The Peace Times Spring 2021

The official student newspaper of William Peace University @ThePeaceTimes

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Pandemic Stress Weighs on Students

By Makayla Cook

Is it all too much to handle right now? Studies show young adults, including college students, are feeling the most stress of any age group during the pandemic.

2020.

College students experience

William Peace University students a tremendous amount of stress as they cited lack of social life, exhaustion, sleeping are shifting from high school students to independent college adults. As if that’s not more, and even isolation in an online survey asking them to reflect on how COVID-19 has already enough pressure, the COVID-19 added stress to their lives. Other questions pandemic has added to the strains of included how individuals were coping with uncertainty around the school year, academic obligations, and family matters. stress, and what can be done on campus to help alleviate some of it. In all, 49 students

Maybe it’s not a surprise, then, responded. that college students experienced the

Mindy McDowell, a licensed counmost extreme selor at Joyner levels of stress in House, WPU’s cam2020, according pus wellness center, to the annual “Anxiety is produced has witnessed firstreport on stress by uncertainty,” Mchand how lives are by the American Dowell said. “There being disrupted as a Psychological result of COVID-19.

Association, or APA. is a lot of uncertainty “I have been hear The study with COVID and so that ing from students reports that while causes people to feel that there has been “most adults” an increase in stress experienced elevated anxious.” and that is resulting stress due to the in anxiety,” said pandemic, adults ages McDowell, who is 18 to 23 reported the highest levels of stress; Gen Z had a 6.1 out assistant director of counseling and disability of 10 stress level in the study, compared to services.

Though the survey was informal, Gen X and Baby Boomers, whose were 5.2 the causes for stress cited by Peace students and 4, respectively.

Individuals in school at all levels were similar to the APA study. In the APS are experiencing endless uncertainty with study, 87% of young adults cited education as a cause of stress, 62% cited the uncertainty the lack of graduation ceremonies held, of the school year, and 67% said COVID-19 cancellation of athletic events, and the is making it hard to plan their future. In the unexpected closing of colleges in March Peace survey, 87% of students cited education, 82% cited uncertainty surrounding school, and said 67% planning for the future is a source of stress.

Elizabeth Blansit, a first-year crimiShowcase returns nal justice major, said that starting college in after a year off the midst of a pandemic altered her experiwith both online ence. Starting at Peace in 2020, Blansit never got to encounter Peace’s cohesive in-person and virtual atmosphere or traditional events such as the sessions. Scan Red Rose Ball, Late Night Breakfast, or the the code for a First Day Of Class (FDOC) festival.

The women’s basketball team kneels to highlight racial inequality, a protest that began with NFL player Colin Kaepernick and has been used by athletes across the nation. The team forfeited a championship game to support a suspended team member. Photo courtesy of the Women’s Basketball Team.

WPU Basketball Team Fights Back

By Victoria Mims

The stand taken this semester by the William Peace University Women’s Basketball team not only affected athletics, but started conversations across campus.

An issue that is already prominent nationally -- race within athletics -- is now being brought to light at WPU. On March 6, the Women’s Basketball team chose not to participate in the Divisional Championship Game against North Carolina Wesleyan College in support of a teammate who was suspended for her response to racial slurs.

“Unfortunately we will not in good conscience participate in today’s Championship game,” the WPU Women’s Basketball team tweeted on Saturday, March 6.

A statement attached to the tweet said that one of their players was the victim of a racial slur and other derogatory names during a game and in several later instances.

The player’s response to these comments, which was not described in the statement, “led to the unethical suspension of the same player.”

“The systemic racism that our team has first hand experienced in the past several weeks is an issue that needs to be addressed not only within William Peace University but in the USA South conference as a whole,” the statement said.

It was only the second time the team had made it to the championship

game, and the WPU community has been reacting to the bold statement ever since.

Joshua Hubert, WPU sophomore who is majoring in marketing, felt as though the unfairness of the suspension only got addressed because the team, along with others, fought against it. If not for that, Hubert feels that it would have just gotten swept under the rug.

“The school acted as if it didn’t happen, when we all knew that it did,” he says. “ I don’t want a repeat of the same story that people of color have promises that are made to them but aren’t fulfilled.”

After the incident, WPU President Dr. Brian Ralph said in an email to the student body that the team acted “in solidarity and support of a teammate who had been suspended from competition due to her response to racist and unsportsmanlike taunts by an opponent.”

“The University supports the students’ right to make that decision,” he said in the email. “No one should have to experience racism and I condemn it in all forms Ralph said that the incidents were reported, and that he requested the conference to create a task force to address racism.

A few days later, Ralph said in an email that he had met with the women’s basketball team and gathered ideas from them as well as suggestions.

It’s Showcase Day!

full schedule and links to virtual events.

(Continued on Page 3)

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Read more about coping with the pandemic on p. 4-5.

WPU Adjusts Graduation Plans in the Midst of a Global Pandemic

By Brian Martinez

The 2020 graduation fell victim to the many cancelations of COVID-19, making one of the most important events in a student’s education uncertain for the William Peace University students who graduated last spring.

But on May 7, the Class of 2020 will finally walk the stage and officially close a chapter in their lives.

Former Student Government Association President Deja Gainey made the announcement for the university in a video, nothing the date andthe 5 p.m. start time. Gainey also said that graduates are allowed to bring four guests to the in-person ceremony

The graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 is being held the evening prior to the class of 2021 graduation.

Peace News and Sports: 2-3

To avoid large crowds at the ceremonies for the class of 2021, there will be two separate ceremonies for this year’s graduates, at 9:30am and at 3:30pm. The class of 2021 will also be allowed four guests to attend the ceremony.

Johnathan Bizzell, senior at WPU, thinks Peace will hold in-person graduations for this year’s and that it’s a good idea to hold last year’s graduates, but crowds will be smaller than in two separate ceremonies previous years. Photo courtesy of WPU so that neither gathering is too large. roughly stabilizing at this point in the pandem “Despite new reported case counts ic for North Carolina, I think it is important

Peacetimesmedia.com

Find more student articles and other content on our website, including links to the Peace Talks podcast and the Hindsight 2020 multimedia project.

that our campus does what it can to limit social gatherings in adherence to North Carolina mandates,” says Bizzell. “While it may be exhausting to have two ceremonies, I think it’s appropriate and in the best interest of everyone attending.”

With the announcement, many students were happy to hear that their graduation will be in person, especially for the alumni who had to wait a year.

Jenica Myers, senior at WPU, believes that it’s good for the class of 2020 to still have a chance to experience an in-person graduation ceremony.

“It was really upsetting last year not being able to see [class of 2021] walk the stage,” Myers said. “I am very happy that Peace has worked hard to make sure that not only my class (Continued on Page 3)

Features and Opinion: 6-7

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Peace News

C anes’ Announcer Adapts To Unusual Times All sports on deck for historic wpu season

By Graham Hill

For fans of the Carolina “It’s very different than I had experienced in Hurricanes, one of the biggest attractions the previous five years. is the gameday atmosphere found inside

Minter has been isolated from PNC Arena, which at times has been called other different groups that work at the the “loudest house” of the National Hockey arena, but understands the reasoning League. Due to the impact of COVID, PNC behind it because of how seriously the NHL Arena was turned into the “quietest house” is taking its precautions to prevent the when the season first resumed. spread of the virus.

Wade

One of the biggest fans inside PNC has also had to change the location of where Arena has to be public address announcer he watches the game. In previous seasons Wade Minter. As Minter entered his he has sat ice level, inside the penalty box. sixth season with the During the time the organization, he had to arena was empty, make some adjustments Minter was placed in to the beginning of this the mid-section of the season. Fans weren’t lower level, further allowed inside the up from the ice and arena when the ‘21 NHL the players. This is season started Jan. 28 mainly because of Wade, a social distancing native of Tunbridge reasons between him VA, graduated from and the team, but the College of William also because he no and Mary with a major longer has to directly in computer science, interact with the NHL uses his degree for his office of officials. day job as a consultant Screen shot of Wade Minter “With COVID, for Dualboot, and by Graham Hill the office officials are works in software on in a different kind of the side as well. He did a lot of writing for bubble group than I’m in so I can’t interact his school newspaper and created the very with them,” Minter says, “so the Hurricanes first website for Wayne’s memories sports wanted me to be close enough that I could information department, by creating that kind of yell over to them if I needed to get website W&M sports information, he was clarification on something.” invited to do public address for Baseball,

The day this interview took place, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Basketball, and Roy Cooper lifted restrictions and proposed Volleyball. a new executive order regarding our state

He’s certainly stayed busy in the COVID guidelines. Due to the lowering field of PA throughout the year and even number of cases our states are seeing, Gov. during COVID with the current season, he Cooper announced that indoor and outdoor did admit things were definitely different sporting events would start allowing fans in for his first game doing his job amongst an attendance to 15% capacity. empty arena.

