The Peace Times Spring 2018 Print Edition

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Peace Times

April 10, 2018

Impending Seaboard sale rattles life on campus

By Caitlin Richards, News Editor

Pacers participating in the Parkland School Shooting walkout (Photo by Jeni Meyers)

A line of stores in the area of Seaboard that is proposed to be sold, including Seaboard Winde and Seaboard Ace Hardware Store (Photo by Cheyenne Colburn)

Four things to do before you graduate

By Shel-Kaylin Rhines, Staff Writer

May 5 will be a big day for many students at William Peace University. It’s the time where several will turn their tassels and start a new chapter in their lives. While this will be the time that all of the parents will say “welcome to the real-world”, this is also a time that seniors will shed a lot of tears of joy!

A countless amount of “new adults” are probably waiting until the last minute to get things done, but I am here to tell you that we can’t wait any longer because we need to start planning ahead for this new journey in life.

If you are planning on graduate school or the workforce, the time is now to start applying! While applying, “stop and smell the roses”-you need to enjoy your last days at Peace because there are so many things that you have accomplished and made memories for the last four years of your life! So, here are some things you should do before you graduate!

1. Have Fun While It Lasts

What do I mean by this? You are already in your second semester of your senior year, so I hope you’ve enjoyed your summer, the snow days, and spring break because now is the time to buckle down and get things done. It is okay to go out and have a nice time for now, but when you walk across the stage all the late nights go away having fun. You will then probably spend your late nights doing homework if you are going to graduate school, or you will be catching up on work from the office. Whatever you do, understand that these are truly some of the best times of your life whether you realize it or not.

free to go see our wonder staff in Career Services.

Secret- Dawn Dillon is a genius and arguably the best person on earth!

3. Plan Cap and Gown Photos

Find yourself a wonderful photographer and start planning the perfect cap and gown pictures because this is one in a lifetime experience and you should make memories of it.

You should find fun areas to capture the moment.

Fun fact: Deen Harrison is a alumni of Peace, and he owns his own photography business.

4. Ace All Your Final Exams Why not end your last semester of undergraduate with a bang and end with a wonderful GPA?!

You should have higher standards than you have ever had before in college because this would be your last year in undergraduate courses. You will be proud of yourself when you know you earned your degree and it wasn’t given to you.

With all the friends you have made, create a fun study group to get one more memory in before you hang up your bookbag and stash away those pens and papers!

A Peace senior looking through class rings (Photo by Cheyenne Colburn)

2. Prepare Your Resume

It is crucial to reconstruct your resume that you have been working on since you’ve been a student at Peace. You remember those PDS classes? Yeah, those classes were to help you prepare the perfect resume to help you land the perfect job. If you have not started planning on your resume or had it looked at in awhile feel

An ecstatic Peace senior with Exit Counseling Guide (Photo by Cheyenne Colburn)

P. 3: Pacers pie pacers

WPU reacts to Parkland School Shooting

By Jayde Grant and Jeni Myers, Staff Writers

The Seaboard Station property is expected to be sold around April if all goes according to plan, which also means that the tennis courts on campus will be sold along with some parking spots, stated in an email

by William Peace University’s president, Dr. Brian Ralph. But what many WPU students are wondering is what kind of impact this will have.

“It is difficult to measure the exact impact on students prior to the sale, but what will likely occur is growth in the endowment which will allow us to award more financial aid to students as well as potentially enable us to invest further in the student experience,” stated Dr. Ralph.

With the tennis courts being sold from the Seaboard Station property, the athletic department leadership is looking for a partnership for the tennis program and is hoping to have new tennis courts for student athletes to use next season.

Continued on Page 2

The Peace Times

P. 5: First Founder’s Day Walk

P. 6: How to survive college

Nationwide, communities, and schools, such as William Peace University, are coming together in reaction to the fatal school shooting that took place in Parkland, Florida, totaling to 17 student deaths.

The shooting took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School briefly before school was released for the day on Feb. 14.

According to news reports, shooter Nikolas Cruz used the fire alarm as a strategy to lure out students before taking fire on the campus.

Gun Control has been a rising topic and concern since the Sandy Hook shooting since 2012, and has increased since the years passing.

“People aren’t even surprised anymore”, says WPU freshman, Gloria Smith. “Nothing is being done, people feel sorry, apologies and condolences are given and the issue is pushed away until it happens again.”

“We shouldn’t have fear just to go out in public,” says Smith.

Communities all throughout the United States are coming together through this issue, and questions and discussions not just about gun policy, but prevention of these events in schools and all other public areas, are being aroused.

In the morning of March 14, WPU participated in the nationwide walkout, which took place for 17 minutes, representing the number of each person who died during the Parkland shooting. Many students and faculty from different backgrounds, ages, and walks of life gathered together on the Peace Main Lawn in remembrance of the many who lost their lives.

The ceremony consisted of a remembrance and six statements of demands and priorities that were presented by different students. It concluded with the song “Amazing Grace”.

“This walkout brings awareness. It’s not just about remembering those who lost their lives, but it’s also about bringing awareness for the need to increase gun control,” said freshman at WPU, Anne Shaw.

One victim from the Parkland shooting, Kayden Hanafi, claimed he heard gunshots then saw classmates running out of a nearby building. Many made claims that it sounded “like firecrackers”.

Gun violence is reoccurring and many Americans each year become victims of gun violence.

Continued on Page 2

P. 8: Richards dreams of Broadway

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Peace News

What is the Solution to Prevent Shootings: Gun Control or Counseling?

Student perspective by Jeni Myers, Staff Writer

Ever since the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, many concerns have risen across the nation with many questions that need to be answered. One of them is which of the most common solutions to gun violence is best: gun control or free counseling for students?

The whole reason colleges have the option of free counseling is due to the Virginia Tech shooting well over ten years ago, according to Virginia Tech Shooting Fast Facts on CNN. With the increase of shootings since then, many students wonder if they are safe on campus.

“Free counseling should be in every school, not just “a typical school counselor,” but a professional,” said Makayla Mayes, sophomore at William Peace University.

It is a wonderful thing that colleges and universities across the nation have access to free counseling. Yet, it should not just be offered among post-secondary education.

Many middle and high schools have school counselors, but they do not just have the responsibility of having to counsel students.

Many of these counselors also take on being an academic advisor and college advisor for hundreds of students.

“I remember when I was in high school I saw my counselor for not just therapy, but for my grades and to talk about college,” said Mayes.

Is there a problem amongst gun control laws? Yes. An 18-year-old can buy a semi-automatic gun, without a background check on some accessions, but you still are not old enough to drink.

“The United States alone has 270 million guns, from the year 1966 all the way to 2012 there have been 90 mass shootings,” according to New York Times “What Explains U.S Mass Shootings?”

With the numbers of mass shootings rising, what it’s the right answer? Do we need more guns? Do we need less guns? Should there be free psychiatric evaluations offered to everyone?

