William Peace University Unveils Upcoming Campus Improvements

Four-Year Baccalaureate University To Renovate Hermann Athletic Center, Expand Space In Student Center, Relocate Bookstore And President's House End Quote

Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (1888PressRelease) February 02, 2012 - On Jan. 19, 2012, the Board of Trustees of William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, approved a multiyear plan of significant campus improvements, including the athletic center, student center, bookstore and President's House.

The Hermann Athletic Center, built in 1963 with a gift from Grover M. Hermann and family, will be the first building upgraded and will include a fitness center, weight rooms, home and visiting locker rooms for both female and male athletes, a field house for spring training and intramural space, a training room, offices, and a dance/aerobics studio. These changes will accommodate the university's students and expansion of three men's sports teams beginning in the fall of 2012. Presently, William Peace University participates in NCAA Division III in the USA South Athletic Conference in six women's sports.

For the student center, the bookstore will relocate from Belk Hall to allow for more meeting and recreational space. Renovations there will include an updated dining hall, coffee shop, student game and lounge space, and student government offices. The bookstore will move to the current location of the maintenance offices, which will be remodeled to ensure that students have access to the supplies and books that they need. The maintenance offices will in turn be relocated to a building on the back campus.

The Trustees have voted to bring the President's House, which is currently located near North Hills, back to downtown Raleigh, in an effort to increase meeting and entertainment space for students, faculty, staff, alumnae and community members. The President's House has served the university well in its location near North Hills since it was established in 1979. However, the Trustees believe a downtown Raleigh location will better serve these needs over the long run.

Additional long-term planned improvements by the university include investments in energy-saving devices, its website and other information technology initiatives that will produce considerable cost savings in operations in the future. Execution of this plan will begin in Spring 2012 and is expected to take several years.

QUOTES:
"The Board of Trustees believes these investments are wise ones for the university to make to stay competitive and remain a top school of choice for students interested in an affordable, quality post-secondary education, and I concur with their decisions," said Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of William Peace University. "The upgrades will offer great advantages and convenience that our faculty, staff, alumnae and visitors will appreciate as well, and we look forward to seeing these improvements once they are finished and ready to be enjoyed."

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DETAILS:
- The total estimated cost for the improvements is $6 million, which includes all planned upcoming renovations on campus.

- Money for the improvements came from donations, the William Peace University capital campaign and external financing. Gifts from alumnae and friends of the university are supporting the projects as well.

ABOUT WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY:
William Peace University is located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was founded in 1857 as Peace Institute, offering education for boys and girls in primary grades and to women from high school to college. Peace, an all women's college, became a four-year baccalaureate college and graduated its first bachelor's students in August of 1996. Peace began offering coeducational evening courses through the William Peace School of Professional Studies in 2009. In 2011, Peace College transitioned to William Peace University and will begin admitting male students to its day program in fall 2012. Its mission is to prepare students for careers in the organizations of tomorrow. On average, more than 90 percent of the university's graduates are placed in jobs or graduate school within one year of graduation. For more information, please visit http://www.peace.edu.

Jennifer Fair
MMI Public Relations
(919) 233-6600
jennifer ( @ ) mmipublicrelations dot com
http://www.twitter.com/MMIPR
http://www.mmipublicrelations.com

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