“While I love every part of putting a

Minter had his own little routine play or musical together, helping actors and that he would do every game day in terms actresses dress their character is something of getting to the arena, checking into the that I have come to enjoy over the past two production meeting, grabbing dinner, shows that WPU has put on.” that whole thing. “Walking around the

This meant the “Caniacs” would concourse on a game day and everything is soon be allowed to return to PNC Arena and dark and quiet, and there’s just a handful of Minter would start doing PA Announcing in people in the building is eerie,” said Minter. front of a live crowd once again.

From Football to Collegante Runner

By Caleb Clendenning

After hospital staff doctors told Jacob Allen he couldn’t play football anymore, he took his talents and turned to running.

Jacob Allen is an 18-year-old from Wilmington who is now a first-year student at William Peace University and already joining the record books for the Cross Country and Track and Field programs.

This season, Allen set the 3rd best time in school history for the 5K, the 6th best time in school history for the 8K and the 2nd best time in school history for the 1500. These races had tough conditions and a lot of competition.

McQuade Milligan, the assistant coach of WPU Cross country and track who was recently hired by WPU, has many positive words about Allen and his running.

“Jacob brings exciting energy to the team and he doesn’t give up,” says Milligan, who says Allen is a big piece of the team at WPU. “He is strong and works extremely hard.He has really shocked us.”

It wasn’t always like this for Allen, who overcame many obstacles to get where he is today. Allen was always involved in sports from a young age, playing recreational basketball and high school football.

He also picked up track his freshman year of high school.

“I just did it because all my friends were doing it,” says Allen.

He enjoyed running and playing football, but eventually big injuries caught up with Allen; one too many hits to the head did its damage.

“I had three concusions in less than one year, all of them related to football,” says Allen.

It was a very scary time for Allen and his family, and at the end of the day Allen had to leave football behind him.

During Allen’s junior year he picked up Cross Country.

This opportunity gave Allen the chance to shine. During his senior, year

Allen had schools beginning to reach out to him to run. That is when WPU reached out to him about running for them in college.

“It was exciting,” says Allen. “WPU was the first NC school to reach out and give me an offer.”

He quickly went to tour the campus and knew WPU was the one for him. It wasn’t just the campus and location that got Allen hooked at WPU, but it was also the team.

“We really are a family, the team works great together,” says Allen.

Throughout all of this, Allen had to start college during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although all fall sports were postponed during the fall semester, it didn’t stop him from working hard.

“It was bummer not being able to race our first semester but it gave me an opportunity to train and become better,” says Allen.

Courtesy of WPU Athletics

By Mitchell Baddour and Marketta Bennett

William Peace University sports have been rolling this spring, with all 18 teams going on for the first time in university history, thanks to the delay of fall sports due to the pandemic.

Having a hard time keeping up?

Here’s a breakdown of all WPU sports for the season.

The Men and Women’s Cross Country teams dominated their season.

The men concluded their season by placing second in the East Division USA South Championship. This came after being predicted to finish third in the USA South pre-conference meet poll.

“I progressed more on the mental side of running. Knowing there were only two races, my focus was key so that became a lot sharper in the season,” said Tucker Soltesz, a junior leader on the men’s cross country team. “I was making sure my schedule was precise and my mileage was right on the dot.”

The Men’s Basketball team concluded their season in late February. The Pacers struggled down the stretch playing within a strong USA South Conference, touting an overall record of 2-10. Many adjustments were implemented to better coordinate with pandemic protocol. The most noticeable change dealing with limited to no spectators during indoor events.

Junior guard Ti’quan Whitmore reflected back on the pandemic filled season by saying “We found that we had to put importance on developing relationships as teammates,” said Whitmore. “We were a very young team without the opportunity to spend time together. I definitely think that had a big impact on our season.”

Another historic season for the Women’s Basketball team as they looked to replicate their 2019-2020 USA South East divisional championship run.

The women finished the season with a record of 10-5, including a 6-2 home record that helped land them in the USA South Conference championship game.

These brave women decided to take a stance against racial injustice and elected to forgo the championship game and the rest of their 2021 campaign.

Men’s Lacrosse continues to grow as the program competes in their fourth season in the USA South Conference. Production has come from all parts of the team, regardless of age. Junior Attack, Brewer Warlick leads the Pacers in goals with 19, while senior Nick Falso has distributed 14 assists so far this season.

Freshman Scout Philipp has proved to be a bright spot for the men. Philipp earned USA South Rookie of the Week honors after his five goal performance against Randolph. The Pacers hold a 2-7 record but are primed to make a late season push.

The Men’s Soccer team have started their season off well by collecting three victories including conference wins over NC Wesleyan, Averett University, and Mary Baldwin. The boys also picked up an early season draw against Division II crosstown opponent, Shaw University.

The Pacers have seen major production from first-year students. Jorge Lemus and Donnie Leahy have accounted for almost half of the goals scored so far this season. This has led to USA South Rookie of the Week honors for each. The soccer team has tallied eight USA South All conference members, including Jose Garcia, Rush Campbell, Jorge Lemus, Jacob Smith and Donnie Leahy.

The Women’s Soccer team has had a tough season navigating injuries.

Six of the core pieces for the women have dealt with season-ending injuries during this reduced schedule. Even while dealing with a ridiculous amount of injuries, the women have found that versatility is the key to success. There’s been many different bright spots this season for the Pacers, one of these being the season opening victory over Division II opponent Shaw University, 3-2. Raine Greene led the team with 3 goals and a second team USA South all-conference selection en route to their final overall record of 4-5.

Youth dominated as the William Peace Swim team concluded a successful 2021 season with high hopes for the future since half of the mens and womens rosters

are freshmen. One of these super-freshman from the male side is Noah Jimison. The former Big 8 conference swimmer of the year dominated in competition this year, earning 5 first place finishes in the pool for the Pacers. For the females, freshman Sophia Swenson has opened the eyes of many by picking up seven first place finishes in her first collegiate season. With the continued development of youth this could be a program to be reckoned with for years to come.

The Men’s and Women’s Track and Field team has started a great season. On both sides, a few athletes are in the top five in the USA South Conference standings and Myla Barnes earned USA South Field Athlete of the Week honors.

“The season is going good so far, I’ve been progressing in my throws,” said Alyssa Crowder, a junior on the women’s track and field team. “It’s exciting to actually have so many meets this year and to see everybody else on the team progressing too.”

Coach BT Pham said the team’s goals for the season are simple. “Focus on the individual success and the team success will follow,” said Pham. “We want to make sure we’re focused on getting back into the groove of things injury free.”

The Men’s Tennis team had their first match on March 6 against Mary Baldwin University while the Women’s Tennis team had their first match on Feb. 24 against Methodist University. The lone victory for each team so far came against Mary Baldwin University. During the men’s match, Dylan Betancourt put his opponent away 6-1, 6-2, his third victory of the season for the Pacers. On the women’s side, Cameryn Straughn has played very well, picking up victories in two matchups this season.

The Baseball team had a historic start to their season, opening with a record of 8-0. They were also named preseason favorites to win the East Division Championship of the USA South Conference -- two things that have never happened in the program’s eight-year life span.

The team has been led by veteran leadership from returners Gavin Taylor and Austin Skipper. Taylor is currently leading the team in batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage.

Skipper has been a bulldog on the mound for the Pacers, keeping hitters quiet for the offense to capitalize upon. The Pacers have had their fair share of time in the limelight, having five players selected for USA South Player of the Week.

Softball has played host to many nationally ranked opponents this season. With that being said, softball has had a difficult time being able to reach the field. The women have had seven games postponed or cancelled this season due to COVID complications.

One of the cancelations included the USA South conference opener against Pfeiffer. The experience gained from high level competition early in the season should prove beneficial to the women as they compete within conference.

Team member Nadia Pittman said the team is happy to be playing after their season was cut short last year. “We waited for this time to come back around to showcase what we are capable of,” said Pittman. “Although we have new rules and protocols to follow, it’s better than not having a season at all.”

WPU’s Volleyball team has begun their season strong with an impressive 6-1 start. The Pacers have swept four of their opponents, all against USA South conference foes. The biggest wins of the season came early in a sweep of cross-town rival Meredith College by the score of 3-0 and 3-2. The Pacer volleyball team hopes to use the veteran leadership of four key seniors to guide the team to another dignified record and USA South tournament run.