No one can predict what can happen in the future. There are so many questions that I do not think any of us really know the answers. I don’t think there is a right answer.

“Nearly one out of four students have a diagnosable mental disorder. Mental health is a reality, we owe it to our students to be mindful of mental health,” said Associate Professor of Psychology and Women Studies Dr. Kayce Meginnis- Payne.

These statistics are scary. This should indicate to others that mental health is something that we should not just put to the side.

“The mental health care spending rate in the United States, the number of mental health professionals per capita and the rate of severe mental disorders are all in line with those of other wealthy countries,” according to NY times examination of mass shooting in the United States.

There is really not a right or wrong answer to this. Should there be better counseling and help amongst students in all backgrounds or grade, Yes. But, something needs to be done about gun control.

“Most victims have mental illness, there should be stricter laws on gun control, but free counseling should be offered regardless. It’s a human right,” said Mayes.

In most K-12 schools there are not enough counselors to go around for the whole school. It would be great if we could offer free counseling to all students in K-12 learning.

However, there is not enough counselors for the job.

“At my daughter’s high school, they have a total of four guidance counselors.

However, there are 2000 students enrolled in her high school. Not only do they tend to the needs of the students, but they also have the responsibility of being an academic advisor,” stated Payne.

Yet, counselors can’t fix everything.

There’s only so much they can do. It’s hard to say which one would be better. Plus, we do not know what the future will bring us.

“If our goal is to reduce gun violence, [gun control] has to be addressed. Guns in the United States are a big business,” said Payne.

No one really knows the answer. But, we can act by putting more funding into schools to offer free professional counseling. As well as, acting to reduce gun violence with our priority policies.

The sections of Seaboard being sold (Courtesy of Bobby Jones)

Impending Seaboard sale rattles life on campus (continued from front page)

“This is my first season on the tennis team and planning to play on the team next year,” said WPU freshman, Dylan Betancourt.

“I’m not necessarily concerned about the sake of the [tennis] program, but more concerned with the amount of attention the program will get once it’s moved off campus. We already receive minimal support from the student body and moving our matches off campus will only lower the amount of support we get from our peers and athletic department.”

“Our hope and expectation is that it will generally have a very positive impact on the students of Peace,” stated President Ralph in an email. “We are going to sell to the best partner. We want Seaboard to continue to thrive and be a fantastic amenity for students, faculty, staff, alumni and neighbors for a long time. I do recognize that one downside for some current students, faculty and staff will be the eventual elimination of the tennis courts next to campus.”

“I’m in my third year on the [tennis] team and it is my last year,” said WPU senior, Davis Felts. “Our old coach Jeron Baker recruited me and gave me a shot to play in college. Him, the other coaches and the various players are family to me. I don’t want to see our courts gone.

Moved around maybe, but not gone. We’re on the rise as a program and having courts close to campus draws in many players. Having to spend extra gas and time creates only problems that we see already with soccer, lacrosse, and baseball.”

“I am committed to the tennis program and will make sure the program has access to the best facilities possible,” stated Dr. Ralph.

WPU students also wondered what the property being sold would mean in regards to parking situations since parking is already limited and WPU students would park at Seaboard when no other parking could be found.

There will only be around 13 parking spots that will be sold that are between Oak and Dagger Brewery and the tennis courts. Hopefully, there won’t be a drastic parking difference when these spots are sold and that parking for students will be easy to find. Especially since there will be a new transportation system coming in the fall, which will allow WPU to have free access and may lead to not needing to park as much on campus.

“A sale would allow WPU to generate a strong return on its investment and strategically direct those resources into the endowment as well as additional facilities, programs and opportunities to enhance your experience as a student.”

Seaboard Station is a quickly growing center that is always filled with customers from the community as well as students from Peace.

A few of the most popular places at Seaboard are Bad Daddy’s Burgers, Donatos, Brew coffee shop, and Oak and Dagger Brewery.

“Seaboard Station is an incredible amenity for our community. Many of us frequent the restaurants and shops, and those same establishments offer employment opportunities for many of you as well as partnerships with the University,” stated Dr. Ralph.

“We also know that it is an attractive amenity to recruit and retain more outstanding students like yourselves as well as host alumni events. We have a vested interest in seeing the retail center continue to grow and thrive.”

“We will work closely with Trademark Properties to find the right partner for Seaboard Station, one who will not only bring about the best possible outcome for the retail areas but also help #OurRaleigh continue to blossom and enhance the quality of the student and employee experience here at WPU.”

WPU reacts to Parkland School Shooting (continued from front page)

“With this walkout, we are bring awareness. We will no longer be silenced, we will no longer let the government push gun violence to the side, something needs to be done,” said Shaw.

Some students and members of the community posted accounts on social media with some tweets in response of the event, such as “love each other, you may never know when it may be the last day you see someone”.

The stricken community, which was recently named the safest town in Florida according to Fox 13 News, is now trying to pull together as one in efforts to recover the best that they can. In response, there have been many efforts to make changes not only statewide and through local governments, but also on the national level.

“Expanding background checks is most important and is easy. It’s pretty basic and everyone should do it, especially when someone is buying a gun,” said WPU junior, Drew Miller.

Florida students and teachers have

Florida students nad teachers have gone so far as to rallying and protesting for gun laws and restriction regulations at the Capital.

They also have made large efforts towards creating awareness throughout the nation to prevent this from happening in the future.

Students are speaking out in conferences and on social media in attempt to force a change of gun laws and regulations.

“I think it’s very upsetting,” says WPU freshman, Makayla Mayes. “I’m kind of angry about it. There’s been eight shootings just this year and there’s still a slow process of things being done to prevent them.”

Events like these not only bring awareness to students of WPU, but it also brings awareness across the nation. It proves a point that gun control is needed and it should no longer be put to the side.

“Gun Control is important, it is not organized, and something like this takes a team effort. This issue is too big to not get involved,” said Shaw.

Illustration made in honor of those who died in the shooting (Illustrated by John Everett)

3

Peace News

From Peace to Epic Games

By James McLean, Staff Writer

William Peace President Dr. Brian Ralph after being pied in the face (Photo by Callie Yohn).

Pacers Pie Pacers

By Breanna Cary, Staff Writer

William Peace University very own President Dr. Brian Ralph, became a #PiedPresident on March 29 helping the Student Athlete Advisory Committee raise over $900.

There were 14 participants comprised of faculty, coaches, the athletic director, and most importantly Dr. Ralph. Each participant had a jar with their name and face on it for people to donate money to their jar. Jars were taken to sports games to collect money, were outside on Belk Patio during lunches, and were even taken to classrooms.

The objective was to put money in the jar of who you wanted to see get pied. At the end of the competition the person with the most money in their jar would have the opportunity to match it and not get pied, and then it would go to the person with the next highest and they would get the opportunity to match it and so forth.

