A message from President Wente

Dear Wake Forest community: 

With a sense of gratitude and optimism, I write today to share a personal decision. After considerable reflection, I have decided to conclude my presidency on June 30, 2026, at the end of my fifth year. Following a sabbatical, I plan to return to my roots as a faculty member, focused on mentoring and advancing science in service to society. 

In higher education, timing is critical, and I believe now is the right moment to begin this transition. This is because Wake Forest is in a strong, stable, and even enviable position among the nation’s universities. And with nine months to carefully plan before June 30, I am confident our University is well-positioned to attract an extraordinary new leader. By building on all we have accomplished together during my presidency, the smoothest possible transition will be ensured. Overall, I made this decision as part of careful succession planning in partnership with Board of Trustees leadership, honoring our shared commitment to the long-term strength and success of Wake Forest.

Across my presidency, Wake Forest has risen to the challenges and opportunities of our time and planned for the future. Our Strategic Framework and the financial plan supporting it ensure we are centered on our mission, our motto, and our academic excellence. We have expanded access and affordability through initiatives like the For Humanity scholarship drive, an early action pathway for first-generation students, and the North Carolina Gateway to Wake Forest University. Our student-centered focus is reflected in both student demand for admission and our fundraising outcomes, reaching record highs. We continue to compete at the highest levels of college athletics – including winning national championships –  in an ever-evolving and complex landscape. We are also renewing and revitalizing our campuses and communities – from opening a second medical campus in Charlotte, to advancing our near-term space strategy for our beautiful Reynolda campus, to the transformational redevelopment of The Grounds in Winston-Salem.

Together, we have accomplished so much. I am truly grateful for the contributions of so many who enhanced how we care for our people – opening our first childcare center, honoring our history through memorialization plans and honorific naming of campus roads and buildings, and launching Wake Forest’s first comprehensive assessments of campus climate. These collective efforts reflect my vision for Wake Forest as a true catalyst for good in compelling and important ways that serve our students, our communities and humanity.  

At heart, I am still the small-town girl from Iowa whose life was changed forever by the gift of higher education. Universities made it possible for me to dream beyond what I could see; I never imagined I would one day lead a great national university. Serving as Wake Forest’s 14th president is the honor of my career, and I am humbled to be the first woman to hold this role. I am deeply grateful for this community. I look forward to our remaining months together, and I am filled with hope for all that lies ahead.

With deepest gratitude, 

Susan R. Wente, Ph.D.

President
Distinguished University Professor of Biology and Biochemistry 

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NOTE: A related news story is available here.