WakeParents & Families
E-newsletter from the Office of Family Engagement
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We have big academic news to share this month: President Wente has appointed Michele Gillespie, current Dean of Wake Forest’s College of Arts and Sciences, to succeed Rogan Kersh as University Provost, effective July 1, 2022. After his sabbatical year, during which time he plans to travel and teach abroad, Kersh will continue his teaching and research at Wake Forest as Distinguished University Professor. Senior Associate Dean Anthony Marsh will serve as Interim Dean of the College, effective July 1, while the University engages in a national search for a new Dean of the College.
- “I am deeply grateful to Dr. Kersh for his service to Wake Forest over the last decade, especially for his kindness and partnership during my first year as president,” said President Wente. “When considering Dr. Kersh’s successor, I knew Wake Forest would be well served by another leader who embodied the teacher-scholar ideal. Dr. Gillespie has earned great respect for her ability to balance academic rigor with holistic learning and community engagement.” Read more.
T.S. Eliot said “April is the cruelest month,” but here at Wake Forest, I think April is the most beautiful month. Everything is in bloom — lush garden beds full of tulips, pink cherry trees in full glory, warm and sunny days aplenty.
April is also the last full month of this academic year. It’s time for our seniors to be checking off those remaining items on their Wake Forest bucket list before Commencement, and time for our newly-admitted Class of 2026 to begin dreaming of all they want to do while at Wake.
As we look toward May, be sure to check with your Deacs about their final exam schedule, so you know when they are planning to move out; as a reminder, residence halls close for non-seniors (unless approved for Interim Housing), on May 8 at 2 p.m.
For our new P’26 families of incoming Class of 2026 students, we have a special section of this e-newsletter just for you. And as of May 2, the New Students website will go live for you and your ’26 Deacs. This will be your go-to site all through the summer as your students prepare to move to campus in August.
Go Deacs!
Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (’92, MA ’94)
Executive Director of Family Communications
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Upcoming Dates and Deadlines
April 29
Classes end
April 30-May 1
Reading days
May 2-7
Final exams
May 2
New Students website goes live for the Class of 2026 (NOTE: the information on that site is from last year; the 2026 version is currently being updated)
May 8
Residence halls close at 2 p.m. for non-graduating students (unless approved for interim housing)
May 15-16
Commencement weekend
May 16
Residence Halls close at 7 p.m. for seniors and those not approved for interim housing.
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Incoming Families of the Class of 2026
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Welcome, P’26s (families of newly-admitted students in the Class of 2026)! We are currently updating our New Students website for the Class of 2026. It should go live on May 2nd. Please note that all the information on the site right now pertains to the Class of 2025, not your incoming students, so do not go by those dates, or complete any forms there. We will send all P’26 families an email on May 2nd once the new site is ready.
Important steps for incoming families:
- Make sure your Family Record is correct: if you have not already done so, please see our Verify Your Family Record section of the Incoming Families page and verify your contact information as soon as you can. It is critical that we have correct contact information for your family (to reach you in an emergency, to send you important Wake Forest news, or to send information about Wake Forest events in your area).
- Please review our page for incoming families to see important dates and see some perspectives about waiting to make travel arrangements for the fall.
- We also encourage you to review our Family Communications Guidelines and Philosophy, so you understand how Wake Forest and families can best work together.
- Have you subscribed to the Daily Deac blog? It shares campus news, offers advice about supporting your student, and covers a variety of WFU activities and events to help you get a sense of campus life.
From WakeWare, the Student Laptop Program — WakeWare allows you to purchase a powerful recommended Apple or Microsoft Surface device to run robust academic software, has negotiated prices, provides a loaner laptop in case repairs are needed, and has built-in accidental damage and theft protection. For more information, visit the WakeWare website. Students with institutional aid are eligible for a Technology Grant and will be communicated with to their WFU email address in mid-May. As a reminder, in order to support a portable learning environment, every student is required to bring a laptop to campus. You can learn more about minimum computer requirements here.