The morning of pieing day, the three in the lead were Softball Coach Charlie Dobbins, Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach Ozzy Peralta, and AD Kevin Daniels. As soon as it hit noon, those leaders quickly changed. Coach Dobbins and Daniels matched both of their jars in Dr. Ralph’s jar, which quickly put President Ralph in the lead.

Dr. Ralph might have been the one to win the competition, but he was most certainly not the only one to get pied. Coach Dobbins not only contributed to the fundraiser by putting in over $100 in his jar, but he also took a pie to the face from freshman softball player, Skylar Conklin.

“I thought it was interesting to see someone who is so highly respected around campus get pied and embarrased by becoming

so vulnerable for such a good cause,” said Conklin.

From the beginning of the competition, freshman soccer player Keaton Joyce told his coach he was going to pie him.

Coach Peralta did not believe him until it actually happened.

Coach Peralta not only got pied in the face, but Joyce decided he was going to pie his hair as well. Coach Peralta was not a fan of the smell afterwards and described it as “dried baby’s milk.”

The last person to get pied was Daniels. He took a little bit of persuading to get pied, but a very special person came to this event specifically to shove a pie in his face, and she was not going to leave until she was able to do just that.

This special attendee was Alli Leggett, an Alumna of Peace as well as one of Daniels’ best friends. He got pied with no towel or trash bag over his outfit, but he probably regretted that after half of the whipped cream ended up on his pants.

“I have been waiting for years to have an opportunity to do something like this to Kevin,” said Leggett. “It was so fulfilling and worth the wait.”

Come to find out, that goal was surpassed and SAAC members were in great shock when they counted up the totals.

“It is so great to know that people care enough to donate money and participate to raise money for a charity,” said SAAC Treasurer Davis Felts. “This is the most money we have ever raised for Pennies for a Purpose and we have a chance of coming out on top by raising the most in our conference.”

The Peace Times Staff, Spring 2018

Students majoring in simulation and game design often think about what job they will get after they graduate as would any other college student. With game design, choices vary from administration to McLean with his dog (Photo by James McLean) designs or sales.

Getting into the gaming industry is not as difficult as most students would believe. Take Epic Games as an example. They have branches in various different states and countries with one right here in Raleigh.

Epic Games has employed many Peace students and are looking for more. Jamieson Blashaw, a recent Peace graduate, applied for an entry level position at Epic Games and was hired a month ago.

“Most of the work I do is services.

Answering emails involving customer support, giving refunds for certain games,” said Blashaw.

Also while working with Epic, he gets to see updates early for certain games such as Fortnite and what ideas they intend to put in the next update.

There also others who have went to Peace and got a job from epic not only services, but some in various departments.

“Getting a foot into the gaming industry isn’t that hard,” said Justin Johnson, a professor that teaches game design here at Peace and worked at Ubisoft. “Your first job in the field will not be your last, and it’s okay to take the knowledge you learn from one gaming company and go to another with more experience under your belt.”

This advice also applies to any kind of job not only for gaming. Epic games uses the Unreal Engine to create their games such as Fortnite and Paragon which is what we use at Peace to teach students how to create maps and code. If students can excel in using the Unreal Engine it only adds to a graduates chances of getting a job at Epic Games.

Responses to an informal poll of 43 WPU students, January 2018 (Illustrations by Hannah Erickson)

Teenage perfectionism is at an all-time high

By Dashon Waters, Staff Writer

“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.”

That quote by Colin Powell adequately relates to a growing epidemic that is beginning to affect teens all over the world: the feeling of needing to be perfect in order to be successful.

The want to be perfect is at an alltime high in today’s society compared to previous generations, especially amongst college students. In fact, according to a study of 41,641 college students from America, Canada, and Britain, selforiented perfectionism has increased by approximately 10 percent since 1989.

Socially-oriented perfectionism, or the drive to be seen as perfect by others, has increased at more than twice that rate.

And this drive to be perfect has been found to create a variety of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

What is causing teens to put this much pressure on themselves? interview, one of the researchers said that social media could take part of the blame for this.

“Within social media we are constantly presented with unrealistic ideals of people’s creations of their perfect life and lifestyle,” said Dr. Thomas Curran, a researcher at the University of Bath who coauthored the study. “We compare ourselves naturally to others within that space.

And that social comparison can be quite damaging for our sense of self-esteem.”

To make things worse, it is nearly impossible to in today’s world to

find a teenager who doesn’t use some form of social media. A 2017 survey by the NORC at the University of Chicago showed that 76 percent of teens use some form of social media.

But do teens believe the social media they are using is creating a need for them to be perfect? Michael Milian, a student at William Peace University, doesn’t.

“As a student and an athlete, I put all the pressure on myself to be as good as possible in the classroom and on the field,” said Milian. “Social media doesn’t affect this mindset at all.”

Social media is not the lone factor to blame for teens striving to be perfect.

Curran had an interesting take on the role parents play in this as well.

“Parents play a big role...If you live in a US state, where competition to get into college is very fierce, what you tend to see is that parents in those states spend more time with their children on academic activities,” said Curran. “I don’t think parents are to blame, it’s completely understandable.”

Some students, including WPU student Pierce Cox, feel that their parents are the primary cause for them wanting to be perfect.

“My parents were a huge factor in me wanting to be perfect in everything I do,” said Cox. “When I was younger, they always pressured me to make good grades and get into a good college. I believe they have made me the way I am now.”

Front row (L to R): Marti Maguire (adviser), Shel-kaylin Rhines (social media team), Faith Andrews, Caitlin Richards (news editor), Meredith Lascallette (opinion editor), Ann Taylor Kallam, Justin Foster (multimedia team), Jayde Grant, John Everett (multimedia co-editor), Eboni Hairston (design team), Cullen Cicotte Back row (L to R): Zhana Gooden, Makayla, Mayes, Catherine Harman, Alexandra Garrison (editor-in-chief), Ethan McElvaney (design editor), Rakeem Williams, Jesse Brown, Will Dalton, Davis Felts Not pictured: Damian Perry (multimedia co-editor), Jeni Myers, Cheyenne Colburn (photo editor), James Mclean

A collage of tweets written by insecure teenagers (Collage by Hannah Erickson)

Getting to Know the Friends of Oberlin Village

By Cullen Cicotte, Staff Writer

The city of Raleigh is riddled with historical monuments and landmarks making it possible to preserve and honor the history of the capitol region.

To maintain these historic structures, citizens such as The Friends of Oberlin Village, a grassroots movement established in 2011, were designed.

The group is driven by volunteers from descendants of Oberlin Village, current residents and likeminded individuals that want to research, support and educate the community about the historical contributions Oberlin Village has to offer.

According to a former resident of Oberlin Village, cataloged in a series of historic statements published on the FOV website, Delores B. Wilder stated in June of 1989, “I remember a close- knit community...

In fact, everybody in the neighborhood was close and anything that happened, everybody knew it”.

