Yesterday Wake Forest University raised more than $500,000 for the Wake Forest Fund, shattering goals in its first-ever 24-hour fundraising blitz called #Wake500.

Thanks to the generosity of more than 1,800 donors – 1,300 more than the initial goal of 500 and the most ever in a single day in the school’s history – the money will support key University priorities such as student aid, faculty development, emerging programs for students, library and technology resources, and facilities renovations through the annual fund.

Because tuition and the endowment cover only a portion of what is needed to sustain and enhance our tradition of excellence, gifts to the annual fund ensure support to the University’s most critical needs.

Rather than taking a traditional approach to a 24-hour pledge drive, the Office of University Advancement engaged alumni and friends in unexpected ways:

• Developing a modern motion graphics video and webpage presence that confronted conventional hesitations about giving to the annual fund with an unconventional presentation that included zombies and hot dogs.
• Spearheading an email teaser campaign and follow-up phone calls to motivate day-of giving.
• Using social media – including the Twitter hashtag #wake500 and a Facebook album of real donors sharing their personal “I give because…” stories.

The initial challenge was to raise $100,000 from 500 donors. One alumnus had agreed to give a matching donation of $100,000, while another pledged $25,000 for donor participation. Wake Forest surpassed both of these goals by mid-day, and another $25,000 gift was given once the total participation levels reached 1,000 donors.

“We wanted to do something fun, fresh and meaningful to connect with our alumni this time of year,” said Mark Petersen, Vice President for University Advancement. “I am overwhelmed by how the creative energy of our team motivated the generous spirit of so many Wake Foresters in just one day. Thanks to everyone who shared the video, retweeted a message or shared a Facebook status to spread the word to their friends.”

Wake Forest’s fiscal year ends June 30, 2013. More information about the Wake Forest Fund is available at giving.wfu.edu.

About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.

Wake Forest University will host one of four International Baccalaureate World Student Conferences June 24-28. Other conference sites include Hong Kong, Coventry, UK, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The five-day conference at Wake Forest will bring together 120 IB students and educators worldwide to examine the theme “Social Justice: Contemplating the Past, Confronting the Future.”

Students will attend from China, Denmark, Guatemala, Uganda and a dozen other countries.

During the conference, high school students will explore historical connections, judicial actions, social entrepreneurship and educational policy in the context of social justice.

They will tour the International Civil Right Museum; participate in a Generation Y World Café; examine the Darryl Hunt Innocence Project; and create a Global Village Gallery.

The IB program is a rigorous course of study that presents a liberal arts curriculum from a global perspective, university-level work, and required examinations that are developed and marked on an international standard. Wake Forest has participated in the IB/WFU partnership with local IB schools since 2008.

“Pursuing and excelling in the most rigorous curriculum signals academic motivation and intellectual curiosity and suggests that a student is well prepared for academically strenuous college classes,” Dean of Admissions Martha Allman wrote in a guest column highlighting the benefits of the IB curriculum for the Washington Post.

Find out more about the conference on the IB World Conference website.

On June 24 at 7 p.m., Wake Forest Provost Rogan Kersh will lead a “Generation Y World Café” to discuss global issues.

Allman is available for interviews the week of the conference, and media are invited to cover the conference.

Wake Forest Department of Communication, Wake Forest Office of Admissions and the IB Schools of North Carolina are sponsoring the conference.

 The Wake Forest Museum of Anthropology’s new featured exhibit, “Descendants of the Maya: Photography by Dr. Morton W. Huber,” will open on Tuesday, June 4 and remain on display through August 30, 2013.

The exhibit focuses on 27 black-and-white photographs that depict Maya people, traditional craft activities, archaeological sites and colonial constructions in Guatemala during the 1960s. The artist also contributed textiles and other items he collected at the time to the exhibit.

Huber, a biochemist by training, is also an accomplished artist and photographer. His art and photography have been featured in three books and galleries in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Japan. He maintains an active studio in his High Point home.

