University provides outreach and support for students

October 19, 2023

To sustain a community of care in light of the Israel-Hamas war and to support the many Wake Forest students with personal and cultural ties to the region, the University is engaging with students in various ways and offering sources of support.

“Wake Forest is a caring community and, during these difficult days, it’s important for us to lean into that,” said Vice President for Campus Life Shea Kidd Brown. “The complexities and quickly changing environment can make it difficult to process our feelings during this time of uncertainty and deep pain. Let’s remember to be kind to ourselves and to one another. I encourage students to connect to those in their communities and reach out to resources on campus.”

Across the University, staff and faculty are reaching out individually to impacted students and providing ways to connect through campus groups, including faith communities. University staff are engaging in one-on-one conversations with those who may need individual support and reaching out directly to students with families in the Middle East. RAs are offering support to residential students and faculty fellows are prepared to connect students with helpful resources.

Ongoing resources for care and support include:

• Office of the Chaplain (including the Offices of Jewish Life and Muslim Life)
• We are Wake (336-758-CARE)
• University Counseling Center

At 5:30 p.m. today, the University will hold space for students to come together at the Campus Kitchen Lounge (located in Kitchin Residence Hall) to share and reflect in the face of diverging viewpoints and a range of emotions. Warrenetta Mann, assistant vice president for health and wellbeing, and Ashley Hawkins Parham, director of the Wellbeing Center, will facilitate this session. A similar session was held this morning.

“This will be an opportunity to process the current realities in our world, reflect on our shared humanity, and build emotional skills for handling the heaviness of the moment,” Kidd Brown said.

All students are welcome.

In a recent letter from Provost Gillespie, Vice President Kidd Brown, and the academic Deans, faculty and staff were asked to remain aware of how our students are impacted and offer flexibility where possible.

Students or organizations who would like to plan any related events can contact the Office of Student Engagement for assistance with event planning, space reservations, understanding expression guidelines and any other logistical support. Interested students may contact stdengmt@wfu.edu with questions, or go to studentengagement.wfu.edu/student-organizations/handbook/guide. For more specific questions or concerns around possible events, email Senior Associate Dean of Students Tim Wilkinson at wilkints@wfu.edu.

President Wente’s recent blog post “A guide in moments of crisis: For Humanity,” focuses on our institutional response to crises and the need for ongoing and ever-evolving personal response. In addition, this University website will be updated with available resources.