Later in May of 1990, Rose Morgan-Goode, a long time resident of Oberlin said, “It was like living in a little pocket”.

Goode’s ancestor donated the land where Wilson Temple UMC is located today. The FOV is oozing with volunteers who strive to preserve the area for members of the community like Wilder and Goode.

For more information pertaining to Oberlin Village or the Oberlin FOV, you are encouraged to visit their Facebook page, the Friends of Oberlin Village. You can also visit their website at www.friendsofoberlinvillage.org.

Pacers Off Ca

Historic Oberlin Village 5th Annual BBQ When: June 2, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

What: Family friendly fund raiser open to the public interested in the history of Oberlin Village. Live music from Swede and Satin. food, games.

Cost: $10 a plate with dessert included.

Purchase at brownpaperbag.com.

Go Raleigh Bus Pass on Its Way to Peace

By Zhana Gooden, Staff Writer

While in the process of expanding the Peace community, one new feature coming this fall is the introduction of the Go Raleigh bus pass.

William Peace University has been approved for the Go Raleigh bus pass starting in the fall, making free bus rides available for all traditional undergraduate students, faculty and staff.

The pass allows students to travel anywhere within Raleigh and it’s free every time you ride (all expenses will be included in tuition). Peace will join other local schools with this bus pass, including Shaw University, St. Augustine College, Meredith College and Wake Technical Community College.

Examples of places to travel in Raleigh include:

CRC (cooperating Raleigh colleges) when taking classes at other institutions

Other universities within Raleigh when visiting friends

Cameron Village

Crabtree Valley Mall

When riding the bus from Peace, there are four routes in which some can be connected with other routes to get to different areas in Raleigh. The routes are as follows: Route 1: Capital Square Shopping Center, Triangle Town Center* Route 2: Five Points, Holly Park Shopping Center, Duke Raleigh hospital, Quail Corners Shopping center, North Ridge Shopping center and Bent Tree Plaza Route 3: Downtown* Route 12: Cameron Village, NCSU, Meredith College and the McKimmon center **these routes can be connected to other routes

With this new addition coming this fall, will it be beneficial to the Peace community?

Will students and staff rely on the bus services more with this free bus pass?

Gathering insight from the Pacer community, many have mentioned that they have never ridden the bus before.

“I’ve never taken the bus at Peace but I think any type of public transportation is positive for any city. Bringing people to ride together not only help improve the environment but also helps build the communities social capital,” said Hannah Erickson, senior and communication major.

One other student, Tenae McKinzie, a junior majoring in business, also says that she’s never ridden the bus, unaware of the new addition in the fall.

“I don’t think it will necessarily have an impact,” said McKinzie. “Also, I don’t think it should be included in the tuition because it’s something I would never use and it’s pointless to pay for; it should be selective.”

It’s also important that students are aware of the service.

“As someone who always keeps up with the news and updates around campus, I think the Go Raleigh Bus as a whole should be marketed more to the community, especially for students,” said Erickson.

Lastly, if there are students and staff who are interested in receiving this bus pass but have no idea how to read the routes or ride the bus in general, here are several tips for firsttime riders:

Arrive at the stop 10-15 minutes early Be aware of the different schedules and routes (iPhone and Android typically have public transit apps to assist)

Check to make sure the route number and destination match what’s on the bus When you see you destination approaching, push/pull the strip or cord to signal the driver For more information on the different routes as well as how to connect them, go to the City of Raleigh website (raleighnc.gov).

Photo: GO Raleigh Bus in action (Photo by Zhana Gooden)

Students to explore AfricanAmerican Community in summer Field School

By Catherine Harman, Staff Writer

The William Peace University Anthropology Department will be exploring and conducting the Archaeological Field School that will be working with the The Friends of Oberlin Village this summer.

This African-American community prospered the most in the early 20th century, but changes like Jim Crow and the massive increase in urban development has changed tremendously over time.

Despite these hard challenges over the last few decades, several historic structures and cemeteries still remain on the property.

With help from members of The Friends of Oberlin Village as well as current residents of some of the properties, the preservation of the history will be continued.

From May 30 to June 20, a group of WPU students, as well as other volunteers, will be digging and uncovering historic things underneath a old historic house in the Oberlin Village area of Raleigh.

The particular field school will provide the students with training in basic methods for archaeological surveying and excavation, while at the same time exploring the history and culture of the community. The field school will include archaeological investigations on one of the existing lots, specifically the John T. and Mary Turner House.

The participating students will also be hearing a guest lecture as well as be attending field trips to learn more about the African-American culture in North Carolina.

This field school will be conducted by anthropology professor Vinnie Melomo, P.h.D, as well as individuals from other institutions. Students at previous field schools have explored the Rose Hill Plantation in Louisburg and Fort Caswell, among other locations.

“This year’s archaeological field school will be the sixth that WPU has held,” says Dr. Melomo. “This year’s field school at Oberlin Village will be our first held here in Raleigh.”

Photo: WPU Anthropology students learn about Oberlin Cemetery (Courtesy of Friends of Oberlin Village)

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Downtown Farm Celebrates Six Years of Fresh Food

By Cheyenne Colburn and Angela Gambler, Staff Writers

A small one-acre farm just a block from campus is a great way to get in touch with your country side without leaving the city.

William Peace University students can get involved with this effort at a combined celebration of Raleigh City Farm’s birthday and Earth Day, the 6th Annual Bearthday Celebration on April 21.

To start off, there will be a free family friendly bazaar form 10 a.m. to noon, which will include fun activities for the family as well as food and drink from local vendors.

You can come meet the farmers who work on the farm, including the owners of Endless Sun Farms, which has a greenhouse on the site. [1]

Rebekah Beck, general manager of Raleigh City Farm, said she works with local partners to put on the celebration a fundraiser and educational event.

“A part of our mission is to connect people to sustainable agriculture and to teach them about growing their own food,” says Beck. “It allows people to learn about soil health, compost, growing vegetables, harvesting, everything of that such.”

The nonprofit farm grows fresh crops to sell to local and nearby restaurants and members of the community. They also hold regular events such as dinners and yoga classes.

Beck, the only staff member on the farm, calls the men who grow hydroponic lettuce in the greenhouse “mad scientists,” while her role is to educate the public about urban agriculture.

“I am learning more than I thought I’d ever know about agriculture,” says Beck. “Green space in cities is very important.”

The number of urban farms is growing nationwide. According to The Ecology Center, “Gardens create more than healthy, delicious food. Urban agriculture brings people together with a common interest — food.”

The Bearthday celebration also includes a ticketed concert from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The cost is $10, and VIP tickets are being sold for $15. There will also be local vendors on site for local wine, beer and food.

The farm welcomes Peace students to attend the event or volunteer (Volunteers gain free admission to the evening event).