“I think we are a very solid team,” said first-year student and team member Landis Limon. We are very encouraging and we constantly are looking to improve and I think our future is big. I believe we have the talent, mentality, and heart to go to the NCAA tournament.”

-Emerson Scollo contributed to this report.

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Peace News

Alumni Partner Program Connects Alumni, Pacers

As part of Red Rose Remix for this year, the Student Government Association added an Alice and Wonderland themed costume contest as a fun way to “remix” the dance attire that is traditionally formal.

By Mattias Gariepy

Faculty and staff can sign up as well to

Community Partners, outside help students in their academic career. Mentors guests and students will all be a part of the will be able to provide guidance and advice 2019 State of the University Address today for careers and personal development to their at 5 p.m. in Kenan Auditorium. assigned mentee.

Dr. Brian Ralph, WPU president, Barker enjoys helping and recruiting students will lead the event, while faculty and students whenever she gets the chance in their academic will also speak. Campus career. Similar to LinkedIn partners, corporate leaders, connections, Barker said civic leaders, community people should always members and other have at least 10 or more outside guests will be in connections to help attendance, alongside staff expand themselves in the and students. world.

There will also

Sarah Barge, be a preview performance alumni association from Meet Me in St. Louis Illustration by Mattias Gariepy president and a mentor by the university’s theatre in the program, was assigned to one specific department. student during her time with the program. She

Ralph began this annual event in enjoys being able to establish a relationship the fall of 2015. with that student and being able to view each

He hosts them because it allows for other’s perspective on the world. The two have everyone to know about ongoing projects, developed a healthy and beneficial relationship, new learning additions, and celebrate the discussing things that are personal and academic progress and growth of key aspects of the related. student experience.

“It’s just joyous to have a relationship one-on-one with a student about their life in

With graduation coming soon, Peace,” said Barge. students will be leaving Peace behind to start

This relationship also greatly reduces focusing on their future. However, what if I told the amount of anxiety and day to day stress you there is a way to still help WPU after they that the mentee faces over the course of a long graduate? The Alumni Pacer Partners program semester. At the same time, the relationship allows alumni to focus on helping current provides the mentor with the ability to remain students in their academic year. connected with WPU in a meaningful way.

Mentees can ask for help with anything,

Mentors will connect with their whether it be resume reviews, job interview skills, mentees for a minimum of four times over the public speaking skills, what to do after college, semester, or once a month; the meeting can be questions about certain jobs, and everything in held virtually or in-person and either on or off between. Not only are the mentees getting help campus. Halfway into the semester, each side will with their academics but are also establishing a be required to fill out a check-in survey to see how network and making connections. Mentors can their experience is going with each other. Finally, also go the extra mile and send care packages to at the end of the semester, there will be an event their mentee. or celebration held for all mentees and mentors.

“Having a network of people who can

There were a total of 25 pairings since help and support you is really important in your the program started in January. career and life after college, and this program

“We are someone who can be a little helps create those connections,” said Ellie Baker, more objective than your parents, professor, director of alumni relations and annual giving, or close friends,” said Barge. “We are someone who oversees the program. who can be a unique kind of companion to you

Those that have graduated, past or through your time at Peace.” present, can sign up for the program and become

Students can sign up at https:// an alumni mentor through “Peace Alumni alumniconnect.peace.edu/ or email Ellie Baker Connect.” When registering they will be asked a (aterbarker@peace.edu) with any questions they set of questions, which will be used to match an have. So, sign up either today or in the future to alum with experiences similar to the student in learn more! need of help.

Find more Peace News at Peacetimesmedia.com.

Village Green Apartments Up in Flames

By Makayla Cook

Firefighters were dispatched in order to extinguish a building fire March 22 at the Village Green apartment complex, where many William Peace University students live.

The building that caught fire was inhabited by North Carolina State University students. The complex was immediately put on lockdown; no traffic was allowed to go inside or outside the Village Green property.

Patrick Calhoun, a WPU sophomore majoring in business administration, was the first person at the scene to contact emergency services. While outside, he noticed that there was a small fire on the second floor of the building across from his

“It smelled like something was burning,” said Calhoun. “Just out of curiosity I peeked my head around the corner, looking at the two apartments that are across from ours, and I see this small fire on the second floor of someone’s balcony.”

After calling in the fire, he said he attempted to alert the individuals in that building. As he was walking over, there was an explosion and the fire got worse.

Following his attempt and the explosion, a second alarm went off in the building. People inside started rushing out of the building as the fire spread to the third floor and the smoke worsened.

Cole Robbins, a sophomore attending WPU, recalled the moment, at about 9:30 a.m., when he realized there was a fire.

“I woke up to a loud boom,” Robbins said. “I thought it was just a

gunshot, a distant gunshot. I went back to bed for about 10-15 minutes, and was woken up by some fire trucks’ sirens. [I] Pretty much just leaned over my bed, looked out my window, and saw that the complex across the parking lot was on fire.”

Witnesses were in disbelief as their morning routines were disrupted with the apartment engulfed in flames, people running out of the building screaming, and the multiple fire trucks approaching.

In the midst of the roaring flames, panic and fear rose among the residents living in Village Green Apartments. Cell phones caught the building in flames, drones circled the area above, and firefighters scrambled in order to salvage as much of the building as possible.

“The heat from that building, you could feel across the parking lot on our balcony and it was a surreal experience,” said Robbins.

Calhoun, who later spoke with the fire department personnel revealed that the cause of the fire was accidental as a mini fridge exploded. In addition, he met with the people affected by the fire and they still appeared to be in shock during his conversation with them.

According to ABC11 News, firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings but the damages were significant. About 12 units are now “uninhabitable,” leaving 95 individuals residing in the building displaced as a result.

The Red Cross and N.C. State are assisting the students who were displaced by the fire.

“Remix” Revives, Updates WPU Tradition

On Friday, March 19, WPU’s Student Government Association relaunched the tradition of the Red Rose Ball. As part of the relaunch, activities across campus were added for students to enjoy. Images and text by Jordan Miller

Traditions Coordinator Brian Martinez introduces the scavenger hunt to students. As part of the rules, students had to identify fairy tales based on hints spread across the WPU campus.

Basketball

(Continued from page 1)

He said that the university plans to identify and hire an external interviewer to evaluate their response and lend a critical eye on existing procedures. WPU’s goal is to secure the partner within the semester.

“I am also proud that we have such engaged and thoughtful students at WPU who provided me with some very transparent thoughts about how we failed to fully support a member of our community during a time of distress,” he said in the email.

Nicholas Phan, a WPU senior majoring in business analytics, supported the response from President Ralph, but said more preventative measures could have been taken before the athlete resorted to an inappropriate response.

“The statement from President Ralph was appropriate, but the suspension could’ve been undone,” said Phan. “The university should understand that there were reasons behind what happened, it just didn’t happen out of nowhere.”

While the initial statement did not name the player, team member and junior Lauryn Cross said in a tweet that “William Peace University Athletic Department has suspended me for the second time for defending myself from racial slurs, phallic gestures and being constantly antagonized.

WITH NOTHING BEING DONE TO THE OTHER ATHLETE. WPU athletics & USA South Conference accept & acknowledge it.”

The coach of WPU Women’s Basketball team, Marquetta Dickens showed her support for her team by tweeting that “...This is not ideal, but I stand in solidarity with their decision and proud they feel empowered to use their voice.”

WPU’s Student Government Association also posted on Instagram to let the basketball team know they stand in full support. SGA will also be working and meeting with the team.

“Enough is enough,” WPU SGA wrote in the caption of the post. “This treatment will not be tolerated. We will be working with the player and their team

A local dessert food truck was brought onto campus to sweeten everyone’s day. Cocoa Forte, a food truck that specializes in chocolate-dipped cheesecake, stood outside of Franklin Street for students to enjoy a free gourmet dessert. Pictured above is the cocoa chocolate peanut butter cheesecake that has vanilla cheesecake coated in milk chocolate, pecans, chocolate sauce, and caramel. this week to work on how to build a better community. It will be our number one priority for this semester and every year after.”

WPU’s Black Student Union Executive Committee released a statement about their disappointment with the university, while also expressing their support for the WPU Women’s Basketball team.

“William Peace University cannot be a place where marginalized communities feel unprotected and unheard,” the statement said. “One of the pillars of the institution is Diversity, Inclusion, and Respect and we believe that the institution is failing to protect its diverse, inclusive, and respectful community.”

