WakeParents & Families
E-newsletter from the Office of Family Engagement
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I’ve been hanging on to the February issue of this e-newsletter in hope that we could bring some good news, and happily we can! On Thursday evening, we sent a message to students, faculty, staff, and families about lifting some of the campus restrictions after our COVID surge. Some key points:
- The temporary restrictions allowed our community to overcome a significant surge.
- We will continue to test every eligible undergraduate student weekly for at least the next five weeks, as well as a random sample of graduate students
- We have secured additional resources for quarantine and isolation and contact tracing.
- The University began a return to less restrictive operations this past weekend.
- Starting Monday, Feb. 22, on-campus students needing to quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19 will be asked to do so at the hotels.
Lots more to digest; read the full message here. And stay up to date on all COVID-related information at the Our Way Forward website.
We recognize the burden that students faced during those short-term measures and appreciate everyone’s patience and resilience over the last few weeks. Working together, we will continue to navigate this pandemic.
Best,
Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. ('92, MA '94)
Executive Director of Family Communications
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Upcoming Dates and Deadlines
February 25
Work from any incomplete fall 2020 courses due
March 4
Last day to drop full-term classes
March 8
Last day to change from pass/fail to a letter grade in an approved first part-of-term class
March 17
Last day of the first part-of-term classes
March 18
Classes for second part-of-term begin
Please check here for more parent and family dates: parents.wfu.edu
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Incoming Families of the Class of 2025
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Welcome, P’25s (families of newly-admitted students in the Class of 2025)! Through our Early Decision and Early Decision 2 process, we have many new incoming families, and we welcome you to life at Wake Forest. We are including you in this e-newsletter so you can begin to get a taste of how we connect with families. If you have not already done so, please complete your Family Record Form, consider subscribing to the Daily Deac blog, and review our Family Communications Guidelines and Philosophy.
Please note that the details and deadlines in other sections of this e-newsletter only apply to currently-enrolled students (Classes of 2021-2024), not your incoming Deacs. More information will be available in May once our full Class of 2025 has been admitted.
WakeWare, the Student Laptop Program, allows you to purchase a high-powered laptop to work with all academic software, has educational-based pricing (for greater discounts), provides a loaner laptop in case repairs are needed, and has built-in accidental damage protection. Upcoming Academic Year Models and pricing information will be available in early Spring. For more information, visit the WakeWare website. WakeWare laptops are available year-round for purchase.
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Academics
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From the Office of Academic Advising (OAA):
- Students who have incomplete courses from the Fall 2020 semester (or the last semester of attendance) must turn in all work by February 25. Grades for incomplete courses that are not completed by this date will roll over to Fs.
- The last day to drop full-term classes is 11:59 p.m. on March 4; this is also the deadline to change full-term courses from graded to pass/fail mode if eligible.
- The last day to change from pass/fail to a letter grade in an approved first part-of-term class is on March 8.
- The last day of the first part-of-term classes will be on March 17. Classes for second part-of-term will begin on March 18.
- Visit our website, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates and other important information!
If your Deac is ready to explore the world after this long year, encourage them to set their sights on the U.S. Student Fulbright program. This prestigious grant funds a post-graduation year of research, study, or English teaching assistantships virtually anywhere on the planet. Students start thinking seriously about the application process during the spring of their junior year, but the earlier they can put a plan into place, the better. WFU has a Fulbright advisor and several info sessions coming up this semester. For more information, students may contact Dr. Alyssa Howards at howardal@wfu.edu.
From Wake The Arts: The Wake The Arts newsletter is filled with Arts highlights, innovation, and inspiration. Read the Spring 2021 issue and/or subscribe to receive future issues.
