Dr. Eliza Laskowski has been a guiding force in William Peace University’s English department for almost two decades – challenging and supporting students.
During her time at Peace, she has become a staple in the English department, with 17 years of experience teaching courses like Shakespeare and Advanced Grammar.
“Her classes can be challenging if you are not super versed with the subjects she teaches,” Peace senior Nicky Taylor said. “But she does a fantastic job easing students into it and letting them choose what aspects of the subject they want to explore the most.”
Laskowski arrived at Peace in 2008 and has taught British Literature and first-year Composition courses.
One of the things Laskowski loves about Peace is the ability to develop relationships with the students while giving them an extra push when needed.
“I know that I’m making a difference for students that need just a little extra support to get going,” Laskowski said. “We have a lot of students here who come from backgrounds where they didn’t have a parent to go to about college; they feel insecure about their academics. They just need a little more patience. I think that is what’s most valuable to me about Peace.”
Laskowski called the faculty and staff at Peace a big community.
“That’s what makes me feel very passionate about the work I’m doing here,” she said. “I really value that collegiately, not just with my colleagues, but the relationships I have with the staff members as well.”
Taylor has taken four of Laskowski’s classes at Peace, describing her as a perfect fit for the University.
“She understands immersive learning,” Taylor said. “Each of her classes benefits from deep thought and discussion with your peers to comprehend the subject at hand fully. She knows this and sets up the lessons to encourage working alongside fellow students. That way, we all understand the material better.”
Taylor’s favorite class that she’s taken with Laskowski has been WRI 316, a grammar and editing class.
“Our final project was to select an essay we had written for a different class and then break down our habits as a writer on a fundamental level with what we had learned,” Taylor said. “It was a ton of fun seeing both the trends and mistakes I often fell into.”
Path to Peace
Laskowski holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.A. in English from the University of Alabama, and a B.A. in English from Sewanee: The University of the South. Her research interests include court masque and early modern theatrical practice and aesthetics.
In 2014, Laskowski was awarded the McCormick Distinguished Teaching Award.
Learn more about William Peace University.
