Stories this week at WFU

HISTORY PROFESSOR RECEIVES PEACE CORPS AWARD – Assistant Professor of History James Wilson is in Washington, D.C., today to receive one of the Peace Corps’ highest honors, the Franklin Williams Award. The award honors Peace Corps volunteers of color who have put their overseas experiences to work in their communities and in their professions to promote a better understanding of other people and their cultures. Wilson, an expert on Kenyan history and culture, taught English and African literature as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1985-1987. To arrange an interview with Wilson upon his return, contact the News Service.

NEW WAVE OF URBAN LEGENDS MORE HARMFUL THAN IN THE PAST – Preying on fears and patriotism with features that imply legitimacy, the new wave of Internet urban legends may be more harmful than those of only a few years ago. Two Wake Forest experts have studied the origins of Internet myths and the consequences to companies who fall victim to them. John Llewellyn, associate professor of communication, and Connie Chesner, adjunct instructor in communication, are among very few researchers in this area. A June 2 article in The New York Times on this subject featured Llewellyn and Chesner’s research. To arrange an interview, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-4393.

RISING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO STUDY SCIENCE, MATH AT WFU – Sixty rising high school students from the Forsyth County school system will participate in the two-week SciMax Student Enrichment Institute at Wake Forest starting June 9. The program, in its second year, is designed to expose students to the rigors of high school science and math, while also giving them skills like organized data collection, which will prove helpful in all of their future high school classes. “One of the great things about this program is that we use exciting activities that get the students engaged,” said Angela King, senior lecturer in chemistry at Wake Forest and an organizer of the program. During the program, King and four local high school teachers will lead the students through several fun activities, including studying the behavior of Madagascar hissing cockroaches, designing and launching hot air balloons and simulating population growth with Skittles candy. For more information or to arrange coverage of the enrichment institute, contact Jacob McConnico at 336-758-5237 or mcconnjn@wfu.edu.

Categories: Community, Faculty, Recognition