"Wake Will" Archive

Presidential Chairs support, retain outstanding faculty

A Wake Forest Presidential Chair supports recruiting and retaining faculty who are both outstanding researchers in their field as well as dedicated teachers.

President Nathan Hatch announced the Presidential Chair initiative in 2012 – an initiative made possible through Wake Will: The Campaign for Wake Forest. The initial goal to establish 10 chairs has been met.

“An endowed chair is an enduring tribute to the person who established it and is the highest academic award that can be bestowed on a faculty member,” Hatch said. “Our Presidential Chair program seeks to reward, retain and recruit those teacher-scholars who most embody the ideals that Wake Forest has for faculty: brilliant and committed scholars who have a profound ability and commitment to teach and mentor students.”

For the first $1 million donated to each Presidential Chair, the University matches those funds to provide additional support for faculty. Four of the 10 chairs have been named to faculty.

  • The Rubin Chair of Jewish and Israeli Studies – established by Mike (MALS ’13) and Debbie (MAEd ’83, MALS ’05) Rubin of Winston-Salem. Debbie, a trustee, worked as a counselor in the University Counseling Center for several years; held by Professor Barry Trachtenberg, department of History.
  • The Andrew Sabin Family Foundation Presidential Chair in Conservation Biology – established through the family foundation of Wake Forest parent Andrew Sabin (P ‘17) to support environmental programs around the world; held by Professor Miles Silman, department of Biology.
  • The Thomas W. Smith Foundation Presidential Chair in Business Ethics – supports a faculty member committed to the exploration of the relationship between business, government and society; held by Jim Otteson, executive director of the BB&T Center for the Study of Capitalism, School of Business.
  • The Inmar Presidential Chair of Analytics at the School of Business – established by the Winston-Salem-based company that is known for operating intelligent commerce networks; held by Jeffrey Camm, Associate Dean of Business Analytics, School of Business
  • The Donna A. Boswell Presidential Chair of Health Care Innovation – established by Boswell (’72, MA ’74), a university trustee, to promote teaching and scholarship that fosters a more comprehensive understanding of the political and economic factors that promote innovation in health care and health care delivery.
  • The David C. Darnell Presidential Chair in Principled Leadership – established by Bank of America as a retirement gift to Darnell following a 36-year career.
  • The William T. Wilson, III, Presidential Chair for Business Law – established by Wilson, a 1980 law school graduate who is a local attorney best known for his work in commercial real estate.
  • The Katherine and Dickerson Wright Presidential Chair in Computer Science and Entrepreneurship – established by Wake Forest parents who were founding partners of the Office of Personal and Career Development. Kathy, a University Trustee, serves on the Wake Will Campaign CORE Committee and the Wake Will Campaign California Bay Area Regional Committee.
  • The Burchfield Presidential Chair of Political Economy – established by Bobby Burchfield (’76), a former vice chair of the board of trustees and a prominent Washington, D.C., attorney
  • The Larry J. and LeeAnn Merlo Presidential Chair for Communications and Entrepreneurship – established by the Merlos, Wake Forest parents. As president and CEO of CVS Health, Larry has taken strong steps in his organization’s commitment to public health.

Campus Climate Team announces new measures strengthening campus community

On behalf of the Campus Climate Implementation Team, this message was emailed to students, faculty and staff on Oct. 13:

Dear Wake Forest Community,

It is with great enthusiasm that the Campus Climate Implementation Team reports several community improvements.  Commissioned by Provost Rogan Kersh in the fall of 2015, the team is responsible for coordinating action items that resulted from the advocacy of student leaders and a series of campus dialogues to foster a more inclusive campus environment.

