Magjuka and Virgil recognized as civic engagement leaders by NC Campus Compact
Marianne Magjuka and Steve Virgil were each honored by North Carolina Campus Compact during its annual Pathways to Achieving Civic Engagement (PACE) conference, winning the Civic Engagement Professional of the Year and Engaged Faculty Award. This is the first time that one institution has claimed both awards in the same year.
Magjuka, assistant dean of students and executive director of the Office of Civic and Community Engagement (OCCE), was named 2021 Civic Engagement Professional of the Year.
Marianne Magjuka
The award recognizes a North Carolina higher education administrator who works to realize a campus-wide vision of service, supports the engagement of faculty and students and forms innovative campus-community partnerships. As the founding executive director of the OCCE, , Magjuka provides visionary and strategic leadership to institutionalize civic engagement at Wake Forest. She has established and advanced many of the University’s foundational programs related to social justice, civic learning and democratic engagement.
Virgil, executive director of experiential education and clinical professor of law, received the 2021 Engaged Faculty Award.
Steve Virgil
The award recognizes one faculty member in the state for exemplary engaged teaching and scholarship, including leadership that advances students’ community and civic learning, conducting community-based research, fostering reciprocal community partnerships and building institutional commitments to service-learning and community engagement.
Since joining the Wake Forest School of Law in 2008, Virgil’s impact has been felt throughout the regional nonprofit and social enterprise spaces through the creation of in-house clinics and field placement courses, which provide students first-hand legal experience. Virgil founded the Community Law & Business Clinic and the Veterans Legal Clinic, through which Wake Forest law students have provided thousands of hours of pro bono services to help address the legal needs of underserved populations in the state.
Visit the OCCE website to learn more.
Categories: Faculty News, Inside WFU, Staff News
OCCE hosts "Get Connected to Wake Forest" webinar
The Office of Civic & Community Engagement (OCCE) at Wake Forest University will host a “Get Connected to Wake Forest” Zoom webinar today, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. 
Open to Winston-Salem nonprofit organizations and community members, “Get Connected” will explore ways to get involved with Wake Forest community initiatives. Participants will learn how to connect with WFU for internships, volunteer opportunities, program or project support, clinics, resources and more.
“Our new area of community partnerships has been working diligently over the last year so that resources and information available from Wake Forest are accessible to community partners and residents,” said Camry Wilborn, assistant director of community partnerships in the OCCE. “Our goal for this webinar is to allow people who want to get connected to WFU and utilize resources available to them to have direct contact with the faculty and staff affiliated with those initiatives.”
Webinar panelists will include faculty and staff from various offices leading community engagement, including:
- Office of Civic & Community Engagement, which will outline possibilities for organizations to receive support through full- and part-time summer interns, as well as the High Skill Volunteer Network. In addition, virtual education programs will be highlighted for community members and local nonprofits.
- Program in Community-Engaged Research (Wake Forest Baptist Health), which will speak on upcoming grant opportunities available to local nonprofits and community organizations.
- Wake Downtown, which will cover the new ‘Science of Winston-Salem‘ initiative, as well as its annual Maya Angelou Garden Party.
- Wake Forest Law School, which will review services provided through its Pro Bono Project, including clinics available to community members, such as Expungement Project, Teen Court, Health Care Advocacy Project and more.
- Wake Forest School of Divinity, which will detail its ‘Clergy in Community‘ and ‘Thriving in Ministry‘ programs and explain how organizations can host an intern through its The Art of Ministry
The event is free and open to the public; however, registration is required. Fill out this form to register and receive the webinar link.
Categories: Events, Inside WFU
Proposals funded: Cordy, Curtis, Miller, Rejeski, Sizemore
This is part two of seven highlighting proposals funded during the fall of 2020.
