By Brandon Fessey
For an exclusive group of William Peace University, April 18, 2017 was a big day. It was a day in which all of these students’ hard work was finally recognized and put on display to their fellow peers.
For some, the ceremony at Dinwiddie Chapel was an ultimate culmination of individual achievement, and a signal of a job well done. For others, it means a new beginning, with plenty of work still to come. Either way, it was special.
The Class Day Ceremony included awards in the following categories: Outstanding First Years, Outstanding Sophomores, Outstanding Juniors, Outstanding Seniors, Mr. and Miss Peace, the student speakers for graduation, and the new SGA council. All of the nominees were dressed to impress and eager to hear their names called.
Matt Proctor, a senior at WPU and a four-year baseball player, was one of the lucky students to receive the President’s Award.
“It’s a huge honor to be given the President’s Award, and it makes me feel like my contributions to the school were important”, said Proctor.
Ultimately, the nature of the event was fun and light-hearted, with a great turnout of supporters for peers nominated for an award. As each name and organization was called, the whole chapel erupted in thunderous applause. While it would be natural for potential award winners to appear nervous, everyone in the room was just enjoying the moment.
Hunter Allen, another senior four-year baseball player at Peace, was awarded by his peers as an Outstanding Senior. This award clearly meant a great deal to Allen, as he flashed a beaming smile upon hearing his name being called.
“I was humbled to be voted an Outstanding Senior by my peers,” said Allen, “I’ve had a great time at Peace, and this will serve as another great memory.”
As touched on previously, Class Day served as an ending for some, and a culmination of sorts. This truth was evident in the outgoing SGA President Jacob Ennis’ final speech, where the majority was spent reminiscing on good times and even greater accomplishments. By the end, the proverbial passing of the torch ensued.
New challenges still await many of the award winners, particularly the new SGA Council. Ameer Khattab, the new SGA President, delivered her first ever speech as the head and the new face of the student body. During her speech, she focused a lot on future goals and thanked those responsible for her rise to the new position.
“A chief goal I have is to open an open dialogue between the student body and the SGA Board”, said Khattab as she described her plans as President of the SGA.
Ultimately, Class Day was a way to honor Peace’s soon to be past and recognize the school’s vision for the future. The event gave the feeling that one chapter was closing, but a new and exciting chapter was getting ready to unfold.
Overall, it was certainly an eventful day at Peace.