Within the statement, BSU also provided suggestions to the university in order to move forward to improve the experience of Black students.

Joley Cabe, WPU sophomore who is majoring in sports and fitness was also disappointed in the university’s initial response to the player being suspended.

“It sucks that the school and the NCAA talk as if they care about diversity and inclusion, but in reality, when the issue arises they turn a blind eye,” says Cabe.

Graduation

(Continued from page 1)

but also 2020.”

When COVID-19 caused a wave of sudden changes and cancelations, last year’s graduation ceremony was postponed indefinitely. The 2020 seniors were surveyed about possible dates and the general consensus was to hold it a year later with the 2021 graduates.

The class of 2020 has been out of school for about a year and has started their lives outside of school. Some alumni were not so thrilled to finally have a date for their ceremony a year later than it was supposed to be.

Nathan Hamiliton is one of the alumni who believes it’s too late.

“It feels like too little too late and something that is much harder to fit into your life and schedule a year after you stopped being a student,” said Hamilton.

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COVID vaccine: Students decide to shot or not

By Nicholas Chuisano While the number of people vaccinated is rising, whether or not to get the COVID vaccine has been a debatable topic ever since Pfizer first released it to the public in December.

According to Becker’s Hospital Review, only 16 percent of Americans had been fully vaccinated by the end of March. More than half of that percentage have been members of the elderlypopulation, who were the first to receive their vaccinations since they are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.

The vaccine was made available to all North Carolina adults free of charge starting April 7.

Gov. Roy Cooper urged all residents to get vaccinated.

“I’m grateful for North Carolinians who are taking this seriously and getting the shot when it’s their time and I’m encouraged that North Carolina will be able to open eligibility to all adults well ahead of the President’s May 1 goal,” Gov. Cooper said in a March 25 news release.

Tyler McDaniel, freshman business major, has a positive outlook on the COVID vaccine and is hoping to return to normalcy in the near future.

“It’s gonna be the best chance to get rid of the virus. I just think we need to make sure that the COVID vaccine is proven to be effective before we press it on people,” said McDaniel.

“It’s a good option to help us get through certain restrictions and keep on going with our lives…to get back to living the way we were living.”

People can not stress it enough that they want to go back to when things were normal, before all of the masks and the temporary restrictions.

Yet some are leery of taking the vaccine.

Sophomore communications major Cole Robbins said people shouldn’t hesitate to get a shot that may be the key element to return to normalcy.

“As of now, everything we eat, drink, or consume has non-natural properties,” said Robbins. “The vaccine should not be treated any differently

A Series of Un

Life during a pandemic has presented more than a few challenge than the flu shot administered yearly.”

Some students question the need for the shot. Logan Flowers, a sophomore biology major, said a friend couldn’t move his arm after getting the vaccine.

“The people that are getting vaccinated are still wearing masks,” said Flowers. “The true test is if they can test negative without wearing them.”

He suggests that masks should not have to be worn by people who have been fully vaccinated.

Others are leery of getting the vaccine at all. Sophomore pre-law major Ethan May said getting the vaccine isn’t a priority for him.

“As for the rest of society, it should be up to the individual whether or not they should get vaccinated and there should be no penalties to those who prefer not to get one,” said May.

Student Reflection: Sports in the COVID era

By Kyra Harrison The recent pandemic has put a serious strain put on the athletic community at Peace. In a normal season, without the effects of the coronavirus, there are normally over 50 home games scheduled for our Pacers. However, since the pandemic, many of the teams were unable to complete their seasons, or in some cases, have a season at all.

As a member of the volleyball team, this school year has been completely different. For starters, all of our games have been in the spring despite the fact that volleyball is typically a fall sport. For volleyball in particular, we had to switch our entire program and make the fall semester our “pre-season.”

Our entire fall consisted of required weight training in the Pacer Performance Center three days a week, and practice five days a week. They required

Illustrations by Michael Wright

us to split into two groups and wear masks for the first two weeks during practice.

After that, we were allowed to practice as a whole group without the masks while we were on the court; once we were finished, masks went right back on.

We did not have a game schedule as we were not allowed to play other teams or travel to other schools, per NCAA rules. We did the best that we could with what we were allowed to do, and I think it ultimately will make us better as a team.

However, it was sad that some of our seniors were not able to have a regular season.

This season has been incredibly modified as far as our practice schedule, our workout routine, and our game schedule. As far as games go, we had 14 games on the schedule. In a typical season, there are between 24 and 28 games held.

Although there are not as many games, having a season at all is better than the alternative. Our plan is to make the most of what we have and still uphold the incredible reputation Peace has built. I am personally excited about this season, my first one as a Pacer.

The volleyball team finished its regular season 13-1 and goes into the semifinals this week. See them at home April 14, and read an in-depth article on the team by Emerson Scollo at

Peacetimesmedia.com.

COVID S tresses S tudents

(Continued from Page 1)

“We would have had a way different experience and would have got to know the school and community better if we had gotten to have orientation in person,” said Blansit. “I also believe that classes and tutoring would be easier because with your first year of college and your classes mainly being online it’s a hard transition into what the feel of college would actually be like.”

Students also worry that they’re not getting the most out of classes. For instance, productions usually held by the WPU theatre department have come to a halt since the pandemic.

First-year musical theatre major Ashlynn Charles imagines that classes would be more in teractive and that there would be more

group efforts in class if her first year had been before COVID-19.

“I think if my first year had not started during a pandemic we definitely would have done more activities on campus and in class,” said Charles.“We would’ve been able to do more group projects instead of just sitting there in lecture halls.”

Matthew Monroe, a senior musical theatre major, has tried to stay positive and to keep others in the same spirit. In order to help with some of his own stress, he works out to keep a healthy body along with a healthy mindset.

“The pandemic has taught me to take it one day at a time and just breathe,” Monroe said. “Working out

home cooking to avoid resaurant risk: recipes f

By Simeon McFarland

One of the many problems that originally began with COVID-19 pandemic is the main concern around fast food restaurants and how they would operate.

At the beginning of the pandemic all restaurants were forced to have take-out only and to reduce staff in compliance with social distancing.

Now that vaccines are starting to roll out and cases are going down, more and more states are starting to reopen, including Texas,

which according to TexasTribune.org ended the state-wide mask mandate and allowed restaurants to open at full capacity.

In Downtown Raleigh, many restaurants have opened at full capacity after Gov. Cooper lifted restrictions and the 10 p.m. statewide curfew.

However, according to the CDC guidelines, even though COVID cases cases are going down, it is highly important that we maintain social distancing and only

eat out only when necessary.

According to the CDC, teenagers and young adults have the highest total amount of COVID cases and they also are the most likely to not show any symptoms. According to the CEPR teenagers and young adults make up 60 percent of fast food employment.

Going by these statistics it should be a given to reduce the amount of times you eat out in a month.

You may be one of those people you say “Well! I don’t know how to cook.” Well, look no further because I guarantee you that you will love these recipes.

Use these recipes, or experiment yourself and try new things and help #StopTheSpread!

French T

A morning this recipe and 5 min of bread a bowl: ● On ● 1/ ● 1/ ● On Ci

Dip the br on each si bread choi sonal pref sweeter, g want thick get Texas

5

after COVID: getting back what we Missed

By Victoria Mims

travel, not gathering together, and so much more.

When will all this COVID stuff be over or will it ever be over? Will things be exactly how they were prior?

With the vaccination now being out, many people are planning es over the past year. Peace Times writers consider COVID life so far and in the days ahead on getting vaccinated.

According to Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, if 75 has helped me cope with stress and deal good stressors along with bad stressors, percent to 80 percent of Americans with some of it, it’s actually made me which are the more commonly known are vaccinated, by the end of this year think more clearly.” type of stress. She wasn’t surprised that there should be some normality.

COVID-19 has affected students many respondents to the survey meno Even though things differently, at different levels. Out of the tioned uncertainty as a key driver of may not 49 individuals, 30 of them reported that stress. be comthe pandemic has been a significant add- “Anxiety is produced by uncert pletely ed stressor. In addition, only 11 of them tainty,” McDowell said. “There is a lot how responded saying that it had little or no of uncertainty with COVID and so that they impact on the amount of stress that they causes people to feel anxious.” s were are experiencing.

Too much stress, however, can be Moriah Shipman, a sophomore be harmful. Experiencing stress for an fore, it simulation and game design major, is extended period of time can cause heart e might one of the more fortunate ones. She disease, mental health disorders includbe has only noticed that the ing anxiety and depression, and diabeclose/ pandemic added to her tes, according to the National Institute

stress “a little.” of Mental Health.

