Part of a student’s education at Wake Forest is exposure to new ideas and experiences.  As parents, you can help reinforce the importance of ‘stretch’ experiences that might take your student out of his or her comfort zone and help them explore and discover something new.  There are some great events happening this week that might broaden their cultural awareness.

On Tuesday from 3:30