Duncan is standing at the whiteboard, fully immersed in his lesson. He is writing down instructions on how to write an opinion essay and what is expected to be in the essay.
Photo By Alexandra Cortez-Cortez
By Alexandra Cortez-Cortez
Turning Point
At William Peace University, Professor Charles Duncan goes beyond teaching English. He mentors students to become strong writers and challenges them to think critically, academically, and professionally.
Duncan has been a member of the Peace community for over 30 years, begining when the school was still an all-girls university and continuing to teach through decades of change on campus.
When Duncan first began teaching at Peace, he was an English professor and taught Writing About Community, American Literature, and African-American Literature.
As the years passed, his commitment to education led him to assume greater responsibility, such as serving as Vice President for Academic Affairs, where he made his impact.
“When I was Vice President, we went from having classes be three credits to having them be four-credit classes,” said Duncan.
Instead of long lectures, Duncan helped develop immersive learning as a focus at Peace. Where students have more hands-on experience rather than just sitting at a desk taking notes, allowing students to participate in experiences that build critical thinking skills.
As part of his immersive learning experience, Duncan gave extra credit for a hands-on activity outside of the classroom in his Writing About Community class. Students were asked to walk around downtown Raleigh and take pictures of 10 historical signs, and were required to choose a sign and write a paragraph about it.
He has also written two books and many articles to support his professional growth.
Students have come to appreciate Duncan’s teaching style, as he actively engages with them in class and ensures every voice is heard, whether he is offering feedback on an outline or encouraging students to share their thoughts.
“Professor Duncan is a really outgoing, very understanding, and helpful type of professor,” said Shelby Woodward, a first-year biology major. “He is the advisor for my book club that I have here at Peace.”
In his classes, students are invited to challenge ideas, offer different perspectives, and contribute to the discussion. He wants students to feel comfortable speaking up.
Background
Originally from New York and raised in Florida, Duncan discovered his passion for teaching later in life while attending graduate school for his master’s degree, where there was a program about teaching. He soon discovered that teaching was something he truly enjoyed.
Duncan’s enthusiasm for teaching comes from working with students, helping them improve their writing, and engaging with literature. He enjoys having the opportunity to work with books and literature.
During his graduate school years, Duncan found guidance from a faculty member who was his mentor, encouraging him to become involved in research early in his career. Those experiences helped shape his professional path and reflect who Duncan is today.
Before teaching at Peace, Duncan was working at Virginia Tech when an unexpected opportunity brought him to Raleigh. His wife had accepted a job at Meredith College, prompting Duncan to begin exploring teaching positions nearby. He interviewed with both North Carolina State University and Peace before accepting his position at Peace
After years of teaching, Duncan said students continue to motivate him. Each semester brings new questions, different personalities, and he feels energized by young people in the classroom.
Duncan also worked to establish partnerships to benefit students.
“I also worked to create about 17 or 18 partnerships with other businesses or colleges, to try to help our students. We have partnerships with nursing programs, so students from here can go into nursing if they choose to do so,” said Duncan.
Future
Over the years, Duncan has faced many challenges, shifting through different administrations that brought new ideas and directions for Peace, all of which require him to adapt.
As he looks toward the future, Duncan says he hopes to continue teaching for a little longer, eventually retiring. Until that day comes, he plans to keep doing what he has done, helping students grow as writers and critical thinkers.
Beyond his work with students, he also hopes to stay active with professional projects, including writing and developing ideas for a third book.
Peace is filled with dedicated faculty members like Duncan who work together to help students learn and grow, which plays an important role in the success of the students.