Please remember that the details and deadlines in other sections of this e-newsletter only apply to currently-enrolled students (Classes of 2022-2025), not your incoming Deacs.
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Academics
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From the Office of Academic Advising (OAA):
- Registration for Fall 2022 classes took place in two phases beginning March 28 and ending April 8. By now, all current students (i.e., ’23-’25) should be registered for a full-time schedule unless they have been approved for part-time status.
- If your student plans to take less than 12 credit hours during the Fall 2022 semester, they need to visit the part-time status webpage and fill out the part-time status petition form. This can be done at any time prior to the fall add deadline (Sept. 5), but it is financially advantageous to do so before the first day of class (Aug. 22)!
- If your student wishes to take more than 17 hours for the Fall 2022 semester, they will need to discuss their request with their faculty adviser. The adviser should then email undergraduateadvising@wfu.edu with their approval of the student’s request noting the exact hours the student is requesting. The Office of Academic Advising began reviewing these requests on Monday, April 11.
- Spring 2022 classes end on April 29. Final exams begin on May 2 and last until May 7 with Reading Days scheduled for April 30 and May 1.
- Commencement activities for the Class of 2022 will take place on Monday, May 16. More information about Commencement can be found here.
Summer Session is a terrific option for students who want to get ahead/catch up on credits, retake a class, or be able to take a class where they can fully-focus on that material without balancing a full-semester course load. There are courses in all modalities; students can browse the Summer Session website for full details on this summer’s courses. Registration is open until May 27. We also accept visiting college students from other universities and rising high school juniors and seniors. Questions? Contact us here.
From CLASS (Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success) — Finish Strong: Strategies for Taking Final Exams and Reducing Stress is the title of our April OWLS talk sponsored by CLASS. The workshop will be in-person on Wednesday, April 27 at 4 p.m. in 301 Reynolda Hall — all students are welcome; no registration needed. Students can also e-mail CLASS@wfu.edu to schedule a one-on-one academic coaching session to develop their very own exam prep strategies and study plan timeline!
From the Office of Continuing Studies:
- Congratulations to all Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 MA in Liberal Arts Studies graduates! The Master’s in Liberal Arts Studies offers students an opportunity to explore new ideas and develop a program of study that caters to individual interests. The MA can be completed in a single calendar year and would be an excellent opportunity to become a Double Deac! It is an MA your way. For more information, please contact the Office of Continuing Studies.
- Lifelong Learning is going on the road with Adventures in Lifelong Learning! In addition to our in-person course offering, the Lifelong Learning program offers a regular assortment of online educational enrichment courses available to families and alumni living outside of the Winston-Salem area. This year, Lifelong Learning will offer online courses with a global focus, including a future travel opportunity to Venice, Italy for a Global Adventure in Lifelong Learning.
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Events
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From the Office of Sustainability: Move-out, Don’t Throw Out! Please help your students reduce their landfill waste by reminding them to participate in the Deacs Donate program at move-out. The Deacs Donate program will be taking place April 25th-May16th. Students should place small donations in the blue roll-off bins located in their residence halls. Large furniture items should be placed outside the residence halls near the designated yard signs. Click here to learn about what students can do with unwanted books, bikes, damaged clothing, green take-out containers, and trash. Go Deacs!
From the Office of Civic and Community Engagement (OCCE):
- Summer Opportunities with the OCCE: Each summer, the OCCE places full-time undergraduate students and recent graduates in paid internships with community partner sites to help enrich students' academic and vocational development, all while helping to build capacity at local nonprofits. Interested students are seeking scholarly, professional, and personal development through intensive work in the nonprofit sector. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all placements are filled. Students can learn more and apply today. Additional opportunities for students are also available with the Wake Forest Freedom School. Those students interested in working with Freedom School should contact Camry Wilborn. All students receive an education award at the completion of their service.
- DESK Scheduled for Wednesday, April 20: Every spring, Wake Forest students come together with local elementary school children to provide a colorful study space for students with the goal of encouraging positive reading habits. Together WFU and local children design and paint a new desk for them to take home. Learn more about the annual event, and your students can sign up to participate.
