RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that the institution has expanded its educational offerings with the addition of its criminal justice major. The William Peace University Criminal Justice Program will consist of interdisciplinary courses that will provide students with insight into the conditions – psychological and sociological – that lead to criminal behavior. Additionally, the program will cover components of the U.S. legal system as well as forensics.

The Criminal Justice Program is comprised of 39 hours. Students will be required to meet 18 hours of criminal justice core courses and nine hours of elective courses. Additionally, students will complete 12 hours toward The Raleigh Experience, which will provide a hands-on learning opportunity for students to work alongside area professionals in fields specifically related to criminal justice.

The Raleigh Experience will allow students in their senior year to complete an intensive, 40 hours per week co-op program. Through the program, students will be expected to work for three areas related to the criminal justice concentration, which includes advocacy and lobbying, governance, law, nonprofit administration, politics, policy research, and public administration. During that time, students will additionally rotate through three five-week practicums.

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“Whether it’s working for the FBI or assisting companies in protecting their private cyber material, our workforce has a growing demanded for employees educated in the field of criminal justice,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “We are proud to announce the William Peace University Criminal Justice Program and the unique opportunity it will provide students through The Raleigh Experience. Students who pursue this major will gain firsthand experience in the field of criminal justice prior to graduation, positioning them as marketable candidates for future employers.”

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 RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that Sorien Schmidt, JD, will serve as adjunct professor and pre-law advisor. In her role, Schmidt will be responsible for teaching a course on law and the legal system, as well as providing educational and professional guidance to students seeking a career in the legal profession following their graduation.

With 25 years of professional experience as a lawyer, Schmidt previously served as a lobbyist and lawyer on behalf of low-income families and children for both the North Carolina Justice Center and Action for Children, where she delivered speeches, met with state legislators, advocated with administrative agencies, provided policy analysis, and handled related duties in order to reduce poverty and improve the lives of North Carolina’s families and children. Prior to that position, she practiced law with Legal Aid of North Carolina for six years.

Schmidt has participated in many professional organizations throughout her career, including the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys, the American Civil Liberties Union and Advocates for Justice. She has received awards from the NC Association of Women Attorneys and from Legal Aid of North Carolina for her work on behalf of representing women, children and low-income families. Schmidt earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Juris Doctor from the UNC School of Law.

QUOTES:

“There is a crucial need to educate people on the basic information required to better understand the courts and the law and the impact it has in our everyday lives,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “Sorien is bringing to us a strong background of excellence in her field that will enlighten all who attend her class and receive her advice.”

“I am pleased that William Peace University has chosen me to provide instruction on an overview of the legal system to students,” said Schmidt. “As an adviser, my door is open to share my experiences and insights to help students who are considering whether to pursue this field in their future.”

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Four-Year Baccalaureate University Hires Paulhus To Serve As Student Accounts Coordinator

RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that Linda Paulhus has been named student accounts coordinator. In her position, Paulhus will serve as the primary cashier for the university and will be responsible for preparing statements and collection follow-ups, as well as assisting students, staff and faculty with transactions involving the PacerCard, which is the university’s campus card system. Additionally, she will serve asthe primary contact for all university billing and accounts receivable payments, including walk-in traffic and phone calls, and will advise students and parents on payment options and arrangements.

Paulhus has an extensive career in the accounting industry.  Prior to joining William Peace University, she worked at Hood College in Frederick, Md., in the student accounts department.

QUOTES:
“We are excited to welcome Linda to the staff of William Peace University, as she understands how critically important the role of student accounts plays into our institution and into the daily lives of each of our students,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “With an increasing number of students and their parents seeking more information on available payment options that they can utilize, her efforts are essential for our continuing success in meeting their needs for affordability while at our university.”

“There is nothing that can compare to a career in higher education, which is why I am so excited to join the staff of William Peace University,” said Paulhus. “The atmosphere of a college setting is unlike any other, and I look forward to advising students and parents of this outstanding institution through the financial process that comes with higher education.”

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Four-Year Baccalaureate University Expands Admissions Department With The Hiring Of Experienced Student Recruiter

RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that Kevin Rist will serve as admissions counselor. In his role, Rist will be responsible for meeting and touring with prospective students, reviewing student applications, conducting interviews, and corresponding frequently with students and families throughout the admissions process. Additionally, he will provide outreach from the university to high school juniors and seniors and transfer students through periodic visits to National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) college fairs, community colleges and high schools.

