Feature photo by William Woodson
By Connor Ballou and Gavin Martin
William Peace University marked a new era with a ceremony introducing its new president, Dr. Jennifer Walsh, as the institution’s president.
She was introduced on March 19 by Board of Trustees Chairman Rob Wood, who said that Walsh brings deep experience, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine understanding of Peace’s mission and potential.
“Throughout the search process, she stood out, not only for her accomplishments but also for the way she listens, leads, and connects authentically with our community,” said Wood.
Walsh has more than 25 years of experience as an administrator, most recently serving as Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Chief Strategy Officer at Hawai‘i Pacific University. In that role, she led historic growth and added numerous academic programs, according to a university news release.
The Board of Trustees was not the only one with a say in the selection of the new president; Ryan Laraway, president of the Student Government Programming Association, served as a voice for students on the presidential search committee.
Laraway said the experience was the highest honor in his life: “representing all different perspectives of students, those that are online, those that are in person, those that are coming in, this is their first college experience,” he said.
Laraway said when he met Dr. Walsh, many things stood out to him, including her story, their shared values, and “her immense understanding of immersive learning actually is, and not what it’s just on, you know, some of the handouts that we give,” he said.
Walsh mentioned her maternal grandmother went to a women’s college, a connection that helps her understand the culture of Peace, which was formerly a women’s college. She also shared her plans and hopes for the university.
“I love the Peace vision. It’s ambitious, and it fits in this place. We want to be known as a leading metropolitan university of the Southeast, known for vibrancy, innovation, and an experiential curriculum,” said Walsh.
Among the plans she mentioned was adding new majors and even some graduate degrees.
“We need to be positioned to keep strength and succeed,” said Walsh.
She also spoke about creating opportunities for online students.
“I’ll take a moment just to name one opportunity that I think has opportunity for us to grow, is Peace Online,” said Walsh. “It’s a way to widen ourselves, it creates opportunities for adult learners, veterans, and active duty service members.”
She wrapped up the speech by stating her mission while here: to protect Peace, its values, and its student-centered spirit. She thanked everyone for welcoming her and expressed her excitement about starting.
“I can’t wait to get started,” she said. “I want to thank everybody one more time. This is such a special community, and it’s nice to see you all.”
After she spoke, Board of Trustees members expressed confidence in her presidency.
“Her leadership, her commitment to students, her commitment to faculty, she brought fresh air, and I think that her understanding of the future of education is a game, it’s going to be a game changer,” said Mary Ann-Baldwin, a former Raleigh mayor and trustee.
Baldwin said Walsh’s understanding of the future of education is gonna be a game changer, though she admitted it will be a struggle finding financing for all these goals.
“We have to look at a new way of raising money,” said Baldwin. “We have to look at corporate partnerships, we have to look at ways that we can build the community around Peace.”
Baldwin also thanked the outgoing president for her assistance, and for two years she was in charge.
“She has been amazing, and she has actually offered to stay here and help the transition for no salary,” said Baldwin. “President Morton said that this was a two-year gig, and we’re going to have to find somebody, but she has really set the stage.”
Ryan Lominack, a junior at Peace, spoke on the new hire.
“I am excited about the new leadership at Peace. From what I have heard and read, our new president, Dr. Walsh, is the perfect fit for Peace. Specifically, the mission of continuing progress while maintaining a strong culture rooted in Peace’s rich history,” said Lominack.
Ryan also commented on the important factors he believes make up an ideal president.
“Some factors that will make Dr. Walsh an ideal president for Peace are her willingness to embrace what Raleigh has to offer and her efforts to immerse herself in the Peace community. After all, she is new to Peace, and building strong relationships in the immediate community will help make her an ideal president for Peace,” said Lominack.
Walsh begins her new journey at Peace on June 1.