The Museum of Anthropology is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Admission is free.

The Special Collections & Archives Department, located in the Z. Smith Reynolds Library at Wake Forest University, has been awarded the Davis C. Woolley Award for Achievement in Assessing and Preserving Baptist History. 

Presented by the president of the Society on May 22 during the annual meeting of the Baptist History and Heritage Society, the award is given to an individual or a state program that demonstrated great progress and achievements during the preceding calendar year.

The North Carolina Baptist Historical Collection at Wake Forest (also known as the Ethel Taylor Crittenden Collection in Baptist History) documents the history of North Carolina Baptist churches, institutions, and individuals. The collection contains materials on Southern, Missionary, Primitive, African-American, Union and Alliance of Baptist churches. These materials include over 16,000 books, periodicals, association annuals and other printed materials. In addition, there are more than 1,000 biographical folders containing information on and photographs of Baptist pastors and Wake Forest alumni. 

Over the past year, the Department has partnered with UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University on a grant project called Religion in North Carolina, answered numerous reference questions and processed several important Baptist collections, including those of Warren Carr, Wayne Oates and Bill Leonard. Especially noteworthy are the papers of Henlee Barnette, who was a Wake Forest alumnus, professor of Christian Ethics at Southern Baptist Seminary, civil rights activist, writer and speaker.

Davis C. Woolley served as the second executive secretary-treasurer of the Historical Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1959 to 1971. In his honor, the Historical Commission established the Davis C. Woolley Award in 1991. The purpose of the award is to encourage creativity and excellence in state Baptist history programs, including all organizations involved in assessing and preserving Baptist history.

The Baptist History and Heritage Society is a non-profit, national, independent, diverse organization of Baptist historians and other individuals and partner institutions committed to communicating the story of Baptists through the study, interpretation, publication and advocacy of Baptist history: www.baptisthistory.org

Wake Forest’s commencement ceremony remains on schedule to be held outside on Hearn Plaza at 9 a.m. Monday, May 20.

Weather forecasts currently call for a possibility of light, scattered showers in this area on Monday morning. Severe weather is not expected, according to multiple local meteorologists the University has consulted.

If plans change due to unexpected severe weather, the University will inform local news media, place information prominently on the University’s website (www.wfu.edu) and send an email message to graduates by 7 a.m. Monday.

Because the ground is expected to be wet and showers may be in the area, the University encourages everyone attending to dress accordingly. Some may want to bring a raincoat, plastic poncho or hat to wear, as well as shoes appropriate for damp ground. Open umbrellas during the ceremony are strongly discouraged.

Live streaming is planned for the commencement ceremony at http://go.wfu.edu/livestream. The live stream also will be broadcast on the University’s cable TV channel and can be seen in Pugh Auditorium in Benson University Center.

Additional details on commencement weekend are available at http://commencement.wfu.edu.

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About Wake Forest University: Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.

Wake Forest University will be closed to through traffic for its commencement ceremony Monday, May 20, from 5:30 a.m. until the ceremony ends around noon. Gwen Ifill, moderator and managing editor of “Washington Week” and senior correspondent for the “PBS NewsHour” will deliver Wake Forest’s 2013 commencement address on May 20 to more than 1,600 graduate and undergraduate students.

Commencement parking passes and commencement tickets are required to enter campus and attend the event.  Passes and tickets are reserved for graduates and their guests. Those without commencement parking passes will not be allowed to enter campus.

Traffic at the University’s Reynolda Road, Polo Road and University Parkway entrances is likely to be heavy. Anyone not attending the commencement ceremony should plan to take alternate routes around campus.

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By saving 139,196 gallons of water, Wake Forest University placed among the top five schools in the country in the Campus Conservation Nationals 2013 competition for greatest average reduction of water usage in residence halls.

More than 120 colleges and universities participated in the three-week competition.

