Dr. Susan R. Wente announced today that she will step down as Wake Forest University’s president on June 30, 2026. She has served as Wake Forest’s 14th president and a Distinguished University Professor of Biology and Biochemistry since July 2021. 

“With a sense of gratitude and optimism, I write today to share a personal decision,” Wente wrote in a message to the community. “After considerable reflection, I have decided to conclude my presidency on June 30, 2026, at the end of my fifth year.”

Wente arrived at this decision after discussions with Board of Trustees leadership about the university’s current stability, positive momentum, and the need for a thoughtful succession plan. Wente and Board leadership share the belief that the university is ideally positioned to attract and recruit its next leader and that now is the time to begin the transition to ensure Wake Forest University’s long-term strength.

“Susan Wente is a gifted servant leader,” said Wake Forest University Board Chair Jeanne Whitman Bobbitt. “She is the president who led Wake Forest out of the pandemic, expanded access and financial aid programs, and she has brought new ideas and energy to our campuses and communities. Serving now in the fifth year of her presidency, she has positioned Wake Forest well for greater success, and after leading through a tumultuous time in higher education, she has earned our deepest respect and gratitude.” Whitman Bobbitt added, “And when her presidency concludes, she will enjoy a well-earned sabbatical, followed by a return to her scientific roots.”

Under Wente’s leadership, the University has advanced its vision of becoming a model student-centered research university while staying true to its relational, community-oriented roots. Momentum continues to build, with undergraduate applications up 70 percent over the past five years and record-setting philanthropic support in fiscal year 2025.

Signature achievements of Wente’s tenure include:

Enhancing student access and affordability

Wente used her inaugural address to announce the “For Humanity Scholarship” initiative, which has raised more than $150 million to support student financial aid. During her tenure, Wake Forest launched an Early Action process to provide a new pathway for first-generation college students to come to Wake Forest, and this September, she announced North Carolina’s Gateway to Wake Forest University initiative, making it possible for accepted students from North Carolina with annual family incomes less than $200,000 per year to attend tuition-free.

Enhancing Wake Forest’s impact in North Carolina

Wente led development of a new academic campus in The Pearl, Charlotte’s innovation district. Anchored by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Wente has provided critical leadership for the expansion, which is transforming medical education, research and economic development in one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. The School of Professional Studies, which launched its first programs in Charlotte in January 2022, continues to expand its reach, now offering 14 master’s degree programs and dozens of certificate and non-credit opportunities. The expanding presence of the School of Medicine and School of Professional Studies is complemented by the School of Business’s more than 25 years of graduate program offerings in Charlotte. 

Amplifying the academic and research excellence of Wake Forest’s faculty

During her tenure, Wente recruited the next generation of outstanding academic leadership for Wake Forest, including six deans to lead the schools of Business, Medicine, Law, Divinity, as well as the College and the Graduate School of Arts and the Z. Smith Reynolds Library. She has emphasized fundraising for newly endowed chairs and partnerships with grant funding organizations that enhance the impact of Wake Forest’s work in key areas of academic distinction. Examples include:

• The recruitment of Kenneth T. Kishida, a Wells Fargo Faculty Scholar, as the recently installed Boswell Presidential Chair in Neuroscience and Society
• The ability of the Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability to catalyze a global community of innovators, educators, and advocates to solve the essential environmental challenges of our time, thanks to support from the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation and other generous supporters.
• An anonymous gift of $30 million expanded the University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and enhanced access and opportunities for undergraduate students. One of the most significant philanthropic gifts to an academic program in the University’s history, the investment enabled Wake Forest to increase the number of experienced entrepreneurship faculty, develop innovative new courses, and fund the construction of state-of-the-art space for the growing program. 
• The international influence of the Program for Leadership and Character was made possible by support from the Kern Family Foundation, and the ability to help more than 150 colleges and universities across the country develop character education programs, thanks to more than $65 million in support from the Lilly Endowment. The Educating Character Initiative will impact the lives of more than 500,000 college students by 2030.
• During Wente’s first year, she launched a partnership with The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization helping academic experts to write for the public. To date, more than 50 Wake Forest faculty members have published articles through The Conversation, attracting more than 3 million readers and getting republished by national, regional and industry news organizations. Wente’s personal commitment to amplify Wake Forest’s scholarly excellence led to the “Walk with Wente” video series. The videos, which have been viewed more than 500,000 times, feature Wente walking on campus with faculty experts across a variety of disciplines to discuss their research, how it influences their work with students and its impact in the world.

Renewing Wake Forest’s campus and revitalizing university property

Recognizing Wake Forest’s cherished sense of place as core to its identity, she initiated important projects to renew the Reynolda Campus academic core and more effectively leverage its real estate assets to serve the University’s academic and research missions. During Wente’s tenure, the university has committed nearly $10 million to upgrade academic and classroom spaces on the Reynolda Campus, including Wake Downtown. Under Wente’s leadership and in partnership with the City of Winston-Salem and private developers Front Street Capital and Carter USA, the University launched The Grounds: a transformative 100-acre mixed-use development in the Deacon Boulevard area, laying the foundation for a more sustainable, pedestrian-friendly and connected community hub and gathering place that honors Wake Forest’s responsibility for a mutually beneficial partnership with its hometown.

Putting people first

In September 2024, Wake Forest opened its first child care center, conveniently located in the University Corporate Center adjacent to The Grounds.  Wente recognized that high-quality child care options are an effective recruitment tool for top talent. Combined with new initiatives like We are Wake for mental health and wellness, this reflects her ongoing commitment to supporting the needs of Wake Forest faculty, staff, and students. The University’s 2025 increase in its minimum wage is a similar reflection of Dr. Wente’s commitment to recruiting top talent by recognizing the valuable contributions of employees. During her tenure, Forbes has included Wake Forest University on its national lists of “Top Employers.”

Moving Wake Forest to the forefront of a changing landscape for college athletics

Wente began serving as Vice Chair of the Atlantic Coast Conference Board of Directors in January 2024. In July 2025, she took over as Board Chair. During her tenure, the Demon Deacons have won six ACC Championships and two NCAA Championships. The Demon Deacons baseball program secured a berth in the 2023 Men’s College World Series for the first time since 1955, and the football program has captured a pair of bowl championships and won the 2021 Atlantic Division title. Additionally, Wake Forest student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom. Wake Forest had 11 programs that scored a perfect 1,000 in the latest Yearly Academic Progress Rate report for 2023-24, and two programs earned perfect multi-year rates for the academic years since 2020.

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As she prepares to support the transition to Wake Forest’s next leader, Wente expressed gratitude for the Wake Forest community. “It has been the honor of my career to serve as Wake Forest’s president,” she said. “What makes this place extraordinary is the people. I am indebted to the students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends who believe in the power of education to shape lives of purpose. I know that Wake Forest is well-positioned for the future.”

Prior to Wake Forest, Wente served as Vanderbilt University’s Provost and interim Chancellor. She is an internationally renowned biomedical scientist who has maintained an unwavering commitment to research, teaching, and mentoring. Wente has published more than 100 research articles and mentored dozens of students and fellows. A pioneer of team-based, cross-disciplinary research, Wente’s cell biology discoveries have laid the foundation for understanding disease mechanisms and inspired her distinctive leadership philosophy. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. 

Following a sabbatical, Wente plans to return to her roots as a faculty member, focused on mentoring and advancing science in service to society. 

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