Photo: A wooden sign resting on wooden stakes at Raleigh City farms (Photo by Cheyenne Colburn)

rnships: an ‘Adulting’ thing

y Delaney, Staff Writer

The value of internships for William Peace University students is ble, allowing them to experience both successes such as exploring their desired fields and hardships such as missed deadlines.

Peace requires students to participate in an internship prior to , in order for them to get hands-on work experience that will set r a future after graduation. A student with this kind of experience has unity to stand out in a crowd among other new graduates.

I do believe that everyone should have an internship under their belt uation,” said WPU senior Isaac Kruger, majoring in business. “It is a o network and meet new people who can refer you to someone else. great way to gain a full time job.” nternships are key to the transition from the classroom to the You get the hands on experience in a safe work environment while to build skills at the same time. enior Kenisha Mangum says she has learned “probably literally every rtant PR and marketing detail you can think of ” at her internship as ordinator intern for Campus Outreach, a Durham nonprofit.

I’ve always had a good perspective on my major but now I’m ready to nd apply all I’ve learned,” said Mangum.

Participating in an internship related to a specific major allows gain a better perspective on the intended career field. Having an and allowing oneself to learn from this kind of experience will only e chances of further success.

I have enjoyed soaking in the tremendous amount of knowledge un an organization and manage its parts,” says Kruger. “Peace has repared me with enough knowledge going forward that will help me my career field.”

WPU wants to make sure that each student graduates with more in their interested career field or industry, and that they take the ned in the classroom and apply it to the workplace.

Peace students have mixed emotions regarding the institution’s policy hips.

I think it’s a cool opportunity and beneficial but I don’t think it needs atory at all,” states Mangum. “I think it should be an option because t the school may already have jobs.” imulation and game design senior Morgan Crockett works as a signer/3D artist for the non-profit Ecoland Institute in Cary.

I am mostly in favor of the William Peace University internship is a great opportunity to gain real-world work experience,” she says. it can be a challenge both to find an internship and to have one, t is probably the best way to prepare us for entering our respective uld like it to be optional, [but] I still feel as though this approach is eficial.” oup of professionals in an office (Photo by Alexandra Terrell)

Pacers Embark on the First Ever Founder’s Day Walk

By Ethan McElvaney, Design Editor

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni took part in a new Founder’s Day tradition where they walked to see the grave site of William Peace March 15.

Beforehand, Dr. Lee Carter explained how miraculous it was that Peace founded Peace College during a global economic downturn in the year 1857 when it would have been understandable if he only looked out for himself.

As the “Merchant Prince of Raleigh”, Dr. Carter said that William Peace was driven by both the common good and by God to provide more opportunities for women by founding Peace College with his fortune at a time when most women were not even allowed to be educated during the mid-19th century.

Dr. Wade Newhouse listed many firsts of Peace College, such as how it was one of the first arts colleges in the South, had the first telegraph line in North Carolina, was the South’s first kindergarten, and the first Southern college to have a home economics curriculum.

Arts colleges, kindergarten classes, and home economics curriculums are now virtually omnipresent in the American South’s academic landscape to college students and younger students alike.

As his closing message, Dr. Newhouse read a section from the original founding documents of Peace that told students and faculty to “eliminate all species of humbug”. The crowd was very amused by this statement and Dr. Newhouse told them to find their personal humbugs and eliminate them.

After this, Dr. Ralph gave a short opening statement for the day and signaled everyone to either walk with him or take the trolley bus to the Raleigh City Cemetery to visit William Peace’s grave site, the Peace Family Plot for a commemoration service.

According to the official program for the event and Raleigh City Cemeteries Preservation Incorporated president, Jane B. Thurman, the Peace Family Plot where William Peace was the focus of a massive restoration effort that began in 2008 after Raleigh City Cemeteries Preservation Incorporated saw the grave plot in complete disrepair from years of wear and vandalism.

The work Raleigh City Cemeteries Preservation Incorporation put into restoring the plot is what inspired Dr. Ralph to start an annual Founder’s Walk to the grave site. He was highly impressed with their work and their dedication to preserving the plot for future generations.

“The Raleigh City Cemeteries Preservation Incorporation raised a lot of money to do it and then they brought in experts, so they didn’t shortcut anything.

They really did a great job and brought people to the project that could really bring about a restoration we can all be proud of ” said Dr. Ralph, WPU president.

Over the course of nine years, Raleigh City Cemeteries Preservation Incorporation repaired the plot’s stone walls, restored the monuments of William Peace and brother Joseph Peace, and installed a cast iron fence similar to the one that was used for the walls. This effort was completed in June 2017.

After Dr. Ralph and Thurman spoke of the importance of remembering WPU’s founder, descendants of the Peace family put a wreath next to the grave site to commemorate the start of the Founder’s Walk tradition. This was followed by a short exploration of the site by students, faculty and alumni, and then everyone returned back to campus for the singing of the alma mater and cake on the Main Lawn.

Peace alumnae Cynthia Mandese, was new to Founder’s Day and has many hopes that Peace continues the tradition as it was a great addition to remind the community where WPU came from.

“It was really good, really peaceful, and you got to see the old side of Raleigh” said Mandese.

Dr. Ralph felt that the Founder’s Walk was a crucial addition to the traditions of WPU and says that it shall continue years into the future.

“We’ll do a walk every year going forward,” said Ralph, “I think it’s a great time to gather as a community and celebrate our past and our history”.

Founder’s Day happens every year on March 15. Students, alumni, and faculty who missed out on the Founder’s Walk should attend next year, 2019, and should make sure to leave their humbug at home.

Photo: Peace family and Dr. Ralph Dedicate a wreath to the Peace family plot (Photo by Ethan McElvaney)

Features

6

How to survive college

By Eboni Hariston, Design Team

Surviving college can be pretty easy when one properly plans for it. Not in the sense where you plan for every single thing that may or may not happen, but in the sense that you understand how you as a person work.

Now this is not going to be a typical “step-by-step” article about how to survive college with typical methods. This is going to be straight from the sources of others, including my own personal opinion, mainly from those who are currently figuring out their own methods on handling their own college lives.

A good example would be to know what your studying habits are and when ideal times you would want to start studying are. Would studying during the afternoon be better and more helpful to your memory?

Or would it be more beneficial for you to study during night hours? It’s important to ask questions like this.

Another good question about your study habits would be to ask what hours of the day do you think will help you memorize the material better. For some folks, it actually depends more on the individual class than it does the actual classwork material as a whole.

When it comes to college life and the many trials and errors that come along with it, it is always imperative that you do not forget to relax every once and awhile.

It may be a little hard when trying to juggle assignments, and exams, as well as other things going on in your life, but that’s why it is so important that you find the time to take for yourself for de-stressing and to unwind using methods that help to stay calm.

I went around and asked a few of my friends about the routines they use to help them unwind from the stress of college life by asking “what is a personal method of yours that makes college life easier for you?”

The answers that were given varied quite a lot.

Kyle Lippiello, had a typical response to the question, “Video Games.

