Stories this week at WFU

WFU DEBATE SPECIALIST COACHES DOLE IN SENATE RACE – Allan Louden, associate professor of communication and director of the debate program at Wake Forest, was part of an elite consultation group for senator-elect Elizabeth Dole’s campaign. Louden, an expert on debate who has published papers on audience recall in debates, advised Dole on the approach she should take on choosing whether or not to debate, as well as helping stage debate scenarios for practice. His top three tips for Dole: remember that a debate is not different from what you already do on a daily basis; work with strengths rather than change your approach; and remember that less is more. Louden has helped lead the Wake Forest debate team to a top ten ranking in compiled national tournament results since 1988, the longest streak in the nation. To arrange an interview with Louden, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AT KRISPY KREME – What are companies doing to increase public confidence in the post-Enron world? Krispy Kreme CFO Randy Casstevens will answer that question for his company at a Nov. 14 lecture at the Calloway School of Business and Accountancy. Casstevens will present “Krispy Kreme’s Recipe for Corporate Responsibility” at 11 a.m. in Tribble Hall’s DeTamble Auditorium. The lecture is part of the Joseph A. Jones Finance Lecture Series. To arrange coverage of Casstevens’ lecture, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

ANCIENT BURIAL BOX COULD GIVE CLUES TO JESUS – Two Wake Forest religion professors say a burial box recently made public could have given significant clues to the origins of Jesus – if it had been found by experts working in the field on a secure archaeological dig. The box, known as an ossuary, dates to the first century and carries the inscription “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” “We can’t draw any firm conclusions from the ancient ossuary because it was robbed,” says Kenneth Hoglund, professor of religion at Wake Forest who has worked on several archaeological digs in the Middle East. “If we had a tomb that it was found in that had some indications of early Christianity apart from Judaism, we might be able to say that there is a pretty good chance it is authentic,” he says. Hoglund and Wake Forest colleague Fred Horton, the Albritton Professor of the Bible, have both supervised digs in the Middle East. They say the way in which the burial box was found is “heartbreaking.” To arrange an interview with Hoglund or Horton, contact Jacob McConnico at mcconnjn@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

CONSUL OF MEXICO, COMMUNITY LEADERS TO OPEN NEW EXHIBIT—Armando Ortiz Rocha, the new consul of Mexico in Raleigh, will be the guest of honor at a reception marking the opening of the new exhibit “Worldviews: Maya Ceramics from the Palmer Collection” at the Museum of Anthropology. Local Hispanic leaders will also attend the event from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 10. The Consul of Mexico will make brief remarks at about 3:45 p.m. The exhibit, containing 35 ceramic objects, nine jade objects and one stone object, runs through Jan. 31. To arrange coverage of the event and a tour of the exhibit, contact the News Service at 336-758-5237.

WFU GUEST LECTURER TO DISCUSS ISRAELI CIVIL LIBERTIES – Menachem Hofnung, director of the Joint Graduate Program in Public Policy and Law at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, will give a lecture, “Civil Liberties in Post 9-11 Democratic Society: A Perspective from Israel,” at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 in the law auditorium of the university’s Worrell Professional Center. Hofnung has done extensive research on constitutional politics, campaign finance and national security in Israel. He is the author of “Democracy, Law and National Security in Israel.” The lecture is the third in a series of six talks in the ongoing series, “Living with the Legacy of Sept. 11,” sponsored by the university’s political science department. To arrange coverage of the lecture, contact Jacob McConnico at mcconnjn@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

WFU BIBLICAL SCHOLAR TO SIGN COPIES OF NEW BOOK – During his ongoing lecture and book signing tour, Brad R. Braxton has been encouraging African-Americans to think new thoughts about what the Bible means for their life. He says his new book, “No Longer Slaves: Galatians and African American Experience,” is a resource for biblical scholars and a tool to help African-Americans achieve intellectual freedom. Braxton, the Jessie Ball duPont Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Biblical Studies at Wake Forest’s Divinity School, will sign copies of his new book from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 13 at the College Book Store on campus. To arrange an interview with Braxton, contact Jacob McConnico at mcconnjn@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

STUDENTS TAKE THE SHOW WITH NEW PLAY— The Anthony Aston Players, a Wake Forest student theatre group, will present “Wisdom Teeth” Nov. 14 – 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ring Theatre of the Scales Fine Arts Center. “Wisdom Teeth” was written by Wake Forest sophomore J.M. Picard and will be directed by senior M. Alan English II. The play is about a couple who humorously tries to avoid divorce as they each unearth the other’s infidelities. This will be the first time in its history that a student-written play will be performed by the group. Picard and English are available for interviews about the production. To arrange an interview, contact Rachel Cook at cookrj@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

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