Congratulations to Regina Cordy, assistant professor of biology, whose proposal entitled “A systems biology investigation of the interplay between gut microbes and blood metabolites in the development of malarial anemia” has been funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Congratulations to Mark Curtis, associate professor of economics, whose proposal entitled “How Does Capital Investment Affect Workers?” has been funded by the Russell Sage Foundation and by (subaward/subcontract from) Duke University.
Congratulations to Christian Miller, professor of philosophy, whose proposal entitled “The Honesty Project” has been funded by the John Templeton Foundation.
Congratulations to Jack Rejeski, research professor of health and exercise science, whose proposal entitled “Pepper Older Americans Independence Center and Coordinating Center: Clinical Research Core” has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and by (subaward/subcontract) from WFU Health Sciences.
Congratulations to Shelley Sizemore, director of community partnerships in the Office of Civic & Community Engagement, whose proposal entitled “Forsyth County Youth Service Zone: Building capacity for youth leadership & service” has been funded by the Youth Service America.
Categories: Faculty News, Inside WFU, Staff News
Updates from HR: Benefits enrollment, inclusive hiring support, voting
Annual Benefits Enrollment 
Annual Benefits Enrollment will open in Workday on Monday, Oct. 19 and run through Saturday, Oct. 31, for benefits effective Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2021. Faculty and staff must act to enroll if changing benefit elections, adding or removing a dependent(s) or planning to enroll or re-enroll in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
Learn more on the Wake Forest human resources website.
Inclusive search and selection strategies
In response to President Hatch’s charge to address bias and equity in the hiring process, the Professional Development Center (PDC) is now offering online modules and virtual labs to assist with an inclusive search and selection process for faculty and staff positions.
Visit the PDC website to access course offerings and learn more about the University’s guiding philosophy and support resources.
Administrative leave for voting
Colleagues who plan to vote in the upcoming election are encouraged to take advantage of early voting, beginning Oct. 15. Department leaders may grant time away from work for staff to vote and will find details in the Administrative Leave and Release Time policy.
Faculty and staff are also invited to join a virtual conversation with Wake Washington for “Will My Vote Count? Securing the 2020 Election” on Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 1-2 p.m.
Learn more about voting resources on the Office of Civic and Community Engagement website.
Categories: Events, Faculty News, Inside WFU, Staff News
OCCE announces recipients of 2020 Service Awards
The Office of Civic & Community Engagement (OCCE) has, recently, announced the winners of its 2020 Service Awards in student, faculty and staff, and community partner categories.
The OCCE Service Awards recognize students, faculty, staff, and members of the community who have successfully and effectively worked to create meaningful social change around a particular issue, either on campus or in the Winston-Salem community.
Dani Parker-Moore, assistant professor of education, was given the Faculty Service Excellence Award. It is presented to faculty that represent the Pro Humanitate Teacher-Scholar ideal through their service to the broader community. According to OCCE’s announcement, “As the executive director of the Wake Forest Freedom School, Parker-Moore has applied her researched best practices into life-changing programs for underserved students in Winston-Salem.”
Dwight Lewis, associate athletic director for community and alumni relations, received the Michael G. Ford Servant Leadership Award. It is intended to recognize a staff member who carries on the legacy of servant leadership demonstrated throughout Ford’s life, professionally and personally. OCCE’s announcement states that “Lewis has worked tirelessly to cultivate Wake Forest student-athletes into both civic and community leaders throughout his time with the Demon Deacons, providing endless service opportunities in the spirit of Pro Humanitate.”
OCCE presented its Community Partner Service Award to Mia Parker, parental involvement coordinator at Kimberly Park Elementary School.
The following student awards were given:
- Christman Award; Grace Yucha, senior
- Change-Maker Award; Alexander Holt, senior
- Junior Service Excellence Award; Lilly Parker
- Sophomore Service Excellence Award; Kate Pearson
- First-Year Service Excellence Award; Jayden Brown
Wake ‘N Shake, the University’s largest student-run philanthropic event, received the Student Organization Service Excellence Award.
More information about the awards is available here.
Categories: Faculty News, Inside WFU, Staff News
