Stories this week at WFU
WFU MBA SCHOOL HOSTS MINORITY BUSINESS CONFERENCE — The North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development and Future Focus 2020 of the Wake Forest MBA program have partnered with GlaxoSmithKline to offer a conference tailored to privately-held minority businesses. The goal of the “Privately Held Minority Business Development Series,” which runs from Aug. 25-27 at Wake Forest, is to promote innovation, encourage professional growth, and advance the growth of minority businesses. The invitation-only conference features a variety of workshops led by professors in the university’s MBA school. Some topics for discussion during the program include “Leadership: Thinking Like a CEO,” “Understanding Your Customers Through Market Research,” “Developing Your Strategic Plan,” and “The Linkage Between Technology and Your Business.”
Contact: Dusty Donaldson, dusty.donaldson@mba.wfu.edu or 336-758-4454.
HATCH TO ADDRESS DIVINITY SCHOOL STUDENTS AUG. 30 — Nathan O. Hatch, the newly-appointed president of Wake Forest University, will help the Divinity School kick off its seventh academic year by delivering the school’s opening convocation address at 11 a.m. Aug. 30. The event is free and open to the public. Hatch will deliver the address “On Being Deliberate” during a ceremony which includes a welcome from Divinity School Associate Dean Katherine E. Amos, a call to confession and assurance of God’s grace from Associate Dean Jill Y. Crainshaw, an introduction of the speaker and benediction by Divinity School Dean Bill J. Leonard, scripture readings, and several musical selections. Convocation marks a new year for the Divinity School and its 100 students. The school welcomes 41 first-year students this year. The new students come to Wake Forest from 14 different states and represent seven religious denominations.
Contact: Jake McConnico, mcconnjn@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.
PSYCHOLOGIST FINDS SELF-COMPASSION HELPS PEOPLE COPE WITH FAILURE — High self-esteem may not be as important as high self-compassion in coping with negative life events, according to research by Wake Forest psychologist Mark Leary. “Although Western society has emphasized the importance of high self-esteem, the more important thing may be to have self-compassion, the ability to treat oneself kindly in the face of failure, rejection, defeat and other negative events,” Leary said. He conducted three studies that consistently showed self-compassion is beneficial in helping people cope with negative events in ways that are often different from and better than high self-esteem. He presented his findings at a meeting of the American Psychological Association Aug. 20.
Contact: Cheryl Walker, walkercv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.
HOT SUMMER READING: MIDDLE EASTERN BESTSELLER — Books that give a personal perspective of life in the Middle East are high on best-seller lists and on college summer reading lists. One such book, Azar Nafisi’s “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” was selected by Wake Forest as the orientation assignment for incoming freshmen. Wake Forest is one of at least six colleges and universities that selected a book from this popular new genre as its fall 2005 freshman reading assignment. Charles A. Kimball, professor of religion at Wake Forest and Islam expert, says this trend likely plays into the increased interest in Islam and a recognition of the need for an understanding of Islam that reaches beyond the stereotypes still espoused by many people. “Using best-selling books like these not primarily focused on Islam is a less threatening way to help put a human face on Muslims and hopefully, raise the level of informed discussion on our campuses and within the wider society,” Kimball said. As part of the university’s orientation-related events, Kimball will present a public talk titled “Politics, Society and Religion under Islam, Christianity and Judaism.”
Contact: Maggie Barrett, barretmb@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.
‘BRIDGING THE GAP’ WITH SOUTHEAST ASIA — The first exhibit of the Wake Forest Museum of Anthropology’s 2005-2006 season, “Bridging the Gap: Cultural Awareness through Artistic Presentation,” opens Aug. 30 and runs through Dec. 17. Created by curators Mickey Buckwalter and Lorelle Bacon, the exhibit features photographs, paintings and objects from traditional cultures in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. The exhibit includes 20 photographs taken during Buckwalter’s world travels; four oil portraits and one graphite drawing by Bacon that were inspired by Buckwalter’s photography; and 31 stone, fabric, wood and metal artifacts Buckwalter collected. In conjunction with the exhibit, Buckwalter and Bacon will present a free lecture on Myanmar (Burma) at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 in the museum. The Museum of Anthropology is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Contact: Cheryl Walker, walkercv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.
WAKE FOREST RANKS 27TH — Wake Forest ranks 27th for the second consecutive year among national universities in the new edition of U.S. News & World Report’s guide, “America’s Best Colleges.” Wake Forest tied with two other schools for 27th place. Of the schools listed in the top 30, Wake Forest had the lowest percentage of classes with 50 or more students. The university also fared well in other categories such as alumni giving and graduation and retention rates. The guide ranked Wake Forest’s Calloway School of Business and Accountancy 30th in its listing of the top undergraduate business programs along with four other schools. The ranking of the best business programs is based on a survey of deans and senior faculty at business schools across the country. Wake Forest was again ranked 36th on a list of “Great Schools, Great Prices.” The U.S. News rankings are posted on www.usnews.com. The newsstand book “America’s Best Colleges” and the weekly edition of U.S. News and World Report magazine containing some of the rankings went on sale Aug. 22.
Contact: Wake Forest News Service at 336-758-5237
ART EXHIBIT SEEKS U.S.-CHINA CULTURAL EXCHANGE — Wake Forest’s Charlotte and Philip Hanes Art Gallery opens the 2005-2006 season with “Misleading Trails,” an exhibition of contemporary Chinese and American artists, and “Cold Fusion,” a mixed-media presentation of Ethan Brock’s recent work. Both exhibits run Aug. 22 through Oct. 2. “Misleading Trails,” featured in the main gallery, is a collaborative effort by the exhibiting artists to foster communication and exchange among artists in China and the United States. Organized by the artists, China Art Archives and Warehouse in Beijing and Samek Art Gallery at Bucknell University, the exhibit features diverse themes and mediums. In conjunction with the exhibit, Dan Mills, curator and exhibiting artist, will give a free lecture titled “‘Misleading Trails’ in Multiple Perspectives” at 2 p.m. Sept. 7 in Room 102, Scales Fine Arts Center. “Cold Fusion,” featured in the mezzanine gallery, is a presentation of ordinary, overlooked materials, such as wax, tar, hay, soil and pigment, transformed through burning and rubbing techniques. Admission is free. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 1-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Contact: Cheryl Walker, walkercv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.
FORBES MAGAZINE RECOGNIZES WFU MBA PROGRAM — Forbes magazine ranks two evening MBA programs at Wake Forest’s Babcock Graduate School of Management 12th in the nation. The part-time programs ranked include the evening program at the school’s Charlotte campus and the evening program at the Winston-Salem campus. This is the first year Forbes has ranked part-time MBA programs.
Contact: Dusty Donaldson,dusty.donaldson@mba.wfu.edu or 336-758-4454.