Movies. TV. Just doing general things I enjoy. The moral of the story is just because you’re in school doesn’t mean you should stop enjoying yourself.”

Bethany Prentice said that her emotional support dog makes everything a lot easier for her.

“He makes me get outside and exercise and talk to people. Whether it be hiking Raleigh’s lakes and parks or going

A female student freaking out over school work (Courtesy of energepic.com) out to the cities pubs. He has pushed me focus on the things that make me happy out of my comfort zone in a good way for when dealing with the stress of school. So, the last few years and I wouldn’t have met drawing and playing video games keep my half the friends or discovered half the places mind busy and make me happy while doing without him,” said Prentice. so.

While I asked around, it was really Doing productive things is intriguing to hear the unique responses always a good way of surviving college life. from the different people that utilize so Especially when you get overwhelmed or many different methods of maintaining and do not know what else you should do when surviving college life. trying to relax.

My way of surviving college may See more of Eboni Hariston’s “How To” seem a little unorthodox and different from articles at peacetimesonline.com. the methods above. I always try my best to

Do tattoos lower your chances of getting a job after graduation?

By Makayla Mayes, Staff Writer

Former college student Noah Cassell says him having one visible tattoo has impacted his chances of getting jobs because employers think it is disrespectful to customers.

“I have had an employer tell me he couldn’t hire me due to having a bible verse on my arm,” said Cassell. “At first I thought it was because the tattoo itself is religious, but then he later explained it’s not professional having a visible tattoo.”

In America, 42 percent of adults have tattoos, according to the organization STAPAW, or Support Tattoos and Piercings at Work. The most lenient workforce for having tattoos is the government, STAPAW says, yet only 8 percent of people in the field have tattoos.

Tattoos have gained popularity rapidly in recent years. Companies today are seeking younger and more cultured people, so with that comes the tattoos and piercings.

William Peace University freshman Curare Cross says having tattoos absolutely shouldn’t affect her chances of getting a professional job.

“I will not give up on looking for jobs because there are tons of people who have tattoos and have full-time jobs,” said Cassell.

“My tattoo does not determine how hard I work.”

“It could affect your chances because tattoos still somewhat have a negative stigma,” Cross saya. “Depending on the size and style of it, it could be seen as dirty or trashy.”

Three eliptical machines and a treadmill at a Peace gym (Photo by Alexandra Garrison)

Getting that “summer bod”

By Ann Taylor Kallam, Staff Writer

Peace Senior Justin Cofal’s Voldemort/Dark Mark Arm Tattoo (Courtesy of Justin Cofal)

It is that time of year again…SPRING! The time when everyone, especially college students, are rushing to get gym memberships, starting “diets,” chugging one bottle of water after the other, and just praying they get their ideal “summer bod” before summer comes (Trust me, I’ve been there).

Being a college student, eating healthy is a struggle, am I right? Right! All of the healthy food is more expensive and things like Bojangles, Chipotle, Chick-Fil-A and McDonald’s are so much more appetizing!

And let’s be honest… we’re lazy! BUT getting that “summer bod” does not have to be as hard as you think. You can lose weight, tone up and eat healthier all without buying a gym membership, and spending loads of money on “organic” or expensive healthy foods, and it all starts with these helpful tips: 1. Kick the Soft Drinks and Drink WATER!

Not only is drinking water just simply healthy for you and keeps your body hydrated, it can keep you full and less likely to snack so much. It also has been proven to brighten your complexion and clear acne. WHO DOESN’T LOVE THAT ADDED BENEFIT? According to the Mayo Clinic, women should drink at least nine cups of water a day and men should drink 13.

Just by doing this one easy thing, you are guaranteed to see weight loss, more energy and just all around feel better.

2. Replace Unhealthy Snacks with Vegetables

You may be thinking “ew! Broccoli?!

Carrots?! Cauliflower?! No way!” But, when you think of it as you can have AS MUCH broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower as you want with no

limit, is it really that bad?

I always tell myself, if I do not buy the bag of chips, THEN I WON’T EAT the bag of chips.

Almonds are also a very healthy alternative if you get sick of veggies and just need a different texture.

3. YouTube Workout Videos: Workout Plans Online

For me, timing was a big deal being in school full time while also working seven days a week. Sometimes, you just can’t get to the gym, and we are all broke college kids so maybe you just don’t have the funds, right?

There are awesome YouTube workouts online where you can go at your own pace and find the workout regimen that best works for you. (You can always use your textbooks for weights, right?)

If you do not like the videos there are all sorts of pictures online showing you a workout to do and how many times to do it, if you would rather workout that way.

4. DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST

Did your mom always tell you “Breakfast is the MOST important meal of the day,” but you never listened? Well, ladies and gents, BREAKING NEWS: your mom WAS indeed right!

How you start your day with breakfast insures your energy level and focus throughout the day.

There are many healthy breakfasts you can sit down and cook, but let’s be real, we are in college…NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT! Instead, you can grab a healthy “on the go” bar that is filling, tasty and healthy.

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Coming soon to Raleigh... Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

By Meredith Lascallette and Alexandra Garrison , Editors

William Peace University is in a new partnership with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema opening soon on New Bern Avenue.

More than 12 Alamo Drafthouses surround the United States with more in the works in different locations all across the nation.

Raleigh, being one on the list, has plans for the opening to take place no later than April 26.

A week of soft-openings for training and testing are planned for the week of April 9, with discounted prices on food and nonalcoholic beverages.

The new theatre that will be located on New Bern Avenue will provide many great features including the the normal movie showings. The cinema will also include special movie parties such as costume dance parties that are based on the movie themes, and have prop based showings that bring a new level of entertainment to its audience.

According to the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Raleigh,“Whether it be old, new, serious, fun, arty, or party…. we’ll show films, and have events, that make you love some Alamo.”

Different than typical movie showings

(and in addition to the many special add-on features), full dine-in services that provide a large variety of snacks, meals, drinks, and desserts are all served throughout.

“Having events hosted by Alamo that are also completely different than watching just a normal movie in theaters is a cool idea that encouraged me to attend more events through Alamo,” says Peace sophomore, Cheyenne Colburn.

Fun, great, and unique entertainment is what is to be offered when attending the new theater, or any like it around the United States.

Proof of this comes with the events hosted not just on location but also through the events that Alamo has hosted at outside locations around Raleigh. Part of what could be called Alamo’s “promotion plan” is the partnership that was initiated in February of this year with William Peace University for an event on campus.

WPU partnered with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and presented The Wiz movie party in Kenan Auditorium on Feb. 22 as part of the Identity Through the Lens Film Festival Series on campus in honor of Black

Two tickets from the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (Photo by Alexandra Garrison) History Month.

The event was free and open to the public and included props and free concessions.

It was put together by a group of students and faculty assisted Alamo in successfully hosting the event.

Due to the success of the event, Alamo does plan to continue to partner with Peace and host movie parties and film screenings annually either on campus or at the new Alamo theater.

