April 18, 2023
The official student news outle t of William Peace Universit y
PACERS AT PLAY
Mass Shootings and Mental Health: How to Heal? By Adanya Day
By Brian Martinez & Emerson Scollo Students prepare to take the stage for the WPU production of Burial at The saying goes that if one Thebes in March. Read more stories about how Pacers play, and the works hard, they play hard. That is no players themselves, on p. 4-5. Photo by Khalil Tompkins. exception for college students. William skills, and can help students declutter play hard. Competitive sports require Peace University Pacers participate in the mind and shift focus. According student athletes to train and condition a variety of activities that showcase the to the U.S. Department of Education, their bodies before the season even drive and dedication that they have for there is an increase of math and sci- starts. Even though it can be tiring, the their craft, whether they be sports, or ence test scores of 2% in those stu- benefits and enjoyment of the sport beat theatre productions, or even competi- dents who are involved in extracur- all the negatives out. Keslee Hylton, a junior on the tive and noncompetitive gaming. ricular activities. By students being Pursuing these kinds of play in involved and playing, they are gaining WPU volleyball and lacrosse teams, college while juggling classes and jobs new skills that they can incorporate says she loves the energy of the game can be a challenge, but can be equal- into anything they get involved in. and comeraderie with her teammates. “It’s a fast pace, high energy. ly rewarding. Studies have shown that Why we play I’m a very high energy person, you being involved in extracurricular acStudent athletes are a prime extivities can boost grades, leadership ample of students who work hard and know, bouncing off the walls,” says
Students Lead in 18th Annual Showcase, Featuring New Evening Events By Joley Cabe and Cora Rebert
One hundred and fifty student presenters, musical performances, lunch on the lawn, and more will be part of William Peace University’s Showcase, happening all day today on locations throughout campus. Students will share their accomplishments at the 18th annual event, which runs from from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and is open to visitors. See the full schedule at bit.ly/ WPUShowcase. This year, students will present at a total of 21 panels in a format similar to an academic conference,
Students sing at the opening of Showcase in 2022. This year’s event will also feature musical performances. Photo courtesy of WPU.
including “Taking the Leap into Im- on Showcase day. “Hopefully imaginations get mersive Learning,” “Race, Gender, stirred by all of the work that’s done and Sport,” and “Healthcare Informatics.” Students do not have class in the various majors and the disciplines,” said Dr. Eliza Laskowski, an English professor at WPU and chair of the speakers and events commitFind More at tee, which plans Showcase. “The opportunity that everyone here has for Peacetimesmedia.com this specific kind of event and acaScan the code to see more student-produced articles, demic style conference is really spevideo content, and the Peace cial.” Talks podcast. New to the schedule this (Continued on page 2)
In light of the recent bouts of mass shootings and the midst of the mental health crisis, college students are asking “How do we heal?” Six people died from a school shooting in Nashville in March, three of them children. Three students were killed at Michigan State University on Feb. 14. Eight N.C. State University students who have died this school year, five of them from suicide. Data collected by the Rockefeller Institute of Government shows that just between 2011-2020, there were 160 mass shootings reported, 25% of which occurred in schools. For many of those in college, mass shootings have been an essential part of their school experience. Such incidents have been in every form of media they digest throughout their daily lives for much of their teenage and early adult lives. Not only have mass shootings been a part of their lives, but so has the mental health crisis. Nearly 44% of college students have reported being depressed and anxious, with suicide being the second most common reason of death among college students, according to the Mayo Health Clinic. Statistics collected by the Violence Project show an even more gruesome connection between mental health and violence: 80% of mass shooters were in a major mental crisis prior to the shooting including showing signs of increased violence. And in school shootings alone, 62% of shooters had signs of mental health problems. According to the National Conference Of State Legislation, in the state of North Carolina, a permit to purchase a handgun may not be issued to someone with mental health issues, or one who has been adjudicated mentally incompetent or has been committed to any mental health institution. But many students don’t feel safe with those protections in place. “I think that our screening process has a lot of loopholes in it, which creates opportunities for people with mental health issues to obtain a gun,” said WPU student Victoria Williams. In terms of overall student mental health, students see a variety of factors that have led to the decline. “I believe that society has enforced a work culture into the younger generation. This work culture creates mental illness with many people believing they need to be perfect in order to succeed,” says Cora Rebert, a WPU sophomore. Many other students believe that this stress, coupled with the increased amount of mass shootings, is the primary cause for the extreme dip (Continued on page 2)