AB President's Corner

Summer 2013

I can hardly believe another year is over! As the Class of 2013 ventures away from our hallowed halls into the world, I know our alma mater’s mission to educate each as ethical, global citizens who are focused on meaningful careers, means they will be competitive young women and men entering the workforce.

Maybe that’s why WPU’s outcomes remain strong – more than 90% of our students are offered a job or enter graduate school within one year of graduation. And, because we require every student to take an internship before they can graduate, at least 60% of graduates are offered a job at their place of internship. It’s a testament to the academic strength of our institution, which is now 156 years old.

As an alumna, I've been involved as a career mentor, a panelist for Career Connections and I've hired Peace graduates through my company, Nextaff (a Workforce Strategies Company), here in Raleigh. I've also served as a class agent, helping raise funds for my alma mater through gifts made to The Loyalty Fund, as well as been as an event volunteer and a member of the Alumni Board.

So, it was a great honor to be nominated and then elected as Alumni Board President last year, serving alongside members of the board, and the executive committee. Being re-elected for the 2013-14 academic year tells me that my peers believe in what we’re doing at Peace, as a collective of alumni dedicated to the success of our institution and its students.

One personal memory I hold precious is the day I arrived on the Peace campus as a fresh-faced first-year in 1996. As a student, I spent the next four years making memories, creating deep friendships and cultivating lasting connections. When I walked across the Commencement stage with both an AA and BA in hand, I felt a sense of accomplishment that I hold dear to me still. It's a feeling that I wish for every WPU student.

The pride I feel in my Alma Mater today comes from many places: memories from when I was a student, lasting friendships that weathered both the test of time and transition, the foundation of confidence I found through my academic programs, and the sense of accomplishment I gained as I entered the real world knowing Peace had given me the foundation I needed to be successful.

Though our institution is an ever-changing living place, WPU is an exceptional learning environment. Today's students will benefit greatly from our continued small classroom environment and a focus on career preparation.

Throughout the year, the Alumni Board will continue to focus on working more often with students, demonstrating the positive impact they, too, can have as future alumni, as well as encouraging today's alumni to "Stay Informed. Stay Involved, and Stay Connected." As alumni get to know our students, they will also see what amazingly talented and professional leaders we have and we hope they will want to support WPU students to become strong future alumni leaders in our communities. 

As the summer gets underway and we look toward welcoming a new First-Year class to WPU in the fall, I hope you will join me and other Alumni Board members at various campus events and activities. Don't miss Homecoming (Oct. 25-27) and Family Weekend, which will feature multiple class reunions and events, and be sure to come back and take in one of our performing arts events. Be sure to also keep your eye out for the Summer 2013 issue of the PEACE BULLETIN, our alumni magazine, which will be in mailboxes by the end of July.

I hope you will choose to stay informed, get involved, and reconnect with our alma mater.  Peace needs all of its alumni and friends to help provide opportunities for our students and future graduates.

Rachel Beach Reynolds '98 '00
President, Alumni Board
2013-2014