From Feb. 4 to April 26, campus teams for residence halls tracked their energy conservation efforts using the Building Dashboard.  In addition to water usage, they also tracked electricity usage in residence halls. Wake Forest collectively saved 74,789 kilowatt hours of electricity during the competition.

Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN) is the largest nationwide electricity and water reduction competition on college and university campuses. In its third year, CCN gives a common voice and motivation to hundreds of thousands of students, all working together to reduce consumption.

Ravish Paul, Wake Forest’s energy manager, facilitated the University’s participation in the competition in partnership with Residence Life and Housing office. Claire Nagy-Kato, a Wake Forest junior and an intern for the Office of Energy Management, helped coordinate Wake Forest’s efforts.

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About Wake Forest University:  Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.

Members of the media are invited to attend Wake Forest University’s commencement ceremony Monday, May 20. Gwen Ifill, moderator and managing editor of “Washington Week” and senior correspondent for the “PBS NewsHour” will deliver Wake Forest’s 2013 commencement address.

The outdoor ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. on Hearn Plaza (the Quad). The event is not open to the public and parking passes will be required to enter campus. To ensure access to campus for your staff, please request passes by May 16.  All members of the media are also asked to carry their own media credentials. Early morning television crews may arrive as early as 5 a.m.

Parking:

Reserved media parking will be on Davis Field, near Scales Fine Arts Center. Media must enter campus through the Reynolda Road entrance. Reserved parking for television trucks only will be in Parking Lot B, located between Taylor and Davis residence halls on the Reynolda Road (west) side of campus.  Because of heavy traffic, all members of the media are encouraged to allow plenty of time to park and set up on Hearn Plaza.  Here’s a link to a campus map.

Members of the media are encouraged to enter Hearn Plaza through the access point from Parking Lot B and will need their media passes.

Seating:

Reserved media seating will be in the front row. Direct audio feeds and power outlets will be provided.

In case of rain, the commencement ceremony will be moved to Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum and begin at 9:30 a.m. Media will be notified by early morning May 20 if the rain plan is put into effect.  More information regarding media arrangements for the coliseum will be distributed as needed.

Here’s a link to commencement-related story ideas.

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About Wake Forest University:

Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.

Many Americans struggle when it comes to basic math and science. This well-documented fact is a big problem for millions of displaced workers in a job market dominated by a burgeoning high-tech sector. It is also the driving force behind the efforts of Wake Forest University and Forsyth Technical Community College to introduce a new kind of e-textbook to biology classrooms.

Biobook is an electronic learning tool that offers content in an unconventional way. Unlike the thick and convoluted textbook of old, Biobook is accessible by smart-phone, tablet or computer. Developed by Wake Forest researchers, it breaks down complex and lengthy topics into small, manageable chunks of knowledge that can be changed and updated as educators see fit. It also provides students instant access to multimedia from national research organizations such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in addition to traditional text, class lectures and practice quizzes.

Within three years, the approximately $30 Biobook is expected to replace the $200+ paper textbooks of up to 1,200 students taking general biology at Wake Forest and Forsyth Tech. More students and schools are expected join the initiative as well, said Dan Johnson, Biobook’s principal developer and a senior biology lecturer at Wake Forest University.

The new collaborative initiative officially kicked off late last month. Michael Ayers, dean of Forsyth Tech’s Math Science and Technology Division, said it will be incorporated into a multi-state $15 million Department of Labor initiative (led by Forsyth Tech) to help displaced workers find a new home in the 21^st century workforce.

“We particularly appreciate that Biobook can be offered to students at little to no cost,” he said.  “This is important because many students struggle to purchase science books that may cost hundreds of dollars.”

Ayers said the new initiative is part of a longstanding relationship between Wake Forest and Forsyth Tech. For example, Forsyth’s nanotechnology students learn how to work with electron microscopes at Wake Forest. “We hope to continue to strengthen our partnership by helping to improve Biobook and by working together to produce other science books,” Ayers said.