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Events
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A Woman in the White House: A Virtual Panel Hosted by Wake NOW (Network of Women) and Wake Washington Center - February 23 from 6-7:30 pm EST. Wake NOW (Network of Women) and the Wake Washington Center are excited to host A Woman In the White House, a nonpartisan virtual panel to celebrate the historic election of America’s first Black and South Asian-American female Vice President, Kamala Harris, and discuss the impact of this milestone on womankind. Alumni, students, families, faculty, staff, and friends of all gender identities are welcome. Registration will close at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 22nd.
From the Office of Sustainability:
- Is your student passionate about sustainability? Do they have a story to tell? Do they want to share their knowledge with their fellow Deacs? Students can submit a proposal to present during Earth Talks, coming in April! Earth Talks is a series of short (5-20 minute) presentations, similar to TED talks, that are focused on various sustainability topics. Deadline for proposals is February 28.
- Campus Garden - 20 volunteers (masked and distanced!) braved the chill on Tuesday, January 26th, to harvest carrots at the Campus Garden Spring Kickoff. Our 3 undergraduate interns led the way, and our new Outdoor Movie Assistant hosted a showing of Fantastic Fungi. Sunday Volunteer Hours continue this semester. Weekday Connect & Cultivate sessions begin on March 15th at 5:00pm. First Year Seminar students are designing our spring garden. Other classes are scheduled to explore biology, nutrition and human culture through garden engagements.
- Climate Feminism: To Change Everything, We Need Everyone - March 24 at 7 pm (virtual). The Office of Sustainability and the Women’s Center are thrilled to bring to campus Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a leading voice in the climate conversation and co-editor of the new anthology All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis. More information and registration here.
From the Women’s Center: The Women’s Center will be hosting a variety of programs for Women’s History Month, which begins March 1st. Our theme this year is Women Continue to Save the World, which seeks to reflect on the ways in which women have contributed to political and social movements throughout history. This focus includes both changes on the individual, local, national, and international level. Programming is currently being finalized, and we invite all interested students to keep an eye on our website starting March 1st.
From the Office of Personal and Career Development:
- The Office of Personal and Career Development would like to assure students and families that we are open (virtually) and ready to assist any student looking for help. Newly formed group appointments have been set up for students to receive help from a professional career coach and engage with their peers. Students can sign up here for group appointments on different topics using Handshake. Individual coaching appointments are also available and can be scheduled here.
- There are thousands of opportunities for those students seeking jobs and internships. Students are encouraged to look at the opportunities in Handshake, update their career preferences, and to make sure they are signed up and reading the Pathway emails that go out weekly for four top industries.
- Students should also know about the availability of the Experiential Learning Stipend. This stipend is available for up to $3,000 to students who are taking an unpaid summer internship or research project. All rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible and may apply for it here. Students are not eligible to apply if they are receiving funding from another source.
- The Alumni Personal & Career Development Center’s spring Wednesday Webinars are in full-swing and open to all! From supporting first-gen students to writing effective cover letters to decision-making strategies, students can grab your spot for these free 30-minute learning opportunities. And check out the recordings of all past topics any time.
From the Program for Leadership and Character:
- Character and the Professions Call to Conversation: March 17th from 5:30-6:45 p.m. - Join President Nathan Hatch and other esteemed members of the Wake Forest community for a Call to Conversation preceding the Character and the Professions Conference. This conversation will explore extraordinary displays of character in professional contexts and the impact of those actions. It will also celebrate President Hatch’s commitment to the art of conversation and his legacy of creating spaces for empathy, communication, and connection throughout the Wake Forest community. Register here. This opportunity may fill quickly and registration is required. A waitlist will automatically begin when capacity is reached. A meeting link and password will be provided to registered guests prior to the C2C.
- Save the Date - On March 18-20, Wake Forest’s Program for Leadership and Character will host a free virtual conference on Character and the Professions. This conference explores how virtuous character sustains ethical leadership across six professional contexts: business, divinity, engineering and technology, law, medicine, and public life. It brings together distinguished scholars and respected practitioners in each field, including former U.S. Secretaries of State, the Honorable Madeleine K. Albright and the Honorable Colin L. Powell, whose keynotes will preview Wake Forest’s upcoming Face to Face Speaker Forum. A plenary session will explore the relationship between diversity and character in various professional settings. Confirmed speakers include prominent scholars from Carnegie Mellon, Edinburgh, Harvard, Penn, Stanford, UVA, and Wake Forest. Register here.
