Speeches Archive

Please join me in thanking your families and friends – both for the role they played in getting you here and for being here to celebrate you and lift up the Class of 2023.

Delivered in Wait Chapel on Feb. 16, 2023. Remarks as prepared. View Full Video Welcome, everyone. It is wonderful to be with you to celebrate Wake Forest’s 2023 Founders Day. We are especially humbled by the attendance of Provost Emeritus Dr. Ed Wilson, and […]

Good afternoon! Thank you Professor Banks for that kind introduction and for your leadership as President of the Faculty Senate. And my appreciation also to the Faculty Senate for co-hosting this event, and the Demon Divas for your welcoming performance. Finally, my thanks to all of you for joining me on this Thursday before Thanksgiving. We have much to reflect upon and much to be thankful for.

Remarks as prepared Thank you, Reverend Auman, for your thoughtful invocation and your commitment to our Wake Forest community.  And to the deans, chairs and professors, and to the incredible staff gathered, thank you for joining us at the new student convocation. Class of 2026 […]

Good morning, Wake Forest! It is so great to be here. To all the family members and friends joining us today, welcome to campus! We are here today to celebrate an amazing cohort of graduating students, to recognize their accomplishments, and to mark a new chapter in their personal and professional lives. So, before we go any further, let me say to our seniors, to the class of 2022: YOU DID IT. Let’s hear it for them.

Delivered in Wait Chapel on May 15, 2022. Remarks as prepared To our families, friends, and visitors today, on behalf of the entire Wake Forest community, welcome to campus.  We’re here to honor our graduating students — though of course most of you haven’t quite graduated yet. […]

(remarks as prepared) My thanks to all of you for being here today. I’m so honored to stand before you as Wake Forest’s 14th president. There are many people I would like to recognize and thank— please forgive me for not mentioning everyone by name. […]

Delivered in Wait Chapel on Feb. 17, 2022. Remarks as prepared. View Full Video Welcome to our 2022 Founders’ Day Convocation. This is my first Founders’ Day on campus, as it may be for many of you, and I’m delighted we can meet together […]

Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente shares her thoughts about working together to overcome safety concerns.

On November 19, 2021, Dr. Susan R. Wente delivered her first presidential address as the 14th president of Wake Forest University. In her remarks, she shared about her journey of discovery, engagement and initial observations. Watch the video or read the text of the speech […]