With Alamo Drafthouse Cinema opening very soon in Downtown Raleigh, there is sure to be a lot of new movie and film experiences in store, so keep your eyes open for events and showings.

Tickets are now available online and at the box office located on site.

In the words of Alamo, “The point is, visit before your movie, after your movie, or anytime. Just follow the rules...Be Kind Unwind”.

Jesse’s Game Corner: Monster Hunter World (PS4)

By Jesse Brown, Design Team

Monster Hunter is Capcom’s second most popular franchise, and yet, chances are you haven’t heard of it. It is the sixth mainline game in the franchise, but you may have just heard about World from its extremely positive reviews or excellent sales numbers.

So what is Monster Hunter (rather self evident...)? Is it objectively the best game in the series and possibly the best game ever of all time (yes)?

It is a third person role play game in which you, a hunter, take up one of 14 different weapons and hunt increasingly monstrous… monsters, using their parts to craft stronger weapons and armour that you than use to defeat them.

A pretty simple gameplay loop, but do not discredit the beauty in its simplicity.

Sales (This is big for Monster Hunter!)

Before we dive too deep...sales numbers.

Monster Hunter World is easily the most popular game in the series. Capcom

themselves announced on Jan. 29 that they shipped 5 million copies of the game. It is important to note that copies shipped does not mean copies sold, but they ship copies to fill demand, which is more or less equal to final sales.

Actual sales numbers are harder to discern, especially world wide. Gamespress.com, a UK based gaming press website, lists Monster Hunter World as number one for Xbox and PS4.

Natively, Famitsu, a Japanese game magazine, has estimated that 1.35 million physical copies have been sold in Japan, and if you count digital sales, an estimated 2 million copies.

The Retro(spect)

There have been 40 titles in the franchises history, starting with the original, released on the Playstation 2 in 2004.

Only six of these are “mainline” entries: Monster Hunter, Monster Hunter 2, Monster Hunter Tri (3U), Monster Hunter 4 (4U), Monster Hunter Cross (Generations), and

now Monster Hunter World.

In addition, there are many spinoff games and small expansions or ports of the mainline such as Monster Hunter Portable (PSP) and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PSP/IOS/ Android). Feel free to check out the various wiki’s around the web for a more complete list.

Review: Short and sweet like

For veteran hunters; the game stays true to its core gameplay, and although many beloved quirks have been changed, like the superman pose after drinking a potion, it is still, by far, the best Monster Hunter to date. It will take a bit to get used to the new systems, but they all fit so well with the game, and in general are more streamlined than previous games. The monster count might feel low right now, but Capcom have said that more monsters will come as free DLC, the first being the mighty Deviljho. information.

For new hunters; if you have played a Monster Hunter game and it didn’t quite click, give this a try. While Monster Hunter is rather notorious for its complete lack of new player experience, steps were made toward

improvement in MH4U and MH Generations, and now with World, it finally feels like everything is explained to you. The game is an absolute blast and I urge you to check it out.

The game has well explained tutorials, and there are tons on videos and online resources from veteran hunters explaining the basics that can assist you in your gaming.

There are also plenty of great reviews and gameplay out there, however I recommend staying away from bigger publications, as any veteran player can easily tell they haven’t played any Monster Hunter game for more than a few hours.

See more reviews of video games by Jesse Brown (as welll as media reviews from other staff writers) at peacetimesonline.com.

Netflix vs. Hulu: Is Netflix losing thunder?

By Jeni Myers, Staff Writer

The sign outside of Netlix’s Headquarters in Los Gatos, California (Courtesy of Netflix)

Now I really do love the days where I the lack of films and television series on am completely free. The days where I can just lay Netflix. across my twin XL bed with my elephant Moe “Netflix doesn’t have good enough and watch a wonderful episode of “Big Mouth”. content to raise their prices,” said WPU

However, even though I do love my freshman Samuel Hardison.

“Big Mouth”, I don’t just think I want to pay that Now students like Hardison and “Big Mouth”money anymore. Nor do most of the students at William Peace University want to as Foster have started to make the switch from Netflix and chill to Hulu and commitment. well.

Hardison claims to have made

“It’s not even the shows, Hulu has shows that are not on Netflix such as Boondocks the switch due to the “college package” and Samurai Jack, and Afro Samurai. Why I like deal Hulu and Spotify made specifically for it so much is not only does it have my favorite college students across the U.S. shows, but it recommends six different other “I have the Hulu and Spotify shows,” said WPU junior Justin Foster. package. I pay $4.99 a month for Hulu and

Since Netflix has raised their prices within the last year, many students are starting premium Spotify and since then I haven’t to think that it may not be what is in their best touched my Netflix account,” said Hardison.

All you must do is sign up for interest.

The biggest problem is the price jump. either Spotify or Hulu and use a college However, one of the additional main problems is

email (.edu email) and you will be able to access the $4.99 a month plan for both.

For a college student this is a good deal, because you not only get one source of entertainment, but you will have two sources of entertainment for half the price.

Plus, you get more content from Hulu than you do with Netflix.

“Hulu adheres to a broader spectrum of the audience and Netflix is not really gaining anything,” said Foster.

Although Hulu does seem to have more overall content, Netflix seems to have the most content with movies.

“The only reason I keep Netflix is for the movies and for my parents,” said Hardison.

Some students do keep their

Netflix accounts so they can have a little more of a wide variety, but I prefer and would suggest Hulu, yet I do own them both.

“The only reason I keep Netflix is for the movies and for my parents,” said Hardison.

By no reason is Netflix a horrible source of entertainment, because it’s not.

I still like to watch my “Big Mouth” and “Stranger Things” whenever I can, however, ten dollars a month is too much for the small amount of content that Netflix has.

Maybe in the future things will be different for Netflix, who knows? But until then, Hulu is the latest trend, and in my opinion the way to go.

A variety of popular shows on Hulu on a television, iPad, and iPhone (Courtesy of Hulu)

8

People of Peace

Richards dreams of Broadway

By Savonna Hill, Staff Writer

Deanna Richards played the part of Kate in the theatre’ department’s production of “The Wild Party” in the fall and she’ll also be in the upcoming play “Assassins” (Photo Courtesy of the WPU Theater Department)

Everyone grows up with goals that we could only dream about and wish to become a reality. But one William Peace University freshman from Charlotte plans on making her dreams a reality.

Ever since Deanna Richards was a little girl, she had a passion for the stage.

Richards played Kate in the WPU production of “The Wild Party” in the fall, and is also in the upcoming play “Assassins.”

Richards started singing in her church choir when she was only 9 years old. She always jumped with excitement each time that she got to stand on stage.

“Everyone knew she had that natural talent as soon as they saw her get on stage,” said Camille Richards, Deanna’s mom.

Richards soon started taking dance lessons so that she could perform more than just on Sunday mornings at church.

