualify for the Dean's List with Distinction, and it takes a 4.0 to be eligible for Dean's Scholar. Congratulations to these distinguished scholars on earning this academic achievement.

The William Peace University women's swim team celebrated Senior Day on Jan. 28 in grand style at the Triangle Aquatic Center, securing a resounding 71-16 victory over Guilford to cap off the regular season. The day kicked off with a Senior Day ceremony honoring Pacer swimmers Sophia Swenson, Brinley Warren, Sam Autry, and Madison Ayscue, along with Noah Jimison from the men's team. The Pacers demonstrated their skills by winning all 12 events, marking a second consecutive triumph over Guilford. Check out the highlights at gopeacepacers.com.

The Pacers broke two school records at the Finn Pincus Invitational this weekend in Salem, Va. Majesty Smith and Sharif Blount both set school records in their respective events inside the Kerr-Cregger Field House. Smith placed sixth in the women's shot put with a throw of 37-6, and Blount finished sixth in the men's 1000 run with a time of 2:44.73. Smith's throw is the second-longest in the USA South Conference this season. Solomon Womble, who sat out last season due to injury, ran the ninth-fastest conference time this season in the men's 60 meters. He crossed the finish line in 7.48 seconds. Read more about it on the Athletics blog.

William Peace University student Christopher Simmering was selected as one of only eight students for the inaugural cohort of the North Carolina Civic Impact Fellowship (CIF). Sponsored by North Carolina Campus Engagement, this fellowship is a new statewide program that recognizes exceptional students with demonstrated civic engagement leadership abilities and empowers them to design a project to create a meaningful impact on their campus' civic life. Christopher was nominated for this honor by William Peace University President Dr. Brian Ralph, as well as William Peace University administrators. About Simmering Christopher, a sophomore majoring in Political Science, is an active participant in the civic life of William Peace University. As the co-founder of the William Peace Civic Order student organization, Christopher leads the organization of events and initiatives that aim to promote peaceful political discourse and promote civic engagement, civic action, civic literacy, civility, and civic involvement on campus and in the local community. Christopher has hosted dialogues on campus, hosted a Constitution Day event on behalf of WPU, and organized a Constitution Series. Through his participation in the 2023 NC Campus Engagement Redesigning Democracy Competition, where Christopher and his team competed with collegiate teams from across the state to design an innovative solution to a modern democratic challenge, Christopher and his team secured the $500 first-place prize. Now, this prize money is being used to fund further initiatives to educate students about their rights and the law. Christopher is considered a leader on campus, both to those within the organizations that he is involved with as well as other student organization officers. In his Letter of Support for Christopher's nomination to the Fellowship, President Ralph stated, "Christopher has made a tremendous impact on our campus community in such a short amount of time." He continues to say that he looks forward to seeing how Christopher's participation in the NC Civic Impact Fellowship will "positively impact the WPU community in the coming years." CIF Next Steps From January 2024 to May 2025, Christopher and his CIF cohort will dive into a transformative fellowship curriculum that will equip them with professional skills and leadership development training. Their Fellowship term includes participation in a Citizen Redefined Leadership Camp, developed by Citizen University (CU), a national nonprofit dedicated to spreading a belief that a strong democracy relies on strong citizens-that we all have the power to make change happen in civic life, and the responsibility to try. Citizen University is also providing funding support for the Fellow's projects. With these tools, the NC Civic Impact Fellows will be prepared to advocate for the advancement of civic growth within the campus community. As a key element of his fellowship responsibilities, Christopher will assess civic life on campus and lead a project that he will design to improve a specific area of campus civic culture. About NCCE North Carolina Campus Engagement (NCCE) is a collaborative network of 39 colleges and universities committed to educating students for civic and social responsibility, partnering with communities for positive change, and strengthening democracy. The NC Campus Engagement state office fosters connections between campuses, shares best practice information and resources, recognizes outstanding work, and champions civic and community engagement in higher education.

A total of 220 students have been named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2022 semester at WPU. Congratulations to these distinguished scholars on earning this academic achievement.

William Peace University Men's and Women's Track & Field set several new school records and PRs at the Mondo College Invitational, their first indoor meet of the season. Kenneth Wilkes notched the Men's High Jump title as he finished at the top of the leaderboard with a mark of 1.97m, setting a new school record and ranking him 16th in the country. Wilkes also broke the school record in the 400m, finishing 3rd in the finals with a time of 53.73. Jazmine Ryan broke the school record in the 200m, finishing 18th in the finals with a time of 27.45. Shawntez Mickens was the final record-breaker as she finished 16th in the 400m with a time of 1:05.22. The Pacers will continue their indoor season with the JDL Fast Track Invitational on January 23rd. Notable Results Women's 200 Meters Finals - 18th - Jazmine Ryan (New School Record) Women's 400 Meters Finals - 16th - Shawntez Mickens (New School Record) Women's 800 Meters Finals - 9th - Alana Morgan (PR) Women's Shot Put Finals - 18th - Majesty Smith Men's 200 Meters Finals - 18th - Solomon Womble (PR) Men's 200 Meters Finals - 31st - William Fox Men's 400 Meters Finals - 3rd - Kenneth Wilkes (New School Record) Men's 400 Meters Finals -11th - Andrew Bates Men's 600 Meters Finals - 13th - Sean Todd Men's 600 Meters Finals - 22nd - Camron Durham Men's 800 Meters Finals - 17th - Daniel Steele Men's 800 Meters Finals - 18th - Connor Thomas Men's 800 Meters Finals - 19th - Ethan Davis Men's Mile Finals - 21st - Daniel Steele Men's High Jump Finals - 1st - Kenneth Wilkes (New School Record) Men's Shot Put Finals - 15th - Justin Scott

Marerika Monroe '22 remembers the moment she received the email letting her know she received the Coastal Courageous Finish Scholarship. She screenshotted the news and sent it to her mother. Until that moment, neither was sure how Monroe would finish paying her senior year tuition. This scholarship covered her remaining balance and enabled her to graduate.

The junior from Hillsborough, North Carolina tossed a complete game, seven-inning, shutout in his only appearance on the mound for the Pacers last week, a 22-0 win over USA South foe Mary Baldwin. Berger allowed three hits without a walk while striking out 13 batters. Berger currently leads the USA South in strikeouts with a total of 54. The Pacers will be back in action this weekend against Greensboro College, beginning with a 6 PM matchup on April 1st at the USA Baseball NTC.

RALEIGH, NC -- William Peace University men's basketball player Rashod Rouse was named the USA South Men's Basketball Rookie of the Week. The freshman guard from Fayetteville, Georgia scored 14 points off the bench as the Pacers defeated Greensboro, 88-83, in the team's only contest last week. Rouse also added four rebounds, one assist, and one block in the victory. The Pacers continue conference play with a matchup at Methodist University on December 13th at 4 PM.

Twenty new students were recently inducted into the William Peace University (WPU) Honors Program. The WPU Honors Program goes beyond higher-level classwork, pushing students to grow as scholars and leaders by engaging them in research, leadership, and community service. Incoming and current students who have excelled in their academics are invited to join the program.

William Peace University Student Receives UPS Scholarship

William Peace University congratulates students who earned Dean's List honors during the spring 2021 semester. Congratulations to these distinguished scholars on earning this academic achievement.