WFU in the news: March 21-27

FEATURED NEWS

Wake Forest celebrates its 14th president with inauguration ceremony
By Annette Ayres | Winston-Salem Journal
Wake Forest University formally welcomed Susan R. Wente as its 14th president with an installation ceremony on March 25. Those attending the ceremony gave her a standing ovation during her investiture. In addition to thanking many for their support, Wente also announced a goal to raise the money needed by the end of 2022 to support 100 new scholarships as part of the “For Humanity” initiative. – 3/25/2022

Visit Wake Forest News for complete coverage of inauguration day. 

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Calling Ukrainian refugees more ‘civilized’ than Syrians requires willful amnesia
By Oumar Ba, Lina Benabdallah, Elif Kalaycioglu | The Washington Post
Observers speak and write about the conflict in Ukraine in clear examples of willful amnesia. Some prominent figures describe the invasion as a “shock,” as if war on the European continent were a total abnormality. But the idea that Europe has been peaceful since 1945 requires ignoring significant parts of European history, such as the Kosovo War, or the 1992-1995 genocide of Bosnian Muslims, or the ongoing violence at European borders, writes politics and international affairs professor Lina Benabdallah in this co-authored opinion piece. – 3/22/2022

Everyone has unconscious biases — here’s how to identify, address, and overcome them
By Kelly Burch, Brad Brenner | INSIDER
Left unchecked, unconscious biases can lead to explicit bias, said counseling professor Nathaniel Ivers.​​ “There is a correlation between implicit bias and explicit bias. Unfavorable or overly favorable unconscious beliefs or attitudes about one group may lead to [conscious] unfair treatment of these groups. – 3/24/2022

The one key sign you’re dating a gaslighter
By Natalia Lusinski | The Zoe Report
Gaslighting “is used to avoid shame and the responsibility of poor choices or negative behaviors,” counseling expert Allison Forti, director of the Department of Counseling Online Programs at Wake Forest University. “Someone using gaslighting techniques is seeking to have power and control over their partner and they do this by creating seeds of doubt in their partner’s perception of events, reality, and memories.” Over time, this can chip away at the receiving partner’s identity and self-worth. – 3/21/2022

Telling the stories of the wrongly incarcerated
By Phoebe Zerwick | Literary Hub
In this piece, Phoebe Zerwick, director of Wake Forest’s journalism program and author of “Beyond Innocence: The Life Sentence of Daryl Hunt,” recommends other books about justice and the carceral state. – 3/17/2022

‘A new way in, a new perspective’
By Jay Mwamba | Irish Echo
“The book “Bone and Marrow/Cnámh agus Smior” is a product of much love and labor by editors Samuel K. Fisher and Brian Ó Conchubhair, along with a team of 24 scholars, each working within their own chronological and thematic areas of expertise,” said Jefferson Holdridge, the director of the Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest University Press. – 3/25/2022

Do sanctions work?
Mental Health News Radio Network
Ben Coates, a Wake Forest University professor, is investigating the history of economic sanctions in the 20th century. While these measures taken against Russia are unprecedented, such pressure on a country is usually effective 30% of the time. – 3/21/2022

REGIONAL & TRADE

Making a market
By John Downey | Charlotte Business Journal
Wake Forest finance professor Ajay Patel said that low interest rates meant to pump up the economy created additional demand for IPOs among investors as 2021 started. “Investors were looking for yield, and they were more willing to venture into riskier assets. I think the expectation, at least back then, was we had gotten Covid under control and if so, the economy will start coming back.” – 3/25/2022

New EPA Chicago boss envisions expansive interagency efforts
By Stephen Lee | Bloomberg Law: Environment
Stan Meiburg, director of the Master of Arts in Sustainability Program, praised the idea as a good way for the agency to flex its muscle. But he also said agencies shouldn’t underestimate the difficulty of teaming up with their federal partners. “It sounds simple, but working together is hard work. People bring their own histories, organizational routines, and cultures to the conversation. It could take time, but it’s well worth the effort and energy.” –3/22/2022

NIH funding supports 38,000 jobs, $5.8B of economic activity in NC
By Zac Ezzone | Triad Business Journal
Among all 50 states, North Carolina is within the top five of NIH funding recipients. This money, which the NIH awards to universities, private companies and other research organizations, supports billions of dollars in economic activity and tens of thousands of jobs. Wake Forest University was the third-largest recipient in North Carolina, receiving almost $125 million. – 3/22/2022

LOCAL

Let’s celebrate women in arts education
Yes! Weekly
March celebrates both Women’s History Month and Arts in Our Schools Month. Christina Soriano, vice provost of arts and interdisciplinary initiatives and associate professor of dance is highlighted. “I believe we are lifelong learners,” said Soriano. “I serve to facilitate the exchange of knowledge because I am learning from my students at the same time.” – 3/23/2022

WAKE FOREST NEWS

WFU, Guilford College co-hosting Universities Studying Slavery Symposium
By Laurie Willis | Wake Forest News
Wake Forest University and Guilford College are co-hosting the spring Universities Studying Slavery Conference, expected to bring scholars from throughout the country to the Triad. The four-day conference, titled “Pandemics, Protests and the Legacies of Slavery,” runs from Wednesday, March 30, to Saturday, April 2. – 3/21/2022

Wake Forest hosts day of service during presidential inauguration week
By Laurie Willis | Wake Forest News
Wake Forest University students, faculty, staff and alumni volunteered at “kit-packing” events on March 23 in a day of service that coincided with the upcoming presidential inauguration and will benefit local schoolchildren and homeless women. – 3/24/2022

Virtual event to highlight local historical figures of color
By Laurie Willis | Wake Forest News
Last year, as part of IdeasCityWS, The Winston-Salem Monuments Project showcased augmented reality monuments to local figures of historical significance during the October festival. The monuments are featured in an app called Kinfolk AR, which can be accessed via smartphones. – 3/22/2022