The team’s efforts, in partnership with campus departments across the university, have produced some promising outcomes including:

  • Scholarships from the Wake Will campaign totaling more than $55 million that will help reduce indebtedness of students receiving financial aid and support LGBTQ students;
  • Enhanced intercultural education offerings, including a faculty summer institute and first-year experience with sessions focused on diversity and inclusion, and a pilot first-year course with a major component on how to live in community;
  • Expanded and renovated spaces for students, including lounges and our Intercultural, Women’s, and LGBTQ Centers;
  • Innovative and ongoing training on unconscious bias and diversity for law enforcement on campus;
  • A comprehensive assessment plan is being developed to ensure accountability for advancing diversity and inclusion across the university

These are only a few of the changes that have happened as a result of the engagement and collective efforts of leaders in our community.  Members of the community are invited to ask questions and learn more over a meal with team members at one of the community meetings sponsored by the Campus Climate Implementation team. Registration is available under the Events tab at community.wfu.edu, in addition to a full list of campus improvements on the site.

Thank you for your support and commitment.

In partnership,

Dr. Barbee Oakes, Chief Diversity Officer
Dr. Lynn Sutton, Vice Provost

Co-Chairs of Campus Climate Implementation Team

Wake Will Picnic to be held Sept. 25

The Wake Will Picnic will be held for students, faculty and staff on Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Magnolia Patio (Reynolda Hall).

The free picnic, a celebration of Wake Will: The Campaign for Wake Forest, will offer an update of how the the most successful capital campaign in Wake Forest history is creating opportunity and strengthening the future of Wake Forest.

For Wake Forest staff working at University Corporate Center, a shuttle will offer rides from the doors of UCC  to Parking Lot C, next to Reynolda Hall, until 2 p.m.

Perkins named associate provost for Reynolda House, Gardens

Allison Perkins, the director of the Reynolda House Museum of American Art at Wake Forest University, poses outside the house on Tuesday, June 23, 2015.

In a move that re-unifies management of two historic parts of campus, Wake Forest has named Allison C. Perkins associate provost for Reynolda House and Reynolda Gardens effective Aug. 1, 2015. Perkins has been executive director of Reynolda House Museum of American Art since July 2006.

“Historic Reynolda is an important quadrant of our campus and part of what distinguishes this university from other campuses,” said President Nathan O. Hatch. “Allison is a vocal advocate for the property’s history and its future. It is a great advantage to have a leader with her experience in building and managing consensus among multiple entities and her skill in interpreting collections and historic sites now overseeing this part of our campus.”

Perkins will report to Hof Milam, executive vice president, on matters related to Reynolda Gardens. Milam said that the gardens and surrounding grounds, trails, wetlands, and meadow make up a special part of the University.

“I recall the 2013 photo essay in the Wake Forest Magazine and just how perfectly it captured all that is Reynolda Gardens,” he said. “As a former student and now staff member I share the love of this beautiful part of our campus that the contributors to that article expressed. Our Facilities staff members, led by Associate Vice President for Facilities and Campus Services John Shenette, and the Reynolda Gardens staff, led by Manager Preston Stockton, take excellent care of the grounds and gardens. I have great trust in the leadership of Allison in continuing to work closely with our staff in taking on management of this historic property for the University.”

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Wake Will campaign reaches half-billion dollar mark

A message from President Nathan Hatch to the Wake Forest Community.

Two years earlier than projected, Wake Will: The Campaign for Wake Forest has surpassed the half-billion dollar mark in total campaign commitments.

The University received over $100 million in gifts and commitments between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015, following our public launch of the campaign in October 2013.

When we launched Wake Will: The Campaign for Wake Forest, we did so with great ambition and transformational dreams. You can read more about the impact of this tremendous milestone in a related WFU news story, in a Q&A with Campaign Director Jay Davenport on Inside WFU, and on the campaign website.

As we enter year three of Wake Will, I would like to thank our entire campus community for the time, energy and resources you have committed to advance the work of Wake Forest thus far. Your support of Wake Will has moved us closer to fulfilling our mission, and I look forward to continuing the work together.

Sincerely,

Nathan O. Hatch

President

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