Stories this week at Wake Forest University

WFU STUDENTS SPONSOR KICKBALL TOURNAMENT FOR BB/BS KIDS— Wake Forest junior Tyler Overstreet and senior Kyle Voorhees know how important mentors can be for young boys and girls—they both volunteer as “Bigs” with the Forsyth County Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. That is why they wanted to do something to ease the program’s mentor shortage. Overstreet and Voorhees organized a kickball tournament at Wake Forest on April 6 that will bring together local children in need of a mentor and volunteers who may be willing to make the commitment of becoming a big brother or sister. The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Davis Field. “There is a definite need for these children to have a mentor in their lives,” Overstreet says. “It’s wonderful to be able to bring them into a college environment and possibly match a new big brother or sister.” Approximately 30 percent of Forsyth County’s Big Brothers/Big Sisters mentors are college students. Students from 11 Wake Forest sororities and fraternities will volunteer at the event as coaches for the kickball teams. Nearly 60 children will be divided into four teams, each with its own tournament T-shirt. One of the fraternities will also sponsor a cookout at their residence hall lounge after the games. To arrange coverage, contact Sarah Smith at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

BUILDING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE NOW, FOR THE FUTURE—Sharon Woodard, an instructor in Wake Forest’s health and exercise science department, says that it is important to start a routine of healthy eating and exercise at any age, but the earlier the better. As World Health Day on April 7 focuses attention on physical activity and health, Woodard says her students seem more health conscious than most. “At this point in their lives, students are beginning to make important decisions for themselves about all sorts of things,” says Woodard, who teaches introductory health and exercise science to at least 1,000 students each year. “If we can help them establish a positive habit of health and exercise now, they are likely to keep with it.” Woodard’s students keep a diet diary for three days during the course, establish a personalized exercise program, and learn about a variety of health issues from exercise to heart disease. The class also opens doors to health professions many students may not have considered. Forty students will graduate with a health and exercise science major this May. To arrange an interview with Woodard, contact Sarah Smith at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

HISTORY DEPARTMENT TO HOST SYMPOSIUM ON GERMAN MORAVIANS— To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Wachovia Settlement, the Wake Forest history department is sponsoring a symposium on April 4-6 exploring the influence of German Moravians. The Moravians’ Wachovia Settlement was located in what is now Forsyth County. The symposium is free and open to the public. Most events will take place in Tribble Hall’s DeTamble Auditorium. The symposium, “German Moravians in the Atlantic World,” will explore the religious roots of the Moravian community and address various aspects of Moravian culture and society. For a complete schedule of events, visit the symposium Web site at www.wfu.edu/Academic-departments/History/Moravians. To arrange coverage, contact Cheryl Walker at walkercv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

CORNEL WEST TO SPEAK DURING MINORITY SUMMIT— Wake Forest University will host a Multicultural Male Summit April 12-13 for 150 minority male students from several North Carolina universities. Two of the programs, including a speech by Cornel West, will be open to the public. West, an author and activist, will be the keynote speaker on April 13. West wrote the book “Race Matters,” and is a Harvard professor. The summit is sponsored by the Wake Forest Office of Multicultural Affairs. To arrange interviews with the speakers, contact Vanessa Willis at willisv@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

Categories: Community, Events, Speakers