From Wente’s Desk

Character is forged in challenge, and integrity defines how we respond. Leading with character and integrity — especially at Wake Forest — means embracing what is distinctly human: community, creativity, and optimism. And my time as President of Wake Forest has only reinforced my belief […]

I have enjoyed seeing so many of you on campus this month, and I look forward to the beauty that the fall season brings here in North Carolina.  Last month, I wrote to you about our commitment to investing for strategic impact. I shared […]

August is here, and a distinct energy is again stirring on campus as we launch a new academic year. This sense of anticipation for all that is possible at the beginning of each semester at Wake Forest is unmistakable.  As we venture into this new […]

When I think of the summer, it often includes making a list of “to do” goals – the  most important of which is reflecting on the past academic year, planning for the next, AND diving into making time for reading. And, just as in the […]

Cheers to the Class of 2025! I hope everyone – newly minted alumni and their families, students, staff, and faculty – are settling in for a quieter week in the wake of our biggest celebrations of the year.  Busy though it is, Commencement Weekend is […]

Last week, Wake Forest welcomed EGOT-winning artist John Legend as the final speaker in this year’s Face to Face series. Before the event, I had the opportunity to speak with him backstage. What struck me most wasn’t his fame or accomplishments but his steady, […]

Though I serve as Wake Forest’s President today, my life and career are profoundly shaped by my work as a scientist. Building from my first lab experience as an undergraduate student to decades of running complex experiments with my graduate students and fellows as a […]

This coming Thursday we will gather in Wait Chapel for our traditional Founders Day celebration, marking 191 years of commitment to our academic mission. Reflecting on this commitment has been particularly poignant over the past several weeks as we are witnessing a rapidly changing landscape […]

Over winter break, I spent time thinking about my mentor and teacher, the late Dr. Howard Schachman. Last year, I was asked by the National Academy of Sciences to co-write a tribute to Howard, and it has been an honor to do so. Howard […]

Happy holidays to all! And congratulations on another exceptional semester! I sincerely hope that each and every one of you is wrapping up the semester with high hopes, and maybe a little bit of relief, and is looking forward to an extended winter […]