Parents and families can complete a Certificate in Integrated Marketing Strategy & Planning with Wake Forest Executive Education this spring! This certificate program is designed for professionals looking to develop relevant and immediately implementable skills across seven key competencies in marketing. Each half-day session will cover topics on marketing research, consumer behavior, marketing objectives, digital strategy, segmentation, targeting, and positioning, product/service, pricing, and distribution strategies and more. Each participant will complete a final Capstone project that serves as an immediately implementable marketing action plan. Reserve your seat today!
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Resources
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From Residence Life and Housing: Campus is in bloom, and the time for students to plan for move-out has come! This month, we have some final reminders for you as to what to expect from the move-out process this year and a welcome to Class of ’26 parents and families! Read more.
From Student Financial Services: A second notice regarding the $500 non-refundable tuition deposit is required for all returning undergraduate students (i.e., ‘23s-’25s) was sent on April 1st. If you have not yet paid the deposit, the final day to pay is April 15th. You can learn more about the non-refundable tuition deposit on our website.
From the Office of Personal and Career Development (OPCD):
- For all Wake Forest Students — Graduate or Undergraduate: if your student is seeking a job or internship, let them know that organizations are still seeking new college graduates and interns... AND the job market is HOT with thousands of opportunities available across the country. Our Handshake system is the best source for all types of internships and jobs, no matter your year or major. Students should do these simple steps to be “in the game”:
- Fully complete your profile.
- FullyUpload a good, public resume.
- FullyReturn often to respond to direct messages from interested employers.
- FullyCreate saved searches to get timely opportunities that fit your interests
- FullyApply for 50 or more jobs/internships
- For Undergrad College Students: is your student looking for an internship or a job or considering graduate school or not sure what they want to do? OPCD Career Coaches are here to help! Students who have declared their major can meet with a coach associated with their major and undeclared students can talk with a coach just to get started.
- For School of Business Students: if your School of Business student is seeking employment, internship, graduate school, or wants to develop a professional career strategy, the SoB Market Readiness and Employment team is here to support their efforts. Each student has an assigned career coach ready to meet with them now and even after graduation. If your student has questions, have them contact Mike Crespi, Director, Market Readiness and Employment at crespima@wfu.edu.
- Did you know that the OPCD offers financial grants for unpaid summer internships? And grants for professional development needs like traveling to interviews, purchasing interview attire, or similar needs? Click here to learn more.
From Deacon Dining: Have you signed up for your fall 2022 meal plan? Students can sign up for their fall 2022 meal plan before summer break! While you are at it, check out our brand new Black Plus Meal Plan. Are you looking for the most flexible and value driven plan on campus? The Black Plus Plan is for you! All swipes on this plan can be used as a Meal Swipe into a residential dining facility or as an Old Gold Swipe into any retail location on campus. Click here to see what is included!
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Campus Safety
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Wake Forest uses the Wake Alert system — voicemail, email, text message, website and web banners, and social media (Twitter, Facebook) — to notify faculty, staff and students when the University believes that members of the Wake Forest community could be at risk. Those messages are issued as soon as pertinent, vetted information is available. It may take time for authorities to investigate, verify and provide instructions or updates.
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Parents & Families Page
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Parents and Families Page is your portal to news and information specifically for Wake Forest families.
The Daily Deac is our blog for parents and families. It’s a great way to get a snapshot of life at Wake Forest, plus news, tips, and advice on supporting your student. Subscribe on the Daily Deac page by typing your email address in the Subscribe box and hitting Enter.
Any emails that are sent to all students, faculty, and staff are archived on the Family News website.
See our Who to Contact for... page if you need to contact a particular department. If you have an urgent need to reach someone at the University because you have an urgent concern that cannot wait until the next business day, please see our After Hours Help page.
Contact the Office of Family Engagement at parents@wfu.edu or 336.758.4237. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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Wake Forest University
The Office of Family Engagement
1834 Wake Forest Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27109
1.800.752.8568
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