With more than four years of student recruitment experience, Rist previously served as the admissions event coordinator for Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, where he handled programming for on-campus recruitment initiatives, including open house events and minority recruitment. As regional director for International Student Volunteers, a nonprofit volunteer and adventure travel organization, Rist worked closely with high schools and colleges in the Charlotte, N.C., area for student recruitment under the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Rist earned a Bachelor of Science in biology at Shippensburg University and is a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

QUOTES:
“It is critically important that as an institution we provide each potential student considering William Peace University as the next step for educational advancement with all the assistance he or she needs from the start,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “Kevin is fulfilling a key role in this essential process, and his previous recruiting success bodes well for what he will achieve for us. He will be an asset in showing high school and transfer students why our university should be the right choice for meeting their goals for more knowledge.”

“It is a true honor to be able to help shape the aspirations and future educational goals of our youth,” said Rist. “I am excited to be joining William Peace University and look forward to contributing to its already successful efforts in increasing student enrollment by carrying its message of success and opportunity to every prospect I meet.”

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 RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that Erskine Bowles and the late Jacquelin Quesenbery Jeutter will receive honorary degrees during the university’s commencement ceremony, to be held on Saturday, May 11 at 10 a.m., located at 15 E. Peace St. Bowles and Jeutter will receive a Doctor of Public Administration and a Doctor of Humanities degrees respectively.

An American political figure and businessman, Bowles will serve as the 2013 commencement speaker for William Peace University. With a longstanding career in higher education and politics, Bowles has served as the president of the University of North Carolina, as well as the White House Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton. In 2010 he was appointed as the Democratic co-chair of President Barack Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, alongside former Republican Sen. Alan K. Simpson. Much of his focus during his appointment was co-leading a business group with Simpson, known as The Campaign to Fix the Debt, to address the U.S. debt crisis. Outside of his political responsibilities, Bowles is committed to public service. Nationally, he coordinated the federal response to the Oklahoma City bombing and joined the United Nations as deputy special envoy in the global response to the Southeast Asia tsunami. Equally involved on the statewide level, Bowles has served as the chairman of the N.C. Rural Prosperity Task Force, where he developed a platform to bring economic development to rural communities of North Carolina.

A graduate of the Class of 1950, Jeutter was a longtime alumni supporter prior to her passing in 2012, serving in a variety of capacities including the university’s board of trustees from 2001-2008 and the foundation board from 2009-2011. A member of the prestigious William Peace Society, Jeutter established The Jeutter Family Fund for Unrestricted Endowment and The Jeutter Family Scholarship Fund as ways to give back to the institution and further the Promise of Peace Campaign. During her years on campus, Jeutter was a member of the international honor society Phi Theta Kappa and the university’s athletic association. After graduation, she went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Arts in education from the University of Virginia. She was a mother of three, and her son, Gerald A. (Jeb) Jeutter, sits on the William Peace University Board of Trustees.

“We are proud to salute the professional accomplishments and longtime community service commitment of Erskine Bowels and Jacquelin Jeutter,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “Both individuals have left a mark on this university and our community as a whole. Jacquelin’s legacy of service and dedication to our institution lives on and is an example for others to follow, while Erskine’s political accomplishments have made significant strides for North Carolina collectively. Our honorary degrees mark our highest form of recognition and serve as our way of publicly acknowledging their years of remarkable achievements and service.”

ABOUT WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY:
William Peace University is located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was founded in 1857 as Peace Institute, offering education for boys and girls in primary grades and to women from high school to college. Peace, an all-women’s college, became a four-year baccalaureate college and graduated its first bachelor’s students in August of 1996. Exclusively an all-women’s institution for its first 152 years, Peace began offering coeducational evening courses through the William Peace School of Professional Studies in 2009. In 2011, Peace College transitioned to William Peace University and welcomed its first coeducational class to its day program in fall 2012. Its mission is to prepare students for careers in the organizations of tomorrow. On average, more than 90 percent of the university’s graduates are placed in jobs or graduate school within one year of graduation. For more information, please visit http://www.peace.edu.

RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that Charles S. Duncan, Ph.D., professor of English, and Teresa L. Holder, Ph.D., CPLP, professor of communication, have been named associate deans of academic affairs. Having served the institution since 1998, both Dr. Duncan and Dr. Holder will work under the leadership of Dr. Ann Denlinger ‘64, vice president for academic affairs, to create and execute institutional goals, priorities and policies, as well as implement and assess an innovative curriculum for the university and its faculty to incorporate.

A tenured educator at William Peace University since 2001, Duncan has served as a faculty moderator and chair of the Faculty Executive Council for William Peace University. Honored by the institution with the McCormick Distinguished Teaching Award and the Stockard Research Award, Duncan has been instrumental in the university’s academic growth throughout his career, much of which came from his involvement in revising the teaching approach to first-year English composition. Alongside the entire English department, Duncan modified the English curriculum and incorporated an enhanced focus on writing education across all four years of student learning.

Throughout her 15-year career with the institution, Holder has served in a variety of capacities, including the communication’s department coordinator and division chair for organizational studies. Over the years, she has led diverse groups of full-time and part-time faculty members across 10 academic departments. Additionally, Holder served as a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) steering committee during William Peace University’s re-accreditation process, and was the self-study editor who collaborated closely with committees and individuals to produce the final 270-page accreditation report.

“Having been with our institution for more than 15 years, Charles and Teresa have both played integral parts in the development that has taken place on our campus and the improvements that have been made to our curricula as a whole,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “We are devoted to academic excellence, and Charles and Teresa are prime examples of that commitment – professors who go beyond teaching and actively seek ways to enhance the learning experience for all students.”

“Both Dr. Holder and Dr. Duncan have established themselves as faculty leaders,” said Denlinger. “We look forward to seeing the results of their leadership throughout our university in the form of even higher levels of student academic success.”

ABOUT WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY:
William Peace University is located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was founded in 1857 as Peace Institute, offering education for boys and girls in primary grades and to women from high school to college. Peace, an all-women’s college, became a four-year baccalaureate college and graduated its first bachelor’s students in August of 1996. Exclusively an all-women’s institution for its first 152 years, Peace began offering coeducational evening courses through the William Peace School of Professional Studies in 2009. In 2011, Peace College transitioned to William Peace University and welcomed its first coeducational class to its day program in fall 2012. Its mission is to prepare students for careers in the organizations of tomorrow. On average, more than 90 percent of the university’s graduates are placed in jobs or graduate school within one year of graduation. For more information, please visit http://www.peace.edu.

RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced Lynn C. Owens, Ph.D., and Vincent H. Melomo, Ph.D., professors of the university, have recently earned tenure status. Having been with William Peace University for more than five years, both Dr. Owens and Dr. Melomo have served as assistant professors of their individual disciplines of communications and anthropology respectively. The William Peace University Board of Trustees unanimously appointed tenure to Owens and Melomo as a salute to their excellent teaching, service and scholarship. Along with their tenure status, Owens will serve as an associate professor of communication as well as the department chair for communication, and Melomo will serve as an associate professor of anthropology.

Before joining the faculty of William Peace University, Owens served as an assistant professor of the Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Mass Communication, in Richmond. With a Master of Science in journalism from Northwestern University and a doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she holds a vast knowledge regarding communication, specifically stemming from her research concentration on race, class, gender and international communication. Owens teaches a variety of communication courses for the university which include writing for the media, international communication, writing for mass media, introduction to broadcast writing and electronic journalism. Recognized for numerous awards, she is the recipient of the 2003 N.C. Associated Press award for Best Newscast and two Emmy nominations in 2003 for Best Coverage of a Special Event and Best Weekend Newscast. A published author, Owens’ has written “International News: What Makes College Students Want to Keep Reading?” for Newspaper Research Journal and “Network News: The Role of Race in Source Selection and Story Topic” for the Howard Journal of Communications.

An assistant professor of anthropology at William Peace University since 2004, Melomo has served in a variety of capacities including director and co-creator of the anthropology program, advisor to the anthropology club and member of the student showcase planning committee. He previously held faculty positions at Binghamton University in New York as well as NC State University and Meredith College in Raleigh. Melomo teaches an array of courses at William Peace University, including American ethnic relations, archeological fieldwork, connecting the living and the dead, ethnographic methods, and globalization, people and culture. His work has appeared in the University of Georgia Press (“Questioning Commemorations of English Settlement by Remembering Our Diversity in the Past and Present”) and the Edinburgh University Press (“I Love My India”). Melomo earned both his Master of Arts and his doctorate in anthropology from Binghamton University, receiving the latter with a dissertation titled “Immigrant Dreams and Second Generation Realities: Indian Americans Negotiating Marriage, Culture and Identity in North Carolina in Late Modernity.”

