Join us for Wake Forest Founders Day

The message below was sent by President Wente to the Wake Forest community.

You are cordially invited to Wake Forest Founders Day on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 4 p.m. in Wait Chapel.

Each year the University marks its founding in February of 1834 by coming together to celebrate and reflect on our traditions, our history and our people. Founders Day is also a moment to affirm the University’s motto — Pro Humanitate. This year’s program features the annual senior oration, musical selections, a celebration of Wake Forest milestones, and reflections from Vice President for Campus Life Shea Kidd Brown on the distinctive values that inspired our founding and continue to shape our vision for the future. President Susan R. Wente will also provide remarks.

During this year’s ceremony, the Medallion of Merit — the highest honor bestowed by Wake Forest for service to the University — will be awarded to retired women’s golf coach Dianne Dailey and Professor Emeritus of English Claudia Kairoff. Dailey was Wake Forest women’s golf coach for 30 years before retiring in 2018. The four-time ACC Coach of the Year led the Demon Deacons to 30 team titles and 38 individual titles. During Dailey’s tenure, women’s golf won four ACC championships and qualified for 15 NCAA championships. Kairoff taught English at Wake Forest from 1986 to 2022 and received the 1993 Reid-Doyle Prize for Excellence in Teaching. An exemplary teacher-scholar, she directed semesters abroad at Casa Artom in Venice and Worrell House in London. Kairoff is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking scholarship on 18th-century British women poets.

The ceremony will be livestreamed for those unavailable to attend in person.

The event will be followed by a light reception in the Green Room on the first floor of Reynolda Hall for all attendees.

Please register by February 8.