HowDue to this, it

Taking time to practice self-care, ever, is easier for talking to others, seeking out professionthis her than for al guidance, and relaxing is essential in does some peoavoiding health issues related to stress. not mean that ple to show

“The times when your body wearing masks and social dissupport for pumps out the stress hormones for too tancing should be stopped; there still the indilong, that’s when the damage starts,” needs to be some health protocols. viduals that McDowell said. “You start to feel

Many students who found that the virus has drained, exhausted, and no energy reparts of their lives have not been the highly impact- sulting in you wanting to isolate.” same due to COVID and are forward ed.

The certified therapist practices are hoping for some change by the end “I mindfulness herself in order to cope. of the year. have been It’s a technique that is versatile, rang “I’m looking forward to persupporting ing from promoting relaxation to stress forming arts theatre,” said Davyous my friends, relief. She emphasizes that mindfulness Melvin, William Peace University family, and can be as simple or as complex as a perjunior. “It was therapeutic for me to be my significant other,” son wants it to be. in a show.”

Shipman said. “Communication is key,

“Essentially it’s taking care of

Readjusting after covid will even if someone just wants you to sit your body and your mind and getting definitely be different after being on down and listen to what happened in back to the basics such as getting fresh lockdown for so long. What are some their day. I don’t mind being a ‘counselair, going outside, being with others, things that people may have forgotten or’ for my friends, family, and anyone getting enough sleep, and eating propabout pre-COVID that may change at who needs it.” erly,” McDowell said. “Those things are the end of the year?

Not only are individuals reachbasic, and they sound easy but in times ing out to each other for support, but the of stress they can become very difficult.” counselors of the Joyner House at WPU

Some Peace students suggest Concerts have been a resource for many. that their younger peers stay positive Concerts used to be a way for people to

“We’ve had many students and as involved as possible in campus have fun and escape from their life for reaching out for counseling,” said Mcactivities during this time of uncertainty. a bit. Of course there were many difDowell. “The act of talking and almost

“Just take it one day at a time, ferent kinds of concerts to attend, but giving your problems to someone else and if you need help, there is help,” said they were all enjoyable for the people can be very healing. So, certainly reachMonroe. “Don’t think that because you who attended them. This got put to a ing out for counseling is a great way to are in a pandemic that you can’t enjoy halt due to covid and too many people relieve stress.” your first year of college.” gathered together in one area.

McDowell emphasized that stress is a normal reaction. There are Everyone has been so used to the coronavirus that now it is a way of life. There was a huge adjustment period to wearing masks, not being able to

nfortunate Events

Movies

for inexperienced cooks

The movies used to be a fun way for people to get out and enjoy a change in scenery -- eat popcorn, get your favor-

Toast

Chicken Pot Pie

Blackened Salmon Cesar Salad

g breakfast favorite for some e only takes 5 minutes to prep nutes or less to cook each piece and all you need is the mix in a

A fan favorite in Southern cooking and a favorite of mine, chicken pot pie is a very tasty and comforting dish to make; filled with veggies, chicken and potatoes, it is very hard to pass up.

A personal favorite of mine, blackened salmon cesar salad is both healthy and filling and you can cook it in a vast multitude of ways, such as: ● Grilling ● Frying ● Baking All you need to do is combine the seasonings and cook it the way you like. Serve it with a Ceasar salad with only sliced tomatoes, or more if you like.

ne Egg /2 teaspoon of vanilla extract /3 cup of milk ne or Two tablespoons of innamon

read in the mixture and cook ide until golden brown. Your ice is completely up to perference. If you want to make it get Hawiian sweet bread, if you k pieces of french toast, then toast.

All you need to make this dish is a deep dish pie crust and these ingredients: ● One stick of butter ● Frozen peas and carrots ● Two sliced potatoes ● One cup of flour and a stick of butter ● Chicken (shredded or cooked however you like) ● One cup of milk ● Two cups of chicken broth ● Seasoning of your choice!

That’s all you need! All that is left is to bake the pie at 375 degrees for forty-five minutes.

You can also use this recipe for chicken as well to make blackened chicken. My personal favorite is to use this same recipe for when I make grilled chicken sandwiches.

In order to cook this delicious dish is these seasonings: Two tablespoons: Garlic Powder, Paprika, Onion, Powder, Brown Sugar One Teaspoon: Oregano, Cayenne Pepper, Turmeric 1/2 Teaspoon: Salt, Cajun seasoning, Pepper, Italian Seasoning, Basil Leaves, Adobo

ite snacks, and watch a movie you enjoy. Unfortunately, due to COVID this changed.

Parties

Although people are tired of COVID and have started partying again, it is still not safe to do so. Partying and not having to wear masks or look over your shoulder was definitely something that no one would have ever thought would change.

Smiling

This may sound simple, but when covid hit people realized just how much a smile could do.

Now, it is hard to make someone’s day just through a smile or figure out if someone is trying to be friendly.

Social Gatherings

Everyone misses being able to come together with their friend or family and just connect with one another. Just simply coming together and being able to play a game or relax and talk has definitely changed because of COVID.

Vacation

Traveling has definitely looked different now with people having to cancel trips and not even being able to visit family as easy. Who knew that a plane and fun vacations would be missed so much?

Hospital Visits

Due to COVID, many people are not able to visit family members or friends in the hospital as easily.

With there being restrictions on how many people are allowed in one room and in the hospital overall, this has been difficult for many people.

Restaurants

Yes, restaurants are currently open but that does not mean that it was how it was before. Masks are to be worn unless eating and there is still a certain capacity that can be held within a restaurant.

6

Features

Seaboard Station Development Explained

By Griffin Cross

You may have noticed a lot of construction going on across Halifax street from campus. The dust is coming from a new development going up at Seaboard Station. Here are the details.

What is Seaboard Station:

It is a $300 million development plan that will make more than 600 homes for residents in three different buildings and around 1300,000 square feet of retail space. In addition, it will include a hotel, restaurants, and streetlevel retail.

Before construction, the building there housed 18 Seaboard and Sunflower Café, two popular restaurants. Recently, they have both been demolished in order to build the new Seaboard Station.

Who is building Seaboard:

The project is being developed by a D.C. based company, Hoffman and Associates, which also built in the U.S. capital, the Wharf on the Waterfront. This was another destination where the addition of restaurants, stores, and a beautiful waterfront occured.

Construction is under way at Seaboard Station. Photo by by Jordan Miller historical Seaboard Railroad Station. It is also fairly close to Cameron Village which is famous for its shopping centers and restaurants.

Fred Fletcher park and smaller parks nearby allow people to enjoy nature.

Downtown Raleigh is also a hotspot for popular museums such as the North Carolina History Museum, the City of Raleigh Museum, and other historical sites.

There are many schools nearby such as Peace, Shaw University, and other accredited universities that can afford opportunities to young adults.

What the city of Raleigh will get out of it: Map by Griffin Cross

Why build at Seaboard:

Some of the reasons that this area is being built is downtown Raleigh being a popular spot due to it being by the

According to their website, Seaboard Station wants to make a place where people can gather and connect.

Also, it celebrates the city of Raleigh’s uniqueness and authenticity by making another place where people can go shop, explore, and have fun.

Weighing In On Metahuman Creator

Metahuman Demo Screenshot provided by Michael Wright

By Michael Wright

Epic Games recently unveiled advancements with real-time motion their latest innovation in graphics and tracking in Unreal Engine have been design technology. Metahuman Creator showcased, an example being the game is a tool that promises to put the creation Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, which of realistic characters in the hands of was made in Unreal by a small team. designers.

Now the innovations from Epic Games’

Epic Games is a local company various partnerships and acquisitions that is leading the industry in many ways. have culminated in Metahuman Creator, While it is best known for its success a tool that will allow for game- and with the game Fortnite, motion apture-ready the company has also Read the full interview between photoreal characters worked to make game to be made in minutes.

Michael Wright development accessible and Professor Brandon Crews at This has the potential to to lots of people. Unreal bypass and streamline Peacetimesmedia.com Engine 4 is a powerful some of the hurdles engine which Epic made involved in creating free to use by anyone. Alongside it, Epic characters like these. has released high quality photo-scanned Metahuman Creator will come terrain and assets from their game with Unreal Engine and therefore is Paragon, all for free. expected to be free to use. by anyone

Unreal Engine is even being used with the right hardware who so wishes outside of games now in many different to. A demo released in February for industries such as engineering. Even films Unreal Engine 4 featuring two characters are now using it for visual effects, perhaps created with the tool. The full Creator most notably the Star Wars franchise. is expected to launch later this year.