“The exceptional faculty that lead our departments is just one of the reasons why William Peace University is such a wonderful institution,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “The tenure status that Lynn and Vincent have received is well deserved due to the extensive educational accomplishments and research in their respective fields that have taken place throughout their professional careers. We are honored to have distinguished professors such as these teaching and preparing our students as they ready themselves to enter the workforce and become contributing

ABOUT WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY:
William Peace University is located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was founded in 1857 as Peace Institute, offering education for boys and girls in primary grades and to women from high school to college. Peace, an all women’s college, became a four-year baccalaureate college and graduated its first bachelor’s students in August of 1996. Exclusively an all-women’s institution for its first 152 years, Peace began offering coeducational evening courses through the William Peace School of Professional Studies in 2009. In 2011, Peace College transitioned to William Peace University and welcomed its first coeducational class to its day program in fall 2012. Its mission is to prepare students for careers in the organizations of tomorrow. On average, more than 90 percent of the university’s graduates are placed in jobs or graduate school within one year of graduation. For more information, please visit http://www.peace.edu.

RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that Dr. Scott McElreath, associate professor of philosophy, has been named to the board of directors for the American Association of Philosophy Teachers (AAPT). Dedicated to the advancements of the art of philosophy education, the AAPT was formed as the main national pedagogy organization for philosophy, seeking to promote and improve the quality of instruction for the subject matter across all higher education levels. As a member of the board, McElreath will work with the directors and AAPT members to encourage and ensure research, experimentation and investigation within the teaching realms of philosophy. AAPT works to facilitate professional cooperation, public discussions and programs for all philosophy educators nationwide.

A professor at William Peace University for more than 11 years, McElreath earned his tenure with the institution in 2007 with a range of educational expertise, including animal ethics, bioethics, business ethics, environmental ethics, sexual ethics, ethical theory, political philosophy, ancient and modern philosophy, and metaphysics. He is a published author of such articles as “Maximizing Act Consequentialism and Friendship” and “Dirty Hands: Indirect Responsibility for Unethical Acts.”

“Being named to the board of directors for the American Association of Philosophy Teachers is truly an honor, as it represents the lifelong commitment and passion that I have for the principles and education of this discipline,” said McElreath. “I first wanted to study philosophy to try and answer big questions such as ‘Where does the universe come from?’ ‘What kinds of things are in the universe?’ ‘What kind of person am I?’ But what first began as an interest in seeking responses has now evolved into a passion to educate and teach others as they seek answers to their own questions.”

“Dr. McElreath embodies what it truly means to be an educator – a person who understands that our role is to go beyond lecturing and instruct students in a manner that allows them to think and problem solve for themselves,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “We are proud of his deserving appointment to the AAPT and look forward to the continued contributions he will make to the study of philosophy.”

McElreath earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in philosophy from the University of Maryland at College Park. He received a second Master of Arts as well a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Rochester in New York.

ABOUT WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY:
William Peace University is located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was founded in 1857 as Peace Institute, offering education for boys and girls in primary grades and to women from high school to college. Peace, an all-women’s college, became a four-year baccalaureate college and graduated its first bachelor’s students in August of 1996. Exclusively an all-women’s institution for its first 152 years, Peace began offering coeducational evening courses through the William Peace School of Professional Studies in 2009. In 2011, Peace College transitioned to William Peace University and welcomed its first coeducational class to its day program in fall 2012. Its mission is to prepare students for careers in the organizations of tomorrow. On average, more than 90 percent of the university’s graduates are placed in jobs or graduate school within one year of graduation. For more information, please visit http://www.peace.edu

RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced its partnership with St. Timothy’s School, an Episcopal educational institution based in Raleigh that teaches pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade students. The partnership between the two institutions marks an agreement designed to engage participation by the university’s students to teach in St. Timothy’s classrooms as well as allow the school’s administrators, faculty and families use of WPU’s campus facilities when available. The provisions of the partnership call for St. Timothy’s to work with university administrators, advisors and faculty to offer internships, student teaching, class observations and guest lesson opportunities for WPU students, and make the university’s scholars available for guest lessons and speaking engagements with St. Timothy’s faculty and parents. In exchange, the university will provide St. Timothy’s access to the university’s performing arts venues, large group meeting/reception areas and athletic facilities. Additionally, the university will invite St. Timothy’s administrators, faculty and family members to periodic functions, including visiting scholars, seminars and guest lectures.

Located at 4523 Six Forks Road, St. Timothy’s School has blended Episcopal school traditions with academic excellence in an environment that has inspired the imagination, fostered creativity and promoted a love of learning among all of its students since it opened in 1958. The school has a staff and faculty of more than 70 individuals, and 464 students were enrolled during the 2011-2012 school year. For more information, visit www.sttimothys.org.

“We are excited to embark on a new level of opportunities allowed to our staff, faculty, students and their parents through this agreement,” said Timothy L. Tinnesz, headmaster at St. Timothy’s. “As we have limited room on our campus for expansion, we are grateful that this agreement permits us to enjoy some of the many amenities William Peace University provides for its students and the community at large for extracurricular activities. Additionally, we eagerly look forward to the contributions students and scholars from the university can provide in enhancing learning presentations to our students and inspiring them to study more in the process.”

“This partnership with St. Timothy’s School offers tremendous benefits for both participants,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “Our students and faculty will receive the chance to share their knowledge with promising young scholars at an established local educational institution that shares the same goals and values as William Peace University. At the same time, the school’s community will be able to interact with our campus and its activities on an increased level, including many of our educational outreach events.”

ABOUT WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY:
William Peace University is located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was founded in 1857 as Peace Institute, offering education for boys and girls in primary grades and to women from high school to college. Peace, an all-women’s college, became a four-year baccalaureate college and graduated its first bachelor’s students in August of 1996. Exclusively an all-women’s institution for its first 152 years, Peace began offering coeducational evening courses through the William Peace School of Professional Studies in 2009. In 2011, Peace College transitioned to William Peace University and welcomed its first coeducational class to its day program in fall 2012. Its mission is to prepare students for careers in the organizations of tomorrow. On average, more than 90 percent of the university’s graduates are placed in jobs or graduate school within one year of graduation. For more information, please visit http://www.peace.edu.

RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that Julie B. Fleming has been named the academic advisor of the School of Professional Studies. In her position, Fleming will work with students to plan and review their academic course work to ensure that their areas of study directly align with their personal and professional goals. The School of Professional Studies provides accelerated evening, weekend and online courses to students and offers a Bachelor of Science in business administration, a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies, a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and an elementary education licensure only program.

Prior to joining William Peace University, Fleming worked in several areas of student services at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and in undergraduate academic advising at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received the Mickel-Shaw Excellence in Advising Award in 2002. Fleming most recently served as the associate director of admissions for Saint Mary’s School in Raleigh.

“We are excited to expand the staff of our School of Professional Studies as we welcome Julie to William Peace University,” said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. “Her years of experience in both counseling and academic advising make her a welcomed addition to our institution, and we look forward to the work she will do in helping our students reach the academic goals they have set.”

“I am honored to join the staff of William Peace University, and I am excited for the opportunity to work with the students here as they work toward achieving their personal and academic goals,” said Fleming. “Education has always been a passion of mine, and I look forward to working alongside professors and administrators of this university as we develop and train the talents of the leaders of tomorrow.”

Fleming is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and Italian, and has a master’s degree in social work.

A native of Michigan, she has lived in the Raleigh area for 12 years with her husband and has three children.

ABOUT WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY:
William Peace University is located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was founded in 1857 as Peace Institute, offering education for boys and girls in primary grades and to women from high school to college. Peace, an all women’s college, became a four-year baccalaureate college and graduated its first bachelor’s students in August of 1996. Exclusively an all-women’s institution for its first 152 years, Peace began offering coeducational evening courses through the William Peace School of Professional Studies in 2009. In 2011, Peace College transitioned to William Peace University and welcomed its first coeducational class to its day program in fall 2012. Its mission is to prepare students for careers in the organizations of tomorrow. On average, more than 90 percent of the university’s graduates are placed in jobs or graduate school within one year of graduation. For more information, please visit http://www.peace.edu.