Raleigh, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/24/2012 -- William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., president of the university, will participate as a panelist on a discussion regarding the issues and challenges of maintaining a competitive advantage in a global economy at the Leadership Raleigh Education Day event on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012. Sponsored by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, the panel will include local college and university presidents and chancellors addressing post-secondary education and how workforce development can assist in keeping the community an active and vital contributor to the world economy. The discussion will occur at Wake Tech Community College’s main campus at 9101 Fayetteville Road in the Student Services building Conference Center from 2:30 p.m. until 3:15 p.m.

Leadership Raleigh has been the ideal program for preparing the leaders of tomorrow for more than 25 years. During the annual nine-month program, 52 participants receive an in-depth analysis of community issues, develop the necessary skills needed in assuming leadership roles, and exposure to community involvement opportunities. The Leadership Raleigh year is divided into eight session days, of which education is one of the eight focal points. For more information, visit http://www.raleighchamber.org/eventsandprograms/leadership_raleigh.aspx.

QUOTES:
“As a representative of William Peace University, I sincerely appreciate being invited to serve on the Leadership Raleigh panel,” said Townsley. “The role post-secondary education plays in keeping the Triangle a leader in the global economy is crucial, and it will continue to grow as studies indicate that employment in the future will be more dependent on having skilled employees. I look forward to an informative discussion with my peers that will provide keen insight for Leadership Raleigh participants.”

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DETAILS:
- Townsley became the 10th president of William Peace University in August 2010. Previously she served as president of Nichols College in Dudley, Mass., since 1998, following one year as dean of academic affairs.

- A native of Florida, she holds a bachelors of science in business administration with concentrations in marketing and management from American University, a MBA from George Washington University, a M.A. in psychology and a Ph.D. in organizational psychology from the University of Vermont.

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
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