Stories this week at Wake Forest University

PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING CIVIL WAR HISTORIAN TO SPEAK AT WFU — James M. McPerson, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of “Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era,” will speak at Wake Forest March 20 at 8 p.m. in Benson University Center’s Pugh Auditorium. McPherson’s book paved the way for the success and critical acclaim of the 1990 Ken Burns documentary, “The Civil War,” for which McPherson was an advisor. To arrange an interview with McPherson, contact Cheryl Walker at walkercv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

MEDIA INVITED TO INTERVIEW SOCIAL ACTIVIST JONATHAN KOZOL — Jonathan Kozol, a best-selling author who has worked for social justice and equity in education for more than 30 years, will be available for media interviews prior to his March 19 speech at Wake Forest. Kozol’s books include “Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools” and “Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation.” His Wake Forest talk is titled “Savage Inequalities: The Reality of Injustice in America.” To arrange an interview, contact Vanessa Willis at williv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

CUBA SYMPOSIUM TO FEATURE DIGNITARIES, AUTHORS AND ARTISTS — For two days, March 20 and 21, Wake Forest will host a symposium on Cuba that will feature a best-selling author, a leading expert on biodiversity and several political dignitaries from the island nation. Except for a closing concert, all symposium events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the News Service Web site. To arrange coverage of an event or an interview with the participants, contact Vanessa Willis at willisv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

HOW WILL NCAA COACHES EXPLAIN THEIR FIRST ROUND TOURNEY PLAY? — Whether they win or lose in the opening rounds of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, the coaches there will follow predictable patterns in what they say after the game, according to John Llewellyn, an associate professor of communication who has studied this topic for nearly two decades. “After a while, if you listen to enough coaches, you begin to think you’ve heard it all before,” he says. “And the odds are, you have.” Llewellyn studied newspaper reports of post-game comments made by the winning and losing basketball coaches in 12 NCAA men’s national championship games every other year from 1976-2000 for “Coachtalk,” a chapter in the upcoming book “Case Studies in Sport Communication.” He is available for interviews about why coaches say what they do and can analyze what some post-game comments mean. To arrange an interview with Llewellyn, contact Sarah Smith at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

STUDENTS RETURN FROM SPRING BREAK SERVICE TRIPS — While many college students spent Spring Break at the beach or at home enjoying Mom’s home cooking, some Wake Forest students helped with several community service projects across the country, including one in Charleston, S.C., and one in New Orleans. In Charleston, 12 students ran an after-school camp for 4th and 5th graders at an inner-city school. In New Orleans, nine students worked on a variety of service projects in cooperation with a group called Volunteers of America. Both groups will return this weekend. Classes resume March 18. For more information on the trips, contact Cheryl Walker at walkercv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.