From Wente’s Desk

One of my favorite things about being part of a higher education community is the reliable rhythm of an academic year. The multiple beginnings, of the semesters and year as a whole, provide opportunities for excitement and starting anew. The multiple endings, likewise, bring opportunities […]

I find the nature of life at the cellular level fascinating. Though microscopic, individual cells are incredibly complex, they retain sophisticated mechanisms for staying the course and doing the particular work they are designed to do. Even in the most difficult circumstances, cells constantly adapt […]

There is something magical about springtime on a University campus. After the sometimes dark and cold of January and February, the days start to get longer, flowers and trees begin to bloom, and our community takes the rhythms of campus life outdoors. On an unseasonably […]

Anyone who has lived or worked in a college or university community knows how precious a campus can be. The academic buildings, classrooms, and library; residence halls and dining spaces; beautifully landscaped quads and towering spires. Campus places and spaces become dear to us as […]

Universities are inquisitive communities, always asking questions and seeking answers. We also acknowledge that definitive answers are not based on one dialogue, or one experiment, or one creative work. Consensus comes from rigorous debate by a community of experts, a consensus that is informed by […]

The inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, once said, “great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds.”  As a scientist, I’ve seen this assertion play out many times — and in real time — both in my own career and those […]

Over the past year, I have learned so much about all the different ways our university works with our city, region and state. As a great university, our reach is broad; yet, a critical role we play locally is contributing to the economic development of […]

As a great university, Wake Forest is called to continually build upon our strong foundation and strive for excellence. Across the last four decades, we have been guided by several strategic plans with the most recent conceived between 2007-09. Each moved the University as a […]

With the summer now fully upon us, there are many different paces and rhythms across our campus community. For some, summer is a time to reset and plan for the Fall semester. For others — such as our facilities staff, our financial units and those […]

While commencement festivities this month marked the beginning of our graduates’ next adventures, they also signaled the completion of our 2021-22 academic year.  This year’s events were especially beautiful — returning to Hearn Plaza and with Baccalaureate and five separate hooding ceremonies in Wait […]