What’s it like at to live at Wake Forest? One way to find out is to look at the many ways students, faculty and staff build community. Its people are committed to making the world a better place on campus, within the community and beyond. Check out these highlights from the past school year.

From Columbia, S.C., to San Diego, Calif., Wake Forest alumni joined forces with their local communities May 31-June 3 to restore parks, plant fruits and vegetables, and collect food for the hungry. The national push to give back to the various places Demon Deacons call home was part of the second annual Pro Humanitate Days or 4Good.

Developed by WFU researchers, BioBook turns lengthy, complex topics into small, manageable chunks of knowledge that can be changed as educators see fit. Within three years, BioBook (about $30) is expected to replace paper textbooks ($200+) for students taking general biology at Wake Forest and Forsyth Technical Community College.

A senator, a humanitarian and a banker received the University’s 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of their extraordinary service to Wake Forest, their field, humanity or society. Richard Burr (’78), Jane Cage (’78) and Graham Denton Jr. (’67) were honored. Read their individual stories and watch tribute videos.

Rows of brightly colored desks lined the Magnolia Quad on April 16 as Wake Forest students painted more than 60 of them for Old Town Elementary School students. Some children even grabbed a brush to help.

Student groups came together to showcase the “Big Tent,” encouraging their peers to think about diversity and identity through art. The project was part of the University’s year-long Faces of Courage celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of integration.

The University’s first Latino graduates, Carlos Perez (’65) and Peter Bondy (’67), were honored March 21 during the Celebration of Latino Heritage March 21. The event was part of the ongoing Faces of Courage series.

Named to the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the University is one of 28 schools in North Carolina to be recognized for engaging its students, faculty and staff in meaningful service that achieves measurable results.

The Institute for Public Engagement has launched a new Public Engagement Fellows program to bolster support for students interested in pursuing careers in public service, public policy or public administration.

A successful second TEDxWakeForestU turns an experiment into a spring semester tradition. What did attendees think of this year’s event? Read their ideas captured through social media.