Johnson said the Biobook takes material and content developed in a biology for non-majors class and puts it into a malleable and easy-to-access format so that educators, regardless of institution, can use the material and evaluate it as they see fit. “So rather than constantly reinventing the wheel,” he said. “If something works, it is already in a sharing and ready to go format.”

Johnson and Jim Curran, chair of Department of Biology at Wake Forest, just wrapped up the first semester with Biobook as the sole resource for their biology for non-majors classes.  Slides, lecture notes, and supplemental material were added to the book’s data bank as the semester went on, giving students a wealth of new information to choose from, Curran said. “It is something I think students find very helpful and I plan on using in future classes.”

Rachel Cox, a sophomore in Johnson’s class, said she uses links and built-in material that her professor added to help explain unfamiliar concepts. “If a page uses an unfamiliar word, there’s usually a hyperlink on the word that will lead to its definition,” said Cox. “Features like this make it better than many of the textbooks I’ve used in the past.”

Perhaps the most useful aspect of Biobook will be its adaptability. Johnson said it will enable both teachers and researchers to track what learning tools worked for students at the end of the semester. Educators can then use this data to hone future lesson plans based on what is most effective for their particular brand of student. “The Biobook by definition is a big data set generator,” Johnson said. “If you see that a particular resource isn’t working or doesn’t fit the way a particular group of students likes to learn, then you can change it.”

Johnson said Biobook has the potential to tackle some of the big questions emerging around the 21^st century classroom-like whether or not to incorporate social media as a learning tool. “The data is going to allow us to ask these really interesting questions that will help to improve electronic learning materials in the classroom,” he said.

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To arrange an interview with Dan Johnson or a student, contact the Wake Forest news office. Michael Ayers at Forsyth Technical Community College can be reached at mayers@forsythtech.edu or 336-734-7478.

 About Wake Forest University:  Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.

SPEAKERS:

Commencement: Gwen Ifill, moderator and managing editor of “Washington Week” and senior correspondent for the “PBS NewsHour” will deliver Wake Forest’s 2013 commencement address on Monday, May 20. The commencement ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. on Hearn Plaza.

Baccalaureate: Dr. Carolyn Y. Woo, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States, will deliver the baccalaureate address on Sunday, May 19. The baccalaureate ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. in Wait Chapel.

The news office will issue a separate media advisory with logistical details for commencement weekend. Media and photography passes may be reserved now.

STORY IDEAS:

Bucking the Trend to Help Students Get Jobs — Did you know that 95% of WFU’s Class of 2012 reported being employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation, according to first destination survey results (compared to 66% nationally; source: NACE)? While the average college has slashed its career office budget by 16%, Wake Forest is bucking the trend – and it’s paying off. In three years, Wake Forest has raised more than $10 million for its Office of Personal and Career Development (OPCD) to invest in a state-of-the-art new office, unique “College to Career” courses, enhanced employer relations and quadrupling the size of the staff. Today, under vice president Andy Chan’s leadership, Wake Forest is known as a national leader in personal and career development.

2013 Job Outlook — Because Wake Forest has made personal and career development a mission-critical component of the college experience, Mercy Eyadiel, executive director of employer relations, and other OPCD experts can talk about the increase in campus recruiting this year, where students are finding jobs and the latest employment numbers. They can address topics such as:

• Job prospects for 2013 grads vs. recent years;
• What WFU does to help prepare students for life (and work) after college;
• How grads can make the most of their time if they don’t have a job yet;
• How to effectively market a liberal arts or humanities degree;
• When to take (or pass on) an opportunity that’s not your “dream” job
• Tips for getting along with a new boss.