The stage was where she felt like she was most herself. Richards found her identity through music and through performing it on

the stage. One thing that Richards loves about performing is how she can share her love of it to other people.

“My mom enrolled me in theater camp when I was young and ever since I went, I never wanted to leave. I knew theater was my passion,” says Richards.

This camp made her realize that she wanted to be a part of the theater program for a long time, whether through teaching theater or performing it.

As soon as her school offered a theater program she signed up to participate in whatever shows that she got a role in.

Throughout middle school and high school she was in around 15 theater productions.

That isn’t including the countless singing, acting, and dancing lessons she had to take.

“Everyone thinks theater is just a hobby, but it is not easy at all. You have to put time and sweat into it just like any other sport,” says Richards.

In high school, she had to work even

Charlie West: young and determined

By Davis Felts, Staff Writer

been helpful and caring about me and my education,” says West.

West has found more than just an education at Peace. He has also found a chance to continue one of his passions in playing tennis.

As a midyear transfer, he is amongst the newest members of the team but is not shying away. He’s 6-6 on the year at the six spot for the Pacers and continues to bring his youthful and contagious energy every day to the court.

“Playing tennis has introduced me to many of my friends at Peace and has been instrumental in getting me involved within the university,” he says.

As far as a major, West is still undecided but is currently taking classes in the communication field that he is enjoying.

“Overall my experience in college at 16 is pretty much the same as everyone else’s and I’m sure it will open doors for me later in life,” says West.

“I remember how excited she was when she auditioned for William Peace’s Theater Program and got accepted,” says Camille Richards. “She worked so hard for it and definitely deserves it.”

Richards says it has been hard to adapt to college life away from home while working hard in theater and school work. But Richards is adapting very well. She has already gotten a lead role in her first college musical this fall, which is unusual for a freshman. she says it will be worth it once she makes it to the Broadway stage.

See more of The Peace Times’ “People of Peace” series at peacetimesonline.com.

Mama Sheri shares her life

By Caitlin Richards, Staff Writer

Mama Sheri in her office above the William Peace bookstore (Photo by Caitlin Richards)

Charlie West on the tennis court ready to hit the ball (Photo by Callie Yohn)

Charlie West is not only the youngest member of the William Peace University Men’s Tennis team. He is also most likely the youngest student on campus overall.

Born on March 24, 2001, Charlie West grew up in Racine,Wisconsin and was homeschooled for many years. He spent his last few years before college at Horlick High School where he played tennis and skipped a few grades to get to where he is now.

His original choice for college was attending Louisiana State University, his father’s alma mater, in Fall of 2018, but he only stayed for a semester.

Peace was attractive to him because it was almost the opposite of the 30,000 plus student university that was way too many hours away from his family.

With only 1,000 students and blocks away from his father’s new job at Shaw University, West found his new home and transferred for the beginning of the spring semester of his freshman year.

“Peace has been a great opportunity for me to continue my education while being this young, and everyone at Peace has

harder to make sure she stood out from the rest.

Richards big dreams are to make it to New York City’s Broadway stage.

Richards says the hardest thing about being a part of the theater program is balancing all that comes along with being in a theater production while making sure she makes her school and grades a priority.

“With theater you have to work on your audition pieces to make sure you sound good so that you can actually be in the show,” says Richards.

She also says that if she gets a part in the show, she has rehearsals most likely every day. She would have to take a lot of time to memorize not only her lines in the script, but also the songs she will have to sing, and dances.

She knew the first step to making her broadway dreams come true would be to practice throughout high school and be accepted into a college theatre program, which happened when she started at Peace this fall.

Sheri Keasler, known by many at William Peace University as “Mama Sheri,” has an interesting story of why WPU is so important to her and how it took her 14 years to earn a degree while being a mother. She had a strong dedication for WPU and that dedication still remains that way as she works on campus.

Keasler started attending WPU after high school in the 1970s, but put her college education on hold for family reasons. WPU had a special place in her heart and she knew she belonged there.

In 2002, she re-started her education at WPU and graduated in 2016 with a major in English and was also named Miss Peace. Now, she is Office Manager of Student Life and plays many roles at Peace helping students with their college journey.

Keasler, who grew up in Raleigh, attended WPU the first time after graduating from Enloe High School in the 1970s. She says she loved the campus from the first time she visited.

“I was a homebody, so I wanted to find something intimate and a little smaller,” she says. “My parents brought me over to Peace, and...as soon as I walked on the campus, it was everything. It just pulled at my heart and I thought ‘oh my gosh I feel so at home here.’”

But she didn’t stay long. When she was 19, her father died, and she decided to take a break from college.

“My world just came crumbling down,” she says of his death. “Life throws you curveballs sometimes and I believe you just have to follow what’s thrown at you. I felt it was best for me to go off and work.”

While her education was on hold, she always felt like a piece of her was still at Peace.

She married her husband in the chapel here.

“We would do late night pajama runs to Krispy Kreme and it didn’t matter day or night, when we would ride by my heart was drawn to Peace and I missed it so much,” she says.

With the support of her family, she went back to get her degree when she was 42, continuing no matter how long it took.

“I raised four children, I had a husband,” she says. “I helped him and I took three credit hours one semester and 14 other semesters just depending on what life gave me.”

In 2010, her advisor, Dawn Dillon, told her about a job opening as an administrative assistant in student services, where she worked

as she finished her degree.

Keasler says loves getting to help students at Peace feel like they belong and make sure they have a place to go to. Making students feel included is her main objective.

Whether it’s letting students vent to her, or giving them a place to relax and lay their belongings, she loves being that person to them and also loves watching them grow in their college years and watch them walk across the graduation stage.

“I feel very blessed, I feel my life has so much purpose,” she says. “I was embraced and welcomed back as a 42 year old woman, and to be able to not only attend classes and work, but to be able to relate and mentor and provide a little bit of my knowledge as an adult, coworker, and classmate. I would have study buddies who were 18 and I would be 45+ and I loved every minute.”

During her work as student in 2011, she was offered a role on campus as the administrative assistant in student services.

She continued working while taking classes and graduated in 2016. After graduation, she continued her work at WPU along with working on the commencement committee as she loves to help students.

“There’s a percentage of our students who want to be connected but they don’t know how, they want to get connected but they’re scared, or they haven’t fit. I help people connect here.“

Keasler tries to make sure that students feel that they have a community within WPU, watch them grow over the years they are here, and to see the students walk across the graduation stage.

“And I will say because I do graduate salute, it’s a bittersweet time. I encourage them by saying, you’re not leaving, you’re just going to that next step.”

Keasler was given the name “Mama Sheri” when a student mentioned that she loved her just like a mama. From then, the name just stuck with her and everyone on campus calls her by that name. She works hard on campus in making a positive impact for students and even faculty.

“But day to day, I’m just Mama Sheri.

That’s probably one of my favorite things, having no idea that I would have a title that would mean so much to me.”