Last year Epic unveiled the I spoke with WPU instructor Unreal Engine 5, which will push the Brandon Crews about his thoughts on this fidelity of real-time rendering even further recent development. He has experience using their Lumin and Nanite tech, all of in the games industry as an animator, which will be free to use. including working at Epic Games for a

Over the years many time. He believes that this is going to

Getting The Grades You Want: How-To

By Makayla Cook

Balancing academic obligations, sports practices, club meetings, family life, social life, and sparing time for yourself can be overwhelming. With college students experiencing the highest levels of stress in all of the adult age groups, it’s important that individuals in this time in their life learn the essentials. Time management, self-care, work-life balance, and organization are significant in avoiding burnout and earning the grades that one strives for.

With finals just around the corner, along with the end of the semester, students are starting to feel the pressure of wrapping up the semester with acceptable grades. All of the responsibilities that students have often led them to neglecting to take care of themselves. Students will begin to skip meals, overwork themselves, and forget to drink water. Not only does their mental health suffer but their body also faces the consequences also.

Students have a hard time balancing all of their responsibilities and as a result, their grades may slip. The question is, how can they avoid this?

Study In Advance (Don’t Wait Until Last Minute)

As written in an article on The Productive Engineer website, students should spend approximately 2-3 hours studying for each of the classes that they have. Experts also say that “the best students spend between 50-60 hours of studying per week”. Realistically speaking, this isn’t feasible for every student, not to mention that it sounds torturous. Everyone learns and studies differently but everyone’s brains also max out at a certain point during the day. In order to utilize their time wisely and retain the most material students should study in increments.

For example, an individual can study math for 45-minutes and then take a 15-minute break. Then, after the break, the person would study for another 45 minutes. This gives the student time to absorb and reflect on the material without having to spend hours sitting in the same spot studying; this method is ineffective and quite frankly, boring.

Another method that can be used is being a part of a study group. Having multiple people studying together may encourage everyone to do their best and make it more fun. These groups can do things such as testing each other, racing each other to see who can answer questions the fastest, and even give each other feedback on assignments. Several sources, including the Florida National University website, say that group studying reduces procrastination, increases motivation, and allows students to earn better grades.

Though these study habits are effective, allotting plenty of time to study will make them even more effective.

Ideally, depending on how large and indepth the topic and assignment that an individual is studying for is, 2-5 days ahead of time should result in confidence and preparedness.

Use Peer Tutoring (Why Not? It’s Free)

Speaking of studying, Peace offers students the opportunity to meet with their peers if they’re struggling in a class.

Peer tutoring is held on the second floor of the library and there are tutors for almost every subject, some of which are statistics, biology, public speaking, and introduction to criminal justice. Students that excelled in a specific class or are recommended by their professor are equipped with the skills and knowledge to assist other students.

Tutors offer a range of areas for assistance including studying, help with assignments, help with formatting resumes, and practice of an oral presentation.

offered some insights on how it will work.

MW:There may be students in the SGD program who could possibly be using this tool in their careers, especially since Epic Games is headquartered nearby in Cary.

What should students’ takeaways from this announcement be?

BC: The key thing is just like any kind of new tech, it’s not a replacement. Right? It’s

Appointments can either be held on an individual basis or with a group.

The service is free to all Peace students and the tutoring hours are flexible, varying by the individual peer tutors’ schedules. This is an excellent resource for students that are struggling with concepts for a class or that would just like feedback on their assignments. Having that one on one time with one of your own peers can be the difference between an A or B on an assignment.

These tutoring services are available Monday through Thursday and sometimes on Sundays. Appointments can be reserved on WPUConnect and assistance with this is provided by Dr. Deanna Rogers, the staff member in charge of Peer Tutoring.

Communicate With Your Professors

Professors are human too, and with Peace being such a small college, they most likely know you personally. If you’re having a rough day and you can’t make it to class, let your professor know. In the event that you forgot to include citations on an assignment, get with your professor and discuss making up for this mistake. When you’re looking at your grade and see that it’s not what you want, schedule a time to meet with your professor and discuss extra credit opportunities.

Though to some people professors may appear intimidating, they are human just like you and they understand. If you don’t communicate with your professors and let them know of any issues that you may be having, most likely they will not know. The more open that you are with them, the more likely it is that you will excel in their class.

If you’re having issues approaching your professors with concerns, talk to your advisor or another faculty member and brainstorm ways to make the process easier.

You can even talk to some of your peers and get their advice on how to handle the situation. However, don’t just let issues you are having go unaddressed, this isn’t good for your grades or your mental health.

Give Yourself A Break Every Once In A While

According to the American Stress Institute, eight out of every 10 college students experience stress. This number may be higher, considering the circumstances with the pandemic, racial inequality being on the rise, and the recently settled historic election.

Stress can result in headaches, fatigue, irritability. muscle tension, acne, and multiple other side effects.

One way that college students can drastically reduce these side effects is by practicing self-care. A lot is expected of college students, but in addition, it is essential to take care of yourself.

Practicing self-care comes in all different forms and the effectiveness of each kind varies from person to person. Some types of self-care include emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical.

Students can take 30 minutes out of their day and meditate, do yoga, join a Zumba class, or even just listen to some music. This gives them time for themselves where they can relax and focus on other things besides their responsibilities.

While these tips may not instantly turn an F into an A, they are steps that students can take for themselves in order to achieve their academic goals.

Organization, work-life balance, and self-care can give people the calmness they need in order to go about their days successfully. No one is above experiencing burnout, stress, or anxiety, therefore it is crucial that precautions are taken to avoid these things and have an enjoyable college experience.

not going to be a replacement for character development. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t still understand good key body proportions. You shouldn’t understand good character movement. We still need the creators to be able to build believable characters and there is still that creative aspect. So it’s not a replacement for character development, it’s an aid in character development.”

Opinion

#StopAsianHate after Atlanta shooting Greedy Microsoft Xbox Live Price Hike

By Miles Carter

On March 16, the unthinkable happened. A 21-year-old Georgia man decided to take eight lives in a horrendous and disgusting crime.

Three massage parlors were brutally attacked, with many left dead and injred. As America turned on their televisions, this man’s horrendous act threw America for another loop, just as mass shootings have before.

When he went on a spree that killed eight innocent people, the shooter was targeting a specific group: AsianAmericans. Do we know why? I’m pretty sure we have a good idea.

Asian-Americans have been battered, beaten, and mistreated ever since the pandemic started. They have been blamed for everything that has happened within our country. Our previous president, Donald J. Trump made this whole pandemic about them, referring to the coronavirus as the “China virus” or the “kung flu” being many derogatory terms to call a race.

These names and this story that the past president instilled into peoples minds has put Asian-Americans at risk ever since. The massage parlor attack was sparked by pure hatred and cruelness.

. No one should be treated poorly based on where they come from.

Our nation needs to take accountability on what has transpired No one should be treated poorly based on where they come from. Our nation as a whole needs to accept people for who they are, not on how they look.

The massage parlor attacks revealed what Asian hate is; these eight lost lives sparked a movement worldwide, shedding light on something that had not been talked about or fully analyzed.

Jermey Lin, a nine-year NBA veteran, used his high-profile platform to speak up against racial injustice in his community. Lin has also been a victim of racism on and off the court, recently being called “coronavirus” while on the court.

Lin stated that the incident “made my heart sink. The world felt darker and more frightening than ever before, and then there was anger. So much anger. Anger at how long we’ve been told that even though we are always the butt of racist jokes, these are just jokes, and geez, please don’t be sensitive.”

The question is how we move past this. What necessary steps do we need to take to not let this happen again? I think we need to get involved more within our communities. We need to email our politicians, and our congressmen and women while also fighting for what’s right.

Are Theaters On Their Way Out?

7

By Simeon McFarland

New World, New Greed

In the midst of a global pandemic, companies have been looking for new ways to put goods and services in the hands of consumers. We saw this when Amazon saw its highest increase in revenue in website history.

Other companies such as Wal-Mart and Target have been doing exceptionally well offering an easy online shopping experience.

Microsoft, however, had recently had other things in mind.

Forbes and multiple gaming websites reported that Microsoft was going to increase the price of its Xbox Live Gold subscription service from $59.99 per year to $119.99 per year.