Time to Link In — Ladd Flock, associate director of College To Career Community Partnerships, says students need to think about what they have posted on their social media profiles as they graduate and look for new careers. “This is the time to remove photos or updates that don’t show you off in the most professional light, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity to proactively demonstrate your readiness for that first job out of school,” Flock says. “Prospective employers will Google you. What will they find? That’s your new first impression.”  He says LinkedIn can be particularly helpful for new graduates, and he can provide specific tips for leveraging other social media in the job hunt. The Wake Forest Career Connectors LinkedIn group currently has more than 6,300 students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff – a sizeable number for a school with just 55,000 living alumni.

Graduating Green — Graduation gowns made from recycled bottles are the latest trend.  A Triad area company makes the fabric used in the gowns Wake Forest grads will wear as they get their diplomas.  This is the fourth year Wake Forest has chosen to use the recycled plastic gowns. Students are available to talk about how this year’s seniors have focused on sustainability.  Graduating seniors also sign a pledge showing their commitment to sustainability after they leave campus.

Trash to Treasure: Deacs Donate Program Reduces Waste — When students move out of residence halls at the end of the academic year, they donate truckloads of carpets, lamps, ironing boards, chairs and hundreds of other items to the Salvation Army through the DEACS Donate program. Organized by students in cooperation with Residence Life and Housing staff, DEACS Donate makes it easier for students to recycle clothing, small appliances and household items they plan to discard. Wake Forest partners with The Salvation Army to collect the items for the community. Last year, they collected more than 7,000 pounds of donated goods. Wake Forest and Salvation Army volunteers will pick up collected items from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.  May 7 to 10 and again on May 20 after commencement ceremonies conclude. More details.

First test-optional class — The Class of 2013 is the first test-optional class, meaning students did not have to submit an SAT or ACT score for admission. Today, Wake Forest remains the most prestigious national university not to require standardized tests. Dean of Admissions Martha Allman can discuss how this landmark decision has made the student body – starting with the Class of 2013 – academically stronger, and more racially and socio-economically diverse.

INTERESTING STUDENT STORIES

Not your everyday, small market reporting — Jawad Wahabzada was recently named a fellow for the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. He will travel to Rio de Janeiro to report on the 170,000 Brazilians who may be relocated from their homes as the city makes room for construction and infrastructure projects to accommodate the millions of expected visitors for the 2014 World Cup.

Socially conscious Gen Y — Kelly Chervin, a senior sociology major from Bedford, N.Y., has worked tirelessly to engage students in social issues while seeking to integrate education and reflection more fully into Wake Forest service programs. Winner of the Change Maker Award for Social Justice, she spent the past summer interning with CHANGE (Communities Helping All Neighbors Gain Empowerment). After graduation, Kelly will pursue her passion for education and her dedication to service with Teach For America in New Orleans.

Football and Fulbright — Jason Green, a biology major from White Plains, N.Y., travelled to South Africa to study both the research side and the business side of treatments for cardiovascular disease to learn better how to combat heart disease in developing countries. In the fall, Jason will study medicine in Sweden as a Fulbright scholar. In addition to his major in biology, Jason earned a minor in anthropology and played football during his time at Wake Forest.

Studying baby gorillas – Diana Simpson, an anthropology major from Southern Pines, N.C., has done research for the past year on the baby gorillas at the North Carolina Zoo. She has several offers to work as a research assistant in the Raleigh area after graduation. The two gorillas were born in Asheboro in August. For her senior research thesis, Simpson had the rare opportunity to study the parenting styles of two different gorilla moms as they raise their infants.

Starting their careers at their alma mater –

Winston-Salem native Mark Covington, Jr., was excited to spend more time in his hometown of Winston-Salem as a fellow in the Office of University Advancement, and do some traveling as well. “There’s still a lot for me to learn here. It’s a good place to make connections with alumni and see the university from a different side,” said the psychology major, who wants to pursue a career in higher ed.

As an associate in Information Systems, Kory Riemensperger, an English and communication double-major from Jacksonville, N.C., is one of 15 graduates hired to bring a student perspective to many administrative functions at the University.

About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.