WFU in the news: March 13-19, 2023

FEATURED NEWS

WFU names Jackie Krasas Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
By Cheryl V. Walker | Wake Forest News
Wake Forest University has named Jackie Krasas as the new Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, effective July 1. A highly-regarded sociology and women’s, gender and sexuality studies scholar, Krasas comes to Wake Forest from Lehigh University, where she currently serves as deputy provost for faculty affairs. “Dr. Krasas brings extensive scholarship, teaching and administrative experience to her role as Dean,” said President Susan R. Wente. – 3/16/2023

Wake Forest organization to discuss culture and food access in Black communities
WXII-TV (Winston Salem, NC)
Wake Forest University will host a symposium about the various ways food connects with Black communities on Friday, March 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in Farrell Hall. “This will be an event that will be unique in that it will bring together scholars, chefs, restauranteurs, farmers and advocates for food access in urban communities,” said associate professor of religion and culture Derek Hicks. To conclude the symposium, Jessica B. Harris, American culinary historian and author of the New York Times Bestseller “High on the Hog,” will participate in a keynote discussion with culinary artist Gabrielle Etienne in Porter Byrum Welcome Center at 6 p.m. – 3/19/2023

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Brazil tackles illegal miners, but finds their mercury legacy harder to erase
By Sean Mowbray | Mongabay
As the details of the humanitarian crisis in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory unfold amid action to remove illegal miners, mercury left by the rampant gold mining in the area will remain a lingering toxic legacy. Experts say it’s no easy task to clean an area contaminated by mercury. But Luis Fernandez, executive director of Wake Forest’s Center for Amazonian Scientific Innovation (CINCIA), said he agrees that the kind of approach taken by the UFPA researchers in their Tapajós project is necessary to support Amazonian communities who are highly dependent on fish and thus at elevated risk for mercury exposure. “That requires education, awareness raising, and finding culturally appropriate ways to suggest changing diets to basically decouple people from the pollution in the environment,” – 3/17/2023

Academic coaches organize student deadlines
By Ashley Mowreader | Inside Higher Ed
At Wake Forest’s Center for Learning, Access and Student Success (CLASS), academic coaches help students get organized by translating syllabus deadlines into a comprehensive spreadsheet. CLASS staff realized that many students have difficulty managing deadlines for multiple classes, shares Jean Anne Semke, one of the coaches. “Wake Forest students have a plethora of on-campus events and activities to choose from, along with demanding coursework.”  3/17/2023

Egyptian Heba El-Koumy’s scenography to be featured in U.S. play ‘Silent Sky’
By Ati Metwaly | Al-Ahram (English)
Directed by Cindy Gendrich, the play will be performed on 31 March, 1, 2 and 5-8 April at Wake Forest University on the Tedford Stage in the Scales Fine Arts Center. Written by Lauren Gunderson, “Silent Sky” is a play about the life of Henrietta Swan Leavitt (1868-1921), an American astronomer. It depicts a passionate women scientist who worked at times when this field was heavily dominated by men. El-Koumy is considered one of the most talented scenic designers of her generation in Egypt. – 3/14/2023

How to make and maintain friends as an adult
By Allison McWilliams | Psychology Today
“In a little more than two months, approximately three million graduates will walk across stages across this country to accept their diplomas and venture out into the world.…What you may not anticipate is that one of your biggest challenges will be learning how to make friends.” In this blog post, Allison McWilliams, assistant vice president of mentoring and alumni personal and career development, writes for soon-to-be grads about the importance of investing in relationships. – 3/13/2023

The Honest Truth
By Eranda Jayawickreme | Thrive Global
Eranda Jayawickreme, the Harold W. Tribble Professor of Psychology and a senior research fellow at the Program for Leadership and Character, writes about what parents and teachers should know about honesty and how everyone struggles with it. – 3/15/2023

Capitalism barometer finds Americans are dissatisfied with capitalism
Yahoo Finance
A survey of American views on capitalism finds widespread dissatisfaction with the current state of the economic system, but that dissatisfaction does not translate into Americans preferring something different. Instead, many respondents report they want the economy to become more free-market-oriented. The survey of 1,600 adults was conducted by the Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University School of Business. – 3/16/2023

The Lilly Endowment’s assets are surging, making it among the nation’s largest
By Michael Kavate | Inside Philanthropy
Founded in 1937, the Lilly Endowment has spent a long time at the peak of American philanthropy. At the beginning of this year, it announced a $30 million grant to Wake Forest University. – 3/16/2023

REGIONAL & TRADE

Books on race and sexuality are among the most targeted in NC schools, survey finds
By Sunshine Week Partners | The Charlotte Observer
While challenged titles span a wide range of topics, the most challenged books are written for a middle school reader and are on topics about race and racism.” Schools should be allowed to teach diversity because there are diverse kids that attend these schools. And we have a diverse history that has not been told,” said Yolanda Taylor, an adjunct professor of law at Wake Forest. – 3/15/2023

LOCAL

WFU theatre concludes its season with ‘Silent Sky’
By Leslie Spencer | Yes! Weekly
This production is the vehicle for WFU Theatre’s international design competition, aWAKEn, and features the dazzling work of Egyptian scenic designer Héba Hicham Elkomy. Héba will work from a distance with director and Professor of Theatre, Cindy Gendrich, and the rest of the production team to adapt her handsome design for Wake’s stage before being in residence for two weeks on the Reynolda campus, leading up to the opening night. During her residency, Héba will be a guest in several theatre classes and participate in a discussion panel on the production’s opening night. – 3/16/2023

WFU symposium to discuss Black food and culture
By Michael Hastings | Winston-Salem Journal
The Center for Research, Engagement and Collaboration in African American Life (RECAAL) at Wake Forest University will hold the Of Hearth & Table Symposium: Culture, Cultivation, Cooking and Food Access in Black Communities on March 24. The symposium is free and open to the public. – 3/16/2023