This is most likely the reason why Microsoft took down the ability to buy the $59.99 subscription of Xbox Live Gold back in July. Gamesrader reported this story on the 12th of July.

For those who don’t know, Xbox Live Gold is a service charged by Microsoft in order to play online games on Xbox; in simpler terms it is basically like paying for the internet a second time.

Many gamers and parents of gamers have already been struggling during the pandemic to pay for other needs. They were using their time inside as a way to catch up on video games.

Increasing the price two times during a pandemic in which unemployment was at a record high was not the right move, and fans made sure to make their voices were heard on social media.

Microsoft Reverses Decision

After facing harsh

criticism from gamers across the world, with #XboxLiveGold being the number one trend on Twitter for a day, Microsoft decided to reverse the decision of the price increase in a statement through Twitter stating, “Today was not great.

We always try to do our best for you and today we missed the mark....We hear you, and we’re reversing our Xbox Live Gold pricing updates.”

It goes without saying that when a group of people come together anything of greed can be prevented. Many companies in history have always found ways to get a nickel and dime out of their customers, anything for more profit, but that’s not even the real kicker.

Microsoft already has plenty of money. According to Yahoo Finance stock tracker, Microsoft averaged over $200 per share since June of 2020. In 2017, congress passed Donald Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which lowered the corporate tax rate from 36% to 21%. Microsoft also had a substantial revenue increase during the pandemic since kids stayed at home and played video games all day; according to VG24/7 Microsoft hit a record in terms of new Xbox games pass subscribers.

Given all of these factors, why would you think that Microsoft thought it was a good idea to increase the price of Xbox Live from $60/year to $120/year?

This case should serve as a reminder that consumers can have a role in stopping corporate greed.

Read more opinions by Peace students at

Peacetimesmedia.com

Sports and Injustice

By Jaylen Ward Photo Compilation From Promos by Michael Wright

By Michael Wright

With the Pandemic in 2020 nearly wiping the theater experience off the face of the earth the question of how and when films will be distributed in 2021 has been a question looming for some time now.

Filming has kept going despite the dangers, and while there has been no shortage of hiccups and slowdowns the production machine keeps turning.

Distribution is a more troublesome task, however, and studios are looking at various ways to get films to customers.

This article will discuss some of the bigger films releasing this year and where you will be able to see them.

WarnerMedia has taken perhaps the boldest approach. Their 2021 slate is set to release simultaneously on their HBO Max streaming platform and in theatres.

It is a strategy that appeals to those who want to safely view upcoming movies at home and those who want to support their local theatre (of which the industry has been struggling). This strategy has not been free of controversy from filmmakers who may not be compensated a share of the profits equivalent to a fully theatrical release.

WarnerMedia has taken perhaps the boldest approach. Their 2021 slate is set to release simultaneously on their HBO Max streaming platform and in theatres.

It is a strategy that appeals to those who want to safely view upcoming movies at home and those who want to support their local theatre (of which the industry has been struggling). This strategy has not been free of controversy from filmmakers who may not be compensated a share of the profits equivalent to a fully theatrical release.

WarnerMedia kicked off their plan with Wonder Woman 1984 in December last year to much commercial success. This year such titles as Godzilla vs. Kong, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Dune, & The Matrix

4 are all set to debut simultaneously on streaming & in theaters. These would be huge tentpole releases any other year, but with the new distribution strategy people will be able to stream them on release day.

Disney has dabbled in double releases but has not committed in the same way WarnerMedia has. Mulan (2020) was released on Disney+ at a premium while Pixar’s Soul was available to all subscribers from the start. Now Disney Animation’s new “princess” movie, Raya and the Last Dragon will follow the premium model Mulan had. Marvel Studios’ film content, such as the long-delayed Black Widow, seems to still be sticking to a theater-only release strategy and won’t have any sort of streaming option day 1.

Disney is taking a much more conservative approach than WarnerMedia in what they release where and when. It would seem films are looked at on a caseby-case basis or managed primarily by their production studio. It’s up in the air how some of their upcoming films will release, though they may be betting on a surge of theatergoers this summer as vaccines roll out for the virus.

Most other distributors seem to be betting on this and are setting theateronly release dates after May. So perhaps the hybrid release strategy will be a blip and things will return to the way they were before the pandemic. I’m not so sure though, as streaming has become a more and more important part of the industry.

WarnerMedia going all-in could signal a shift towards the theater experience becoming obsolete.

Just recently Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas filed for Chapter 11 and sold most of its assets to investor groups. While thankfully the Raleigh location remains open, several of their other locations have permanently closed down. Other theater chains such as AMC & Regal are also struggling to stay afloat, and the future remains uncertain for their survival.

My insight on social injustice within sports is that it happens, not rarely but honestly too many times. Student athletes of color are at times seen as just an athlete but not as a person, and if we do not just stick to playing sports in a manner that is “respectful,” we are outed.

Athletes are more than just players on the court, field, or teammates in a match. Even professional athletes from all around the world have either endured or seen difficult instances of social inequality, and many of them are using their voices and actions through their personal sports to raise recognition about issues of social injustice.

Few people seem to understand understand how difficult it is for athletes of color in that we may be better in a sport than another race and this makes them feel threatened by that. They then seem to try and verbally attack us.

It seems to feel like when people of color speak out it gets treated like a “false alarm” yet when another race speaks out it seems to always be the “right” thing to do and gets treated with priority.

Social injustice and sports have converged for years and formed a mutual relationship. Athletes use their platforms to share personal encounters or to speak up on a controversial issue that has happened: for example, Colin Kappernick kneeling during the National Anthem or pro athletes wearing “Black Lives Matter”, and “I Can’t Breathe” shirts.

While athletes continue to use their voice to express their political points of view, some receive more backlash.

For example, athletes in the NBA spoke out about some injustices and then were told to “shut up and dribble.” It may be understandable that some may not want to hear political views during sporting events; however, it is critical that athletes take a position on important political topics on or off the court or field, as it is happening right here at William Peace University.

From social media posts, protests, raising money for organizations, and local efforts world-wide, studentathletes have been the leaders in trying to make sure this historic period becomes

Photo of Jaymesha Sanders courtesy of WPU Althetics more than a short social movement.

On March 6, the WPU Women’s Basketball team chose to forfeit the Divisional Championship game. This was done in solidarity and support of a teammate who had been suspended from competition due to her response to racist and unsportsmanlike taunts by an opponent.

Later that day, members of the team made social media posts on their views and why. This summarized the injustice and how they were going to stick in solidarity on moving forward.

On March 11, the University Women’s Basketball Team and Student Athletic Advisory held a petition to create change across WPU’s campus. WPU’s Women’s Basketball Team handled this in a respectful manner to get their voices heard.

I am behind how the WPU Women’s Basketball Team handled this situation because now everyone has to listen to what is actually going on within the sport of basketball. Overall, things were done without violence, and the basketball team came up with a strategic plan on how not playing one game can get the attention of many.

8

People of Peace

M aya B ryant : S he C an D o A nything

By Julia Walsh

Growing up in a single parent household, Maya Bryant’s mother taught her from a young age to never say “can’t.” In fact, her mother banned the words from their house.

“‘Can’t’ was a curse word in our house,” says Bryant, who grew up with her mother, Cora Bryant, and a younger brother, Marcus. “Everytime I said ‘I can’t do this,’ I was reprimanded for it. My mom never allowed me to doubt myself.”

Bryant is an alumna of William Peace University and has a master’s degree from Liberty University as well. She is now the communications manager at the North Carolina Theatre, and is also the current Miss Dunn. She’ll compete for the title of Miss North Carolina in June 2021.

Bryant says her mother inspired her and guided her in many ways. Bryant’s love for theatre actually started because of her mom, who worked at the Durham Performing Arts Center until the pandemic.

When Brayant was in the second grade she had the opportunity of a lifetime. She got to be a part of a touring show, “Go, Dog. Go!” The traveling show would cast local children in each town they traveled, “So my mom goes ‘I have a child, she’ll pay attention, she’ll listen,” Bryant says. “I was the Yellow Dog in ‘Go, Dog. Go!’ I got to perform on stage and ever since then I love being on stage and performing.”

Having this experience in theater helped Bryant catch the theatre bug. She continued to audition for shows and watch them as well. She graduated from Peace with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and a minor in theatre.

She also has a master of arts in communications from Liberty University and is now pursuing her master of business administration from Campbell University. Bryant recently landed her dream job and is officially the newest member of the North Carolina Theatre team., taking the stage as their new communications manager.

