Message of Gratitude from President Hatch

Dear Wake Forest students, faculty and staff,

Today, I want to share my deep appreciation with all of you. For the past three months, we have done what many thought impossible. With your diligence, patience and perseverance, we completed our on-campus portion of the semester. Our resolve to do what was necessary to remain on campus and our resilience when conditions forced us to adapt our plans is a testament to the character of this community.

Thank you for all you have done to help keep our campus healthy and safe. When we started in August, we had faith that this community would rise to meet the challenges before us. Together, we did.

Faculty reimagined how to instruct and cultivate learning across new mediums while still developing the close relationships that are a hallmark of the Wake Forest education. Staff reinvented nearly every aspect of campus life while continuing to value the people that make this place so special. And students learned, grew, strengthened friendships, discovered their passions and found ways to serve one another and the community. In the face of this pandemic, we continued to do what we do best — educate the future leaders of our world.

Though most have left campus and returned home, there is still much to be done to complete the semester. I wish you the very best on final projects and exams. May you approach these last weeks with the same fortitude and determination that marked this entire semester.

Above all, please take care of yourselves, and stay vigilant in protecting yourselves, your families, friends and neighbors.

With gratitude,

Nathan O. Hatch
President