The President’s Aides program is comprised of student leaders who serve as representatives of the University and participate in a variety of University events throughout the year. Additionally, President’s Aides meet regularly with the Wake Forest President to provide additional communication between the student body and administration. President’s Aides represent students who have demonstrated leadership in academic life, student life and community service. The website, linked here, offers more details as well as the 2021/22 application.
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Resources
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Do your students need a healthy way to manage stress? Koru Mindfulness training is available virtually this semester at the beginner and intermediate levels. Students who’ve taken Koru Mindfulness training have reported improvements such as better sleep and increased focus with school work. Registration can be found at go.wfu.edu/koru.
From Campus Recreation:
- We have many virtual group fitness classes taking place. The schedule for all classes can be found here.
- We are also providing students a space to study in the Wellbeing Center during our late night Sutton Study Space.
From the Office of Civic and Community Engagement:
- WFU Tutoring Reserves Program: Do you have a WFU student that wants to tutor, but can’t commit to weekly sessions? Tutoring Reserves allows students to provide weekly, virtual homework support in core subjects on Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. EST to K-12 students enrolled in Winston Salem State’s Mathematics and Science Education Network Program. Each week interested students receive an email to sign up for that week’s session. Not available? No worries, just don’t sign up.
- OCCE 2021 Summer Internship Program: Each summer, the OCCE places full-time undergraduate students in internships with community partner sites to help enrich students’ academic and vocational development, and build capacity at local nonprofits. Interested students are seeking scholarly, professional, and personal development through intensive work in the nonprofit sector. Students can learn more or apply today.
- Students interested in virtual volunteer opportunities and programming from the Office of Civic & Community Engagement may sign up to receive weekly newsletters here.
From Student Financial Services: Need a copy of your student’s 1098-T tax form? Students can elect to receive their tax forms electronically and grant proxy access to parents or tax preparers via WIN. With current remote-working conditions, we are only able to reprint paper copy tax forms for mail distribution twice a week. For more information and instruction, please visit the Tax Information page on the Student Financial Services website.
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Campus Safety
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Wake Forest University Police:
Parents and families can sign up to receive crime alerts on the Wake Ready website, in addition to downloading the LiveSafe app. While crime alerts are sent in real time to students, faculty and staff, they are not for others. For those registered through Wake Ready, crime alerts are emailed daily at noon, but only if new alerts have been posted in the previous 24 hours.
Any emails that are sent to students, faculty, and staff are archived on the Family News website.
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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.
Want the Daily Deac parent blog to be sent automatically to your email every day? Subscribe on the main Daily Deac page by typing your email address in the Subscribe box and following the instructions. The Daily Deac is our blog for parents and families. It’s a great way to get a snapshot of life at Wake Forest.
A message about how we disseminate campus news to parents and families: Any emails that are sent to students, faculty, and staff will be posted on the Family News page. Those are not routinely emailed to all families. If you wish to check for family news items often, you may wish to bookmark that page so it is easily available.
See a list of campus resources and our FAQ page.
Contact the Office of Family Engagement at parents@wfu.edu or 336.758.4237.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Some staff members are working remotely, and some offices are working a reduced schedule. However, if you have an urgent need to reach someone at the university because you have a concern that must be addressed quickly, we have designated the University Police as our 24/7 contact. They can assess the situation and determine who best to address your concern. The 24-hour contact number for University Police is 336.758.5591 (non emergency) or 336.758.5911 (for the kinds of emergencies where you would normally call 911). University Police can get in touch with on-call duty staff 24-hours/day.
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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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