She knew that she could achieve her dreams, but little did she know that her dream job would appear during a global pandemic. Bryant says she wasn’t looking for a job when the CEO of the theatre sent her the job description. “I thought she just wanted my opinion on the job description,” Bryant says. “It did not cross my mind that she wanted to interview me for this job.”

Bryant has worked hard on her social impact initiative, Arts at the Core, and is dedicated to advocating for the arts. She works to make sure every child in North Carolina has an opportunity to experience the arts, and developed a “Monday Motivational Arts Chat” in which she speaks swith famous musical theatre actors and actresses, including Broadway actors.

Isaiah Davis, photo by Safy Stevenson

By Marketta Bennett

Courtesy of Maya Bryant

Bryant’s mother says she has always worked hard to achieve greatness.

“Maya has always been a go-getter and thought outside the box,” says Cora Bryant. “Her creativity and willingness to always find another way, I believe is what helped lead her to success.

She never accepts no as an answer. I couldn’t be prouder of her.”

Bryant is continuing to make her mother proud as well as inspiring others.

“There is a statistic out where if you’re born in a single-parent household how you’re less likely to graduate high school, more likely to become a teen mom.” Bryant says, “All of these things are already set aside for you and so I accredit my mom and I accredit the things she allowed me to immerse myself in which are the arts and pageantry, because I could have been a statistic.”

Dr. M-P Teaches Compassion, Change

By Lillian Bates

Dr. Kayce Meginnis-Payne, or to her students Dr. M-P, is an associate professor of psychology at William Peace University and a clinical psychologist. At WPU, she teaches Pysch 101, Psychology of the Black Experience and Women’s Studies.

Payne’s primary goal when teaching these courses is to help students understand oppression by studying the systems that have supported it. That way, students will be able to find solutions.

“I think that a lot of people who are drawn to the class [Women Studies] are drawn to it because they’re open-minded, and they want to learn,” says Meginnis Payne. “They kind of have a new language for understanding why there are certain realities and what needs to be done about it.”

Elise Ramos-Garcia, a first-year student at WPU, has taken Pysch 101 and Psychology of the Black Experience with Dr.Meginnis-Payne.

“She’s very passionate about teaching and psychology and everything and helping people,” said Ramos-Garcia.

Meginnis-Payne earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill with a minor in women’s studies. She later went on to earn a Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee.

“I was always kind of interested in what made people tick,” says sad Meginnis-Payne. “So there was just a natural draw to psychology and women’s studies.”

In her courses, specifically Women’s Studies, she says students are surprised by the information they hear.

“People end up being shocked to learn that inequality along the lines of gender still does exist and it not only exists across the world but it exists here in the United States,” says Meginnis-Payne.

The topics covered in these classes can be sensitive to some students. Subjects like sexual assault, abortion, racism,

Michael John: Saving the Day at WPU

By Kyana Ayscue

Michael John, director of public safety at William Peace University, has worked in public safety since attending college, more than 35 years.

After moving from New York to North Carolina, John planned to teach, but decided to remain in campus security. He says his career in public safety has allowed him to use his authority to keep others safe.

Safety is his number one priority, and he feels that it’s very important for all students and staff to have a sense of security and comfort while on campus.

“I am committed, I’ve been committed, and I’ll continue to be committed to making that possible for all in the community to feel that sense of security while they’re on campus,” John said.

As the director of public safety,

Isaiah Davis Focuses

John is responsible for “about 15 officers, assignments, investigations, setting up security for events, such as graduation, and some other events that take place on campus.

He also prepares and handles campus-wide drills or emergency situations.

John lived and grew up in every

A senior majoring in human biology who plans to go to medical school, Isaiah Davis will not be the only member in his family in the medical field. His uncle is an orthodontist, and he has one cousin who is a pharmacist and another who is a psychiatrist.

But one reason he chose his major is that he believes that there are too few people of color working in health care.

“I want to make a change and to let young black kids know that it is okay to be a doctor, physician, nurse, psychiatrist,” says Davis, 25. “By doing this, I plan to mentor young Black, African American, Latinos, and other people of color to help them within the science field.”

Davis plans to graduate in December, and is already a mentor to other students at Peace; he is a peer tutor for multiple courses in his major and an orientation leader. But he has made his own the from his first year to his senior year was drastic.

Davis is originally from Virginia and graduated from East Wake High School in Zebulon. He chose Peace due to its small community inside and out of class. He says he was introduced to a lot of great faculty and staff during his first tour on campus, as well as the small classrooms and the teacher to student ratio. He really admired the way it was possible for teachers and students to build relationships with one another and their advisors. “It is a little bit better than being at a bigger university like our surrounding universities like UNC and State,” said Davis.

Coming to WPU four years ago,

on

H e a lt h

Davis says he was just focused on basketball -- not taking classes as seriously as he should have and not engaging in campus events and activities. He played on the men’s basketball team his first year, but decided to take time off to refocus on his studies. Now that he is about to leave WPU, he excels in his courses, is a campus leader, and is on the route to attend medical school.

That extra time helped him improve his college experience, he says. At the same time, he says Peace has grown and adapted to students needs in his four years there: “We’re always progressing and seeing changes and accommodations they made for students, especially during the time we’re in right now, being in the pandemic.”

He hopes to start in August 2022, and has a number of schools in mind, including Meharry Medical College, a historically black college in Nashville, Tennessee. UNC-Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, and East Virginia Medical school are also on his list.

Davis expressed how he has a few favorite professors on campus that he feels bring a lot to the table for their students. One of them was Dr. Jannelle Jennings-Alexander, an English professor who he says is easy to talk to and willing to mentor students. Another is his adviser, Dr. Patrick Meyer.

Davis believes COVID definitely played a big part in his last year being an undergraduate. It was a switch that made a big change, especially mentally.

“Just trying to grasp everything, on top of the school work and your social life,” says Davis, explaining the impact of the pandemic. “And then being that we had to be on campus sometimes or online, trying to make that transition and switch and get in accommodated with things got a little rough at times.”

Davis believes WPU is a great school to recommend to a family or friend due to its resources and being a small community, which helps students get to know a lot of people and build a professional network. He said he made important connections at a recent alumni mentor event, where he got career tips and pointers from an alum in his field.

He also says students at WPU will receive genuine support, and won’t be overlooked as they might be at larger institutions.

“My tip for a freshman or an incoming freshman is to believe in yourself,” said Davis. “Any goal you have is achievable and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. College can be a challenge at times, but it’s minor sacrifices to get you to where you want to be.”

and homophobia can lead students to be uncomfortable and defensive.

“I’ve had students cry in the class because they’re like ‘I don’t like what you’re telling me,’” says Meginnis-Payne.

But she says college is about learning things beyond your life experience and gaining knowledge about real world issues. Learning about oppression, according to Dr.Meginnis-Payne, is the first step to change.

By learning about how oppression is rooted in society, it allows the system to

lose power.

“I think one of the best outcomes for students who attend college is that they get outside themselves and they understand other people and they understand how systems have operated to make it easier for some folks and harder for other folks,” she says.

part of New York, except Staten Island.

After high school, he attended both Baruch and Medgar Evers College before graduating with a Bachelors in English Literature from Lehman College, City University of New York, known as CUNY. While pursuing his degree, John began working as an assistant director of public safety at ockefeller University in New York City. There John was not only in charge of campus security, but also in charge of charge of patrolling biomedical and animal research laboratories.

While John held this position, he wasn’t fully interested in his security work until he met his former mentor, Lloyd Jones. In the 1980s, Jones took John under his wing and helped him understand his potential.

Jones was a police sergeant in the New York City Police Department, a World War II veteran, and a civil rights activist. He drove John to pursue higher leader positions as they became available, and remained John’s mentor until passing away in 2008.

“He inspired me …through his mentoring, to

continue in law enforcement,” he said.

After many years of service at Rockefeller University, John left to move to Raleigh in 2007. He initially flew down to receive his teaching credentials, but it wasn’t long before he found himself in yet another position in campus security.

And, by 2008, John began work as an officer of public safety at WPU. While he only meant to take the open position as part-time work, but soon fell in love with the university. And, as a higher position became available, John took.

“The college was such a great place to work,” said John. “The atmosphere was great … Everything was great.”

Parents and guardians who are familiar with John and his work know just how committed he is.

“Mr. John truly takes the safety of William Peace students seriously,” said Pamela Perry, mother of two WPU students.

“He reassured me as a first-time Pacer Parent that my children would be in good hands. He has a calm and reassuring presence and is knowledgeable of the Raleigh community.”

Read about more members of the WPU community at

Peacetimesmedia.com