[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 67 (Thursday, May 6, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                HONORING COMMUNITY LEADER LAURA BINGHAM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 2010

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a friend to 
education and a leader among leaders who hails from my home state of 
North Carolina. Laura Bingham's service as President of Peace College 
officially began on July 1, 1998, but her leadership skills were forged 
and honed many years before. Laura was born and raised in Kings 
Mountain, North Carolina and is a 1977 graduate of Peace College.
  My colleagues in the House are well aware of how seriously we take 
our basketball in North Carolina and Laura Bingham has solid 
credentials from some of the top hoops institutions around. She earned 
her B.A. in Political Science from UNC Chapel Hill, a Master of Arts in 
Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University and completed coursework 
at Duke University and North Carolina State University. She cut her 
teeth in public service by helping lead major health, education, 
economic, environment and intergovernmental policy initiatives with my 
friend, former Lt. Governor Bob Jordan. Bingham served as director of a 
1983 Governor's Conference on Women and the Economy for Governor Jim 
Hunt which was considered the first of its kind in the nation that 
yielded 125 policy recommendations.
  Since her appointment as President of Peace College in 1998, student 
enrollment has increased; the academic curriculum has grown, with Peace 
offering the first undergraduate major in Leadership Studies in North 
Carolina and an innovative teacher education partnership with Wake 
County Schools; and the campus footprint expanded to address the growth 
and provide enhancements. In 2007, Peace College celebrated its 
Sesquicentennial and launched a $30 million fund-raising campaign to 
boost academic and student endowments and fund new science labs, 
library renovation, and a campus commons.
  Laura plays an active leadership role in civic, business, 
educational, and philanthropic endeavors, including The Fifty Group and 
the World President's Organization, and serves as vice chair for the 
North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, as a Director of 
the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, and in 2008 became the first woman chair 
of Leadership North Carolina.
  As chair of Leadership North Carolina, Laura has helped shepherd the 
organization through one of the worst financial periods many of us can 
remember and positioned the program's sustainability for years to come. 
The measure of a good leader is the legacy they leave behind. Laura 
Bingham leaves North Carolina with 750 informed and engaged leaders to 
take the baton and help craft our state's future.
  Madam Speaker, at the conclusion of this academic year, Laura Bingham 
will complete her tenure as President of Peace College and Chair of 
Leadership North Carolina. We cannot afford a void in leadership at 
this point in our nation's history and Laura's work at Peace and with 
Leadership North Carolina has been focused on engaging, challenging and 
informing future leaders. I join the Board of Directors of Leadership 
North Carolina in recognizing Laura for her leadership, vision and 
determination.
  As the proud grandfather to two and soon to be three granddaughters, 
I am grateful for the example Laura has set for women from every corner 
of our state and the opportunities she has provided through the gift of 
education. She is the embodiment of our state's motto Esse Quam Videri, 
to be rather than to seem, and I ask all my colleagues to join me in 
thanking Laura Bingham for her service to North Carolina.

                          ____________________