Stories this week at Wake Forest

CAREER FEST INTRODUCES EMPLOYERS TO WFU STUDENTS

Following a recruiting trend that gets earlier each year, more than 70 employers from across the country will be on the Wake Forest campus today in hopes of finding future employees. Career Fest 2000 will take place Sept. 13 from noon to 4 p.m. in Benson University Center, Room 401. Bank of America, which has recruited directly from Wake Forest since the mid-1980s, is one of many companies that aggressively seeks the university’s graduates and will be present at today’s event. They have moved 99 percent of their recruitment to the fall and list Wake Forest among their top ten schools in the country to find prospective employees. Employers at Career Fest 2000 will use creative displays, giveaways, even employees who are Wake Forest alumni to generate interest in their company.

DEBATERS FROM 35 STATES GATHER TO COMPETE IN TOURNAMENT

Nearly 1,200 high school students from 35 states will be in Winston-Salem to compete in the annual National Earlybird Forensics Tournament on Sept. 17-19. Competitions will be held at Wake Forest, North Forsyth High School and Mount Tabor High School. Through team and individual events, students will give over 2,000 individual speeches and compete in nearly 800 rounds of debate. In addition to team policy debates on the topic of secondary school reform, students will compete in seven individual event categories (Impromptu, Extemporaneous, Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous interpretation, Duo-interpretation, Original Oratory, and Congress). Allan Louden, associate professor of communication and director of Wake Forest’s debate program, can answer questions about the tournament. He will be at North Forsyth on Saturday and Wake Forest on Sunday. The public is welcome to attend the competition.

ONLINE DEBATE-RELATED PROJECT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS UNDERWAY

Wake Forest University is hosting an interactive online project that has students in Advanced Placement U.S. History and Government classes at more than 70 high schools nationwide studying the on-going presidential campaign. The nine-week project is titled, “Linking Debatable Issues, the Wake Forest A.P. Electoral Project.” The project began Sept. 5 and may be accessed through the university’s Web site or directly at http://linking.wfu.edu. The public is invited to visit the site to read about the campaign issues and explore the student polling results. Participating schools in North Carolina are Salem Academy in Winston-Salem and Providence Day in Charlotte.

STUDENT STARTING PROGRAM FOR BLACK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Wake Forest University student Jonathan Kelly is using a grant from the university’s Fund for Ethics and Leadership to create a leadership program for black male high school students. Kelly designed the weekend retreat, “Men of Distinction: Wake Forest University Academy for Future Leaders,” for sophomores and juniors across North Carolina. It will take place Nov. 10-12 at Wake Forest. Applications must be postmarked by Sept. 30 and are available online at www.wfu.edu/mod, or by writing to P.O. Box 7274, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109.

WFU TO HOST BOOKSIGNING

Randal L. Hall, the author of the book, “William Louis Poteat: A Leader of the Progressive-Era South,” will sign copies at a public reception from 4-5:30 p.m. on Sept. 14 in the Wake Forest University Bookstore. William Louis Poteat, the subject of Hall’s biography, was the president of Wake Forest College from 1905-1927. Known as one of the most outspoken Southern liberals of his time, Poteat gained national attention for openly teaching evolution. “A splendid story of an authentic North Carolina heroÖ A powerful figure in shaping public policy that continues today,” said William Friday, president emeritus of the University of North Carolina, about the book. Hall is assistant director of scholarships at Wake Forest. Two of Poteat’s granddaughters, Diana Hobby and Sylvia Lowe, will attend the reception.

Categories: Community, Events, Personal and Career Development, Student, University Announcement