TheLifeandLegacyofPeace’sEighth President,Dr.GarrettBriggs
Briggs'timeasPeace CollegePresidentwas notableforhiswarmthand endearingnaturetowardall.
WPU,thenasmall,twoyearwomen'scollege,was anunlikelynextstepfor Briggs.
Beforeacceptingtheroleof PeaceCollegePresidentin1988, BriggsheldtheroleofNorth CarolinaStateUniversitydeanof theCollegeofPhysicaland MathematicalSciences. Briggsservedasamemberofthe geologyfacultyatTulane Universityin1965andheadofthe geologydepartment,andassociate deanoftheUniversityof Tennessee'sCollegeofLiberal Artsin1968.
"Peaceisasmallcollege,one inwhichit'spossibletohave close,one-on-onerelationships withfacultyandstudents," Briggssaid.
UnderBriggs'leadership,the school'sendowmentnearly doubled,andtheCollegewent fromatwotoafour-yearprogram thatofferedfiveseparate baccalaureatedegrees.
Briggs'goalforWPUwasto maketheCollegemorevisible inthecommunity,describingit as"OneofRaleigh'smost closelyguardedsecrets." Briggsbelievedinthethen all-women'scollegeand wasdedicatedtothe successofitsstudents.
InhisInauguralAddressdated March19,1989,attheFirst PresbyterianChurchofRaleigh, Briggssharedspecificallyhis admirationofPeaceCollege Alumnae. "Never,anywhere,inmyeducationaland professionalexperienceshaveI witnessedsuchawarmthofspiritand devotiontoaninstitutionasIhavefrom thealumnaeofPeaceCollege."After nearlyadecadeofservice,Briggs announcedhisretirementinMarch1997.
