"Student Health Service" Archive

Darren Aaron elected vice president of the American College Health Association

Darren Aaron, Student Health Service associate director and Wake Forest EMS advisor, has been elected vice president of the American College Health Association (ACHA), the nation’s principal leadership organization for advancing the health of college students and campus communities through advocacy, education and research. Aaron has been recognized for his outstanding leadership, professional skills and representation of Wake Forest. Headshot of Darren Aaron, Student Health Service associate director and Wake Forest EMS advisor

ACHA represents over 800 institutions of higher education and serves the collective health and wellness needs of 20 million college students and nearly 5,500 higher education health professionals. Its leaders advocate for the health and wellness of campus communities and play a critical role in helping shape the future of the association and the field of college health. Read more

Categories: Inside WFUStaff News

Sylvia T. Bell, retired nurse/administrator, dies

We are saddened to announce that Sylvia T. Bell, a retired nurse/administrator in Wake Forest’s Student Health Service, passed away on Dec. 1 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

During her nursing career, Sylvia was recognized and honored numerous times for her contributions to student health. She served the University for 30 years from 1981 to 2011.

The family plans to hold a memorial service at Knollwood Baptist Church next summer. An obituary appeared in the Winston-Salem Journal.

We grieve Sylvia Bell’s death and extend our condolences to her family and friends, as well as those at Wake Forest who had the opportunity to know her.

Wake Forest offers support and counseling services for all students, faculty and staff. The Counseling Center may be reached at 336.758.5273, the Chaplain’s Office at 336.758.5210. For faculty and staff, there is also the Employee Assistance Program at 336.716.5493.

Categories: Faculty NewsStaff News

Timely Warning: Sexual Assault Reported

This announcement was emailed to students, faculty and staff on March 5 by Wake Forest Communications and External Relations:

In order to promote safety on the Wake Forest University campus, the University is issuing this notification concerning a possible threat to the community.

The Wake Forest Title IX Office is investigating a student’s report of being sexually assaulted by a student in South Residence Hall early in the morning on March 1, 2020.  The student made the report to the Title IX Office on March 5.

If you have any information that might be helpful in this investigation, contact the University Police at (336) 758- 5911 or the Title IX Office at 336-758-7258 or titleixcoordinator@wfu.edu. If you wish to provide information anonymously, do so through “Silent Witness.” 

Wake Forest is providing resources to assist the individuals involved in this incident, and will continue to take actions to maintain the safety and security of the campus community.

It is important for all of us to focus on the things that we can all do to keep ourselves and others safe.

  • Call 911: If you feel uneasy or unsafe, go to a safe location and call a friend or the police at 911. When your safety is at risk or you need a safe escort on campus, contact University Police, available 24 hours at 336-758-5911.
  • Download Live Safe Mobile App
  • Ask a friend who may be in a potentially dangerous situation if they want to leave and then make sure that they get home safely.

If you have experienced a sexual offense, we encourage you to seek support. If you or a friend has questions or concerns about sexual offenses, you can contact the following resources for confidential information and support:

Safe Office: [Confidential]
Helpline 24/7: 336-758-5285, Reynolds Gym, B104-107 (next to Student Health Service)

Student Health Service: [Confidential]
336-758-5218, Lower Level of Reynolds Gymnasium

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center [Confidential]
Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157

University Counseling Center: [Confidential]
336-758-5273, Reynolda Hall, Room 117

Office of the Chaplain: [Confidential]
336-758-5017, Reynolda Hall, Suite 8

Read more

Travel alert regarding coronavirus (COVID-19)

The following message was emailed on behalf of Student Health Service Director Cecil Price to students, faculty and staff on Feb. 26 by Wake Forest Communications and External Relations:

The new coronavirus (COVID-2019) that recently emerged in China has been detected in a number of other locations around the world. Many cases of COVID-19 have been associated with travel to or from mainland China or close contact with a travel-related case, but sustained community spread has now been reported in Italy, Japan, and South Korea. Sustained community spread means that people have been infected with the virus, but how or where they became infected is not known, and the spread is ongoing.

Illness with this virus has ranged from mild to severe. Signs and symptoms of infection include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Sore throat and diarrhea have also been reported in some patients. This new coronavirus has caused severe disease and death in patients who developed pneumonia. Risk factors for severe illness are not yet clear, although older adults and those with chronic medical conditions may be at higher risk for severe illness.

Because of these ongoing developments, the uncertainty of how this virus may spread to other locations, as well as the uncertainty of when and how governments may respond to this virus, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to evaluate their travel plans in the immediate future – including Spring Break – especially if they plan to travel to international locations. Risks of travel could include contracting the virus, having travel restrictions imposed by local governments and health authorities, being quarantined or physically isolated from others for extended periods of time (currently 14 days), or having to withdraw from academic programs because of these restrictions.

One of the challenges associated with the coronavirus situation is that things can change very rapidly; the recommendations in place currently might change if the virus spreads and as new information is gained. Wake Forest has a coronavirus website and it will be updated as new details emerge. We encourage any student, faculty, or staff who choose to travel to stay alert to State Department travel advisories or restrictions, airline cancellations, and recommendations from the CDC.

Sincerely,

Cecil D. Price, MD
Director, Student Health Service

A message from the Student Health Service

The following message was sent on behalf of Dr. Cecil Price, director of the University’s Student Health Service, on Jan. 24 to students, faculty and staff:

Wake Forest University is aware of the situation in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The university and the Student Health Service are monitoring the situation and following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS). The following actions have been taken: 

  1. The Student Health Service is evaluating all patients who present with symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus (fever, cough, and flu-like symptoms) to determine if they have been in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, or in contact with an individual with possible 2019-nCoV within 14 days of becoming ill. Signs have also been placed at the entrance to the Student Health Service instructing students who have been in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, to place a mask on and immediately report to our staff so quick placement in an isolation room can occur.
  2. Students from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China have been identified and provided information about the virus.  They have been instructed to notify the Student Health Service immediately if these symptoms develop.
  3. The Student Health Service and the University Emergency Services Manager continue to monitor the situation and will update our protocols based on the recommendations of NC DHHS and the CDC.

The CDC has notified healthcare professionals that the incubation period (the time from potential exposure to the time illness develops) is 14 days. Students returning to campus from travel abroad would have, most likely, returned no later than January 12. We, therefore, do not expect any potential cases of this virus to occur on this campus related to that travel beyond January 27.

If you have been to  Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, within the last 14 days and developed the illness’ symptoms, please contact your health care provider immediately, and let them know you have been to Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.  Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath.

On campus, students may contact the Student Health Service 24/7 at 336-758-5218.  Faculty and staff are advised to contact their primary care provider. While travel to Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, increases the suspicion for the 2019-nCoV infection, it is likely  that the cause of symptoms is infection with the influenza virus (the flu). The campus and Triad region have begun to see an increase in incidence of the flu over the last week.

More information about 2019-nCoV can be found on the CDC website.

Wake Forest will provide an update to students, faculty and staff if necessary.

Archives