Stories this week at Wake Forest University

NEARLY 1/3 CALL NORTH CAROLINA HOME — This year’s freshman class represents 41 states and 15 foreign countries. North Carolina is home to 31 percent of them. Ninety-nine percent of incoming students will live on campus. Nearly half of the 496 men and 516 women in the incoming class were ranked in the top 5 percent of their high school graduating classes. For a more detailed profile of the freshman class, click here.

STUDENTS PICK UP LAPTOP COMPUTERS AUG. 21 — It’s the part of the package freshmen look forward to most—their new ThinkPad computer. New students will pick up their laptop computer and printer from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 21 in the Information Systems Building, Rooms 224 and 225. To arrange coverage, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-7237.

99 PERCENT OF FRESHMEN REFLECTED ON SEPT. 11 FOR ADMISSIONS ESSAYS — Lauren Bienemann, an incoming freshman from New Jersey, had planned to write one of her Wake Forest admission essays on her experience in Italy playing in a volleyball tournament when she was 16. But after the events of Sept. 11—when Lauren’s uncle was among the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center—she changed her mind. “Prior to Sept. 11, the experience seemed to suit this essay perfectly,” she wrote. “But in light of recent events, my past insecurities seem so trivial.” Martha Allman, Wake Forest’s director of admissions, says approximately 99 percent of this year’s freshman class had a similar reaction. “Many of our students were working on their applications during that time and it obviously had a major impact on them,” she said. Time will tell if the memories of Sept. 11 will affect their college experience. Lauren, for one, thinks it will. “Hopefully it means people my age are more aware of what is going on in the world,” she said. For more information, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

FRESHMEN COME EARLY TO VOLUNTEER — Before they register for classes at Wake Forest, a group of about 50 freshmen will take part in a four-day “urban plunge.” S.P.A.R.C. (Students Promoting Responsibility and Action to the Community) is a program designed by the Office of Volunteer Services to show students first-hand the important role that community service plays in the life of the university. The incoming students will cook meals at the homeless shelter, host an ice cream social for the elderly, mentor young children and work with other community programs. The students will be working in area agencies on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20. For more information, contact Cheryl Walker at walkercv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

CLASS IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND — When classes begin Aug. 28, students in one of Wake Forest’s health and exercise science classes will have a palm-size assistant for group work, class presentations and other projects. They will be using the Wake Forest-designed PocketClassroom software on hand-held computers called iPAQs. The software lets professors conduct impromptu quizzes to see if students understand the material during class and features its own Web server, allowing the professor to launch class-specific Web sites and PowerPoint presentations from the palm of a hand. More than 30 schools and institutions have already downloaded the program from the university Web site. For more information, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

STUDENTS EXPECT HEALTHIER OPTIONS — Junk food like burgers and pizza may still top the list of college students’ favorite comfort foods, but the tastes of the 18-24 age group continue to get healthier. According to “Current Trends in Campus Dining,” a recent study conducted by Aramark, 70 percent of college-age students said they were concerned with nutrition in their daily lives. A new health-food corner offering fruits and fresh vegetables will be nestled next to the typical fare of Snickers, frozen pizzas and potato chips at Wake Forest’s popular Sundry Shops this fall. For more information, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

HOW INVOLVED SHOULD PARENTS BE DURING FRESHMAN YEAR? — They’ve unpacked the crates, helped hang posters and made the bed for their new freshman. Now what? “The most successful parents are the ones who walk the fine line between engagement and letting go,” says Paul Orser, dean of freshmen at Wake Forest. “It is the excesses— too much control, too much contact— that hinder a student’s development.” Instead of jumping in to solve problems on campus for the student, Orser suggests parents should encourage students to use the resources of the university, such as the counseling center, the writing center, faculty advisors, tutors and resident advisors. “Allowing them to make some mistakes is a sign of confidence from the parent, not a sign of abandonment,” adds Johnne Armentrout, assistant director of Wake Forest’s counseling center. To arrange an interview with Orser or Armentrout, contact Cheryl Walker at walkercv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

FIRST-YEAR LAW STUDENTS BUILD ‘HABITATS’ — On Aug. 21, first-year law students will participate in the school’s second annual day of service. The organizers, a Wake Forest student group called the Public Interest Law Organization, hope to encourage a commitment to community service and later legal pro bono work as lawyers. Two groups, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, will work with Habitat for Humanity on sub-floors and foundations for houses on Edward Street in south Winston-Salem. To arrange coverage, contact Melanie Nutt at 758-5705.