Parents & Families E-Newsletter, May 2026

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WakeParents & Families

E-newsletter from the Office of Family Engagement


Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

Commencement was held on Monday, May 18 and it was a glorious day for all. If you were not there yourself — or if you want to relive the day! — here are several links I hope you will enjoy:

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Go out into the world and bring our Pro Humanitate motto to everything you do! And P'26s, know you will always have a special place at Wake Forest, and you will always be welcome here.

To our P’27s, this will be you next year! So enjoy every moment of your students’ final year at Wake!

To our P’28s, I suspect many of your students might be going abroad in the fall semester, as is Wake Forest student culture. If we miss you for Family Weekend this fall (October 2-4), I hope you’ll come back to see us in the spring.

To our P’29s, your Deacs just finished their first year of college: a major milestone in their development. Hope you have some family time this summer to celebrate them.

And to our newest P’30s who are just beginning their time at Wake Forest, we can’t wait to get to know you over the next four years.

In the words of the great Louis Armstrong: “And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”

Go Deacs!


Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (’92, MA ’94)
Executive Director of Family Communications

Upcoming Dates & Deadlines*

May 20*
Final grades should be viewable in Workday

May 27-July 1
Summer Session I

June 1
Tuition due for Summer Session I and II

July 7-August 8
Summer Session II

* See the Academic Services calendar , which lists these and other key academic dates.

See Residence Life and Housing’s opening and closing dates for our residential communities.

Welcome, P’30! (parents & families of the Class of 2030)

P’30s, continue to reference the Family Checklist regularly to ensure you are taking care of all required parent/family tasks.

  • Important Deadline for new students: June 1. By this date, incoming students must complete:
  • Miss any of our Tuesday messages to new families? Read them here.
  • Reminder of how to find verified Wake Forest information:
    • Wake Forest accounts: For the most accurate, up-to-date information, we encourage you to rely on official university communications and websites (e.g., wfu.edu, parents.wfu.edu, etc.) as well as University social media sites. You can also follow our public Facebook page for parents — no membership required — at Facebook.com/WFUParents.
    • Parent-Run Social Media Groups: Many Wake Forest parents connect with one another through independently run social media groups. These communities can be a helpful way to share experiences and advice. Please note that these groups are not affiliated with or monitored by the University, and information shared there may not always reflect current university policies or practices.

Academics

From Undergraduate Summer Session:

  • Does your student want to lighten their fall course load or start their Wake Forest career early? There’s still time for your students to enroll in Summer Session:
    • New/Visiting Students (i.e., Class of 2030): Applications are due May 20 (Session I) & June 30 (Session II).
    • Current Deacs (i.e., ’27s, ’28s, and ’29s): Register via Workday by May 29 (Session I) & July 9 (Session II).
  • Tell your students don't miss out, secure their spot today! Students can contact us with any questions as they finalize their summer plans.

Campus Life

Save the Date: Family Weekend 2026. Mark your calendars for October 2-4, as we prepare to welcome families back to Mother So Dear for an unforgettable weekend! The festivities will be headlined by a home football game at Allegacy Stadium as the Demon Deacons take on Stanford. Please note that while single-game football tickets are on sale now, the official Family Weekend registration and full schedule of events will be released this July. We encourage you to visit our website throughout the summer for the latest updates and travel information as you plan your trip to Winston-Salem. We can’t wait to celebrate with you this fall!

Deacon Health

Counseling

  • During the summer months, the University Counseling Center continues to be a support to current students who desire to talk to a professional about a multitude of things. Due to licensure restrictions, we are only able to offer therapy services to students who will be in the state of North Carolina.
  • We offer same-day scheduling for virtual or in-person appointments during office hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. We also offer an after-hours counselor-on-call after 5 p.m. on weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends and university holidays/closures.
  • Follow our Instagram or visit our website for more information on our services.

Housing and Dining

  • This month, we celebrate our graduating Deacs, welcome our newest Deacs, and share important reminders to help your student prepare for what’s next. Please visit our May 2026 Parent & Family Newsletter for more information on incoming student and summer processes.

Personal and Career Development

  • From Lower-Division Milestones to Life After Wake Forest: Whether your student is completing their lower-division years or preparing for Commencement, the Office of Personal & Career Development (OPCD) is here to support their next step.
  • For Families of Graduating Seniors
    • Is your senior still looking for their first destination? We know that for some families, the joy of Commencement is met with questions about what comes next. If your student hasn’t “landed” yet, the Alumni Personal & Career Development Center (APCDC) is here to help.
    • Our mission is to help alumni navigate the transition from college to career by providing tools for Personal and Career Discovery. We work with our newest Deacs to build a meaningful life and career through coaching and the global Deacon network.
    • Important Step: Remind your senior to update their Handshake profile with a WFU Alumni email address. Their student email will expire in 60 days, and this ensures they maintain access to career resources for life.
    • Action: Encourage them to visit the APCDC Website today.
  • For Families of Lower-Division Students
    • As your student wraps up their lower-division years, the summer presents a vital opportunity to build professional skills. Whether they are working a part-time job, volunteering, or conducting research, these experiences build the "durable skills" that employers and graduate schools value most.
    • High Value Step: Your student can also use this time to stand out by earning industry-recognized certifications from leaders like Google and Microsoft through our online partnerships. These credentials signal to recruiters that your student is proactive and career-ready.
    • Action: Visit the OPCD website to explore summer skill-building resources.

Events and Athletics

Athletics

  • Tickets on sale now for the 2026 football season, including Family Weekend!
  • Get excited, Deacon Nation! Single-game tickets are now on sale for the 2026 football season as Coach Jake Dickert and the Demon Deacons prepare for another exciting fall of Wake Forest action on the gridiron.

Wake Forest Executive Education

  • Wake Forest Executive Education's new fall 2026 catalog is now open for enrollment, featuring new leadership topics, an AI certificate, PMP prep course, and more! Our redesigned platform makes it easier than ever to find and register for courses that fit your career goals. For details on all fall offerings, read our latest blog post.

See the Events Calendar.

Financial Matters

Student Financial Services (SFS)

  • $3,000 no-essay tuition scholarship contest: GradGuard, our tuition insurance provider, is awarding five $3,000 scholarships to help with college expenses. It’s quick to apply, requires no essay, and is open to current and incoming students. Students can apply here.
  • While graduates will retain access to Workday for a limited period following Commencement, we strongly encourage all students to review their accounts immediately.
    • Outstanding Balances: All financial obligations must be settled in full before a diploma can be released or mailed.
    • Credit Balances: Please ensure any remaining credits are identified so that refunds can be processed promptly. If your student does have a credit balance, they can request a refund for the credit here.
  • For students enrolled in Summer I or Summer II courses, please note that the payment deadline for both sessions is June 1. To ensure uninterrupted enrollment, please ensure that all balances are settled by this date through the Workday system.
  • Student Financial Services is pleased to announce the launch of our new SFS Chatbot, now available on our website. This interactive tool is designed to provide 24/7 assistance, offering immediate answers to your questions regarding student accounts, billing, and financial processes at Wake Forest. Whether it is late at night or during the weekend, help is now just a click away.

Student Financial Aid

  • Continuing students (i.e., ’27, ’28, ’29) should complete their 2026–27 financial aid application as soon as possible. Students with incomplete applications will receive periodic reminder email messages from finaid@wfu.edu to their Wake Forest student email addresses.
  • Continuing students with completed applications receive 2026-27 aid notifications by early July.

Resources for Families

We want to make sure all families are aware of the many resources available online to help you:

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Wake Forest University
The Office of Family Engagement
1834 Wake Forest Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27109
1.800.752.8568