- May 21, 2013 Raleigh Charter High School Strings Concert 2013 Join us Tuesday, May 21st at 7:30 p.m. for Raleigh Charter High School's String Ensemble Concert. view Event
- May 30, 2013 WPU Hosts WCPSS Magnet Schools Scholastic Pursuit Quiz Bowl Join us on Thursday, May 30th for the WCPSS Magnet Schools Scholastic Pursuit Quiz Bowl. William Peace University is proud to host the event for a 19th consecutive year. The Quiz Bowl will feature dozens of local fifth graders who will compete in front of a series of principals, judges & teachers from a number of Wake County magnet elementary schools. The event will offer food and drinks to contestants, and will be held in classrooms across campus. It begins at 7:15 a.m. and runs until 4:00 p.m. view Event
- July 12, 2013 WPU Trip to Cuba Cuba Student/Alumni Trip (7 days): July 12-19, 2013. Tickets: $4,000 per person (includes airfare from Raleigh, NC, trip insurance, costs for meals not covered in tour, taxes and surcharges) Presented by the Office of Academic Affairs. CUBAN ARTS: PAST AND PRESENT Understanding Cuba through Writing, Religion, Music, and Dance PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: * Visit Old Havana’s Call Obispo, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Museum of the Revolution. * Attend Opera de la Calle’s musical performance. * Observe historic architecture during walking tours of Old Havana and Vedado. * Tour the Yoruba Cultural Association with an anthropologist to discover Yoruba culture, religion, and literary traditions. * Discuss Cuban literature with local writers in Cienfuegos. * Spend a day in Trinidad, focusing on its history and literature. * Meet performers at a ballet studio in Old Havana. ITINERARY: FRIDAY, JULY 12 Depart Raleigh for Havana, via Miami. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. This afternoon, hear a talk about Cuba’s current economic, social, political and cultural transition. It provides an overview of the last two decades, showing the main problems in the Cuban socialist model, people’s concerns, and public policies. Gather for a welcome dinner. This evening attend Opera de la Calle’s musical performance. Overnight at Hotel Vedado. (LD) SATURDAY, JULY 13 Gather for a talk by Rafael Hernandez about Cuba’s economic transition. Continue on to Old Havana’s Calle Obispo to explore public/private markets, supply and demand, prices, and dual currency during visits to diverse markets (state, private, convertible peso, and subsidized). Have lunch at Santo Angel Restaurant. This afternoon, visit the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of the Revolution. Overnight at Hotel Vedado. (BL) SUNDAY, JULY 14 Take a walking tour of Old Havana. After lunch, discover Carpentier’s Havana on a walking tour of Vedado that focuses on the author and architecture, observing where tradition and modernity connect. Overnight at Hotel Vedado. (BL) MONDAY, JULY 15 Visit the Yoruba Cultural Association. Meet the Association’s president and Ifa priest. See the museum with an anthropologist, followed by a discussion about Yoruba culture, religion and literary traditions. This afternoon, visit a working class neighborhood and interact with a Catholic priest and a leading hip hop musician/grassroots activist. Discuss popular religious beliefs and practices, social and race relations, and popular music (hip hop, rock, reggaeton) as expression of social issues. Continue to an agricultural coop and talk to workers about food production. (BL) TUESDAY, JULY 16 Travel to Cienfuegos. After lunch at Club Cienfuegos, meet with local writers to discuss their work, views about Cuban literature, and current challenges faced in Cuba. Also attend a Choir of Cienfuegos audition. Have dinner at a paladar with UNEAC members. Overnight at Hotel Union. (BLD) WEDNESDAY, JULY 17 Spend the day in Trinidad. Visit the city with a special focus on its history and literature. Have lunch at a private home and talk with the owner about how his experience as an entrepreneur. Overnight at Hotel Union. (BL) THURSDAY, JULY 18 Return to Havana. This afternoon, experience Spain’s cultural footprint during a visit to a ballet studio in Old Havana. Meet performers and observe their fusion dance style, which combines Cuban and flamenco influences. This evening, dine at a paladar. Overnight at Hotel Vevado. (BD) FRIDAY, JULY 19 Transfer to the airport for the return flight to Raleigh, via Miami. (B) PROGRAM PRICING: * Tickets: $4,000 per person (includes airfare from Raleigh, NC, trip insurance, costs for meals not covered in tour, taxes and surcharges) THE FINE PRINT: Cost is based on double occupancy. A $200 per person deposit and enrollment form is due upon booking. This deposit is refundable until April 9, 2013 excluding a $100 cancelation fee. Final payments are due no later than April 9, 2013; cancelations received after this date are not refundable. Travel/trip cancelation insurance is strongly recommended. For more information call Travel Insured at 800-243-3174 or visit www.travelinsured.com. Holbrook Travel’s agency number is 15849. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Michelle Korczynski at 800-396-0763 or email Michelle here. Questions? Contact JoAnn Clark at 919-508-2291 or by email. Learn more here. view Event
Peace announces 2011 Valedictorian
By on April 20, 2011 3:54 pm
When Erin Banks graduated from college a semester early last December, she thought her work at Peace was done. This week, she got one final assignment from Provost Debbie Cottrell – to give a speech at Commencement in May.
Banks, an English major from Morehead City, N.C., was named the Valedictorian for 2011 on Monday after earning a perfect 4.0 GPA at Peace.
"I was excited," Banks said. "It really is a great honor."
With her course work done at Peace, Banks wasn’t sure why Cottrell needed to meet with her Monday but said she was pleasantly surprised with the news.
"I was thinking, ‘What did I do? I don’t think she can take my diploma back,’" Banks joked. "But I was very excited about it."
It wasn’t always Banks’ goal to be valedictorian. In fact, her success at Peace started out as nervousness about college. Not sure how much effort her coursework would require, Banks dedicated herself to trying her best during her freshman year. After earning a 4.0 for her first semester, she thought she’d try to keep it going.
"It just became a challenge for myself," Banks said.
Banks was homeschooled through high school and said her strong work ethic came from her parents, Rev. David and Jerri Banks. She also said piano instructor Dr. Margaret Evans pushed her to pursue excellence when she was younger.
"She had a quote by Aristotle on the bulletin board outside of her door and it said ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore is not an act but a habit,’" Banks remembered. "That’s really the way she treated music and everything. Between her instilling that in me in piano and my mom and dad really instilling that in me in my other studies … that really built my work ethic."
The small class sizes and sense of community at Peace also helped Banks get the best out of her college experience. She mentioned how often the intimate classroom experience at Peace fostered better discussions in classes like Images of Women and Music Theory — two of her favorites.
"I like that about Peace — the small classroom sizes, the fact that people know each other," Banks said. "People are a lot more apt to speak up when you have good discussions and that’s what makes going to class fun."
Banks hopes to be a college English professor some day but is planning on working for at least a year before applying to graduate programs. She also mentioned being interested in teaching English at the high school level.
"I’m not sure where (I’ll apply for grad school)," Banks said. "Maybe stay in the area. Maybe look at Chapel Hill or Duke since they offer a doctoral program. But for now I’ll probably keep the part-time jobs I have and look for a full-time one I might like."
Banks also wanted to thank her extended family and friends for their support during her college career.
"If it wasn’t for them I would not have made it to this point," Banks said.
