By Alyssa Poteat
Heading the charge on campus with her various leadership roles, Camryn Straughn truly does it all.
From being the captain of the women’s tennis team, a resident assistant for the first-year communities, and the Senior class representative of William Peace University’s Student Government and Programming Association, Straughn leads by example.
“My inspiration to become a leader at William Peace University stems from personal aspirations,” Straughn said. “Being a leader is a responsibility and a privilege—a commitment to making a positive difference and being present.”
Straughn entered her first year at WPU in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic was stressful for all, balancing school and adapting to being in-person for the first time since the spring. But, for Straughn, this encouraged her to pursue various leadership roles across campus, such as being an Orientation Leader.
“I became an Orientation Leader in the summer of ‘23 and a First Year Resident Assistant because I wanted to become a part of the first-year students’ success,” Straughn said. “And be there for anyone who needed help navigating their way through their first year at college.”
Straughn wanted to make the first-year experience memorable for newcomers, just like hers.
“My freshman year was during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Straughn said. “It was tough on everyone, especially the freshman at the time, because our high school senior year had been ripped away from us, and it was our first time back in person for school.”
Since her first year, Straughn has taken advantage of the multitude of opportunities WPU has provided for students to get them involved, such as SGPA.
“When I joined SGPA for the first time as Pacer Pride Programmer I was committed to creating a community that made students proud to support and go to WPU,” Straughn said. “Now serving my second year on SGPA as Senior Class Representative, I wanted to be the person that seniors can go to and know that their voices have been heard and that their concerns have been taken care of.”
As the senior class representative and former pacer pride chair, Straughn has planned and put on numerous events that allowed students to get involved and know their peers better. One of the current projects Straughn is planning is our Senior Week, a traditional event that gives seniors a week to remember their final moments before transitioning into WPU alumni.
“For this senior week, there will be a Senior Soiree, Senior Cocktail, Senior Lock-in, cap decorating, and what it means to become an alumni,” Straughn said. “I’m excited to see everyone there!”
Not only is Straughn dedicated to ensuring seniors’ last couple of weeks at the school are memorable, but she’s also going above and beyond when planning her senior events.
“To make the senior week a great experience for all that attend, I plan on having a variety of activities,” Straughn said. “For example, the senior lock-in is going to have some sporting activities but also some painting activities.”
However, the senior week is about more than just planning fun activities for the senior class. It is also about creating relationships with one another and introducing them to other WPU alumni to create meaningful connections.
“During senior week aside from the fun activities we are learning about what it means to become an alumni,” Straughn said.
Although it seems as if Straughn does it all, she can still manage her time extremely well. Ensuring she has time for school, relationships, and tennis. Straughn encourages all to pursue the various leadership opportunities the school offers to the student body
“Starting a leadership position at WPU is an exciting opportunity for personal growth,” Straughn said. “The best advice I can give is to stay committed to the mission and values of WPU and remember that your leadership has the potential to make a positive impact on the lives of students at Peace.”
Straughn exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated leader here on WPU’s campus and demonstrates it through the various activities she plans for the school.
“Being a leader at WPU means striving to inspire and empower others, fostering a culture of collaboration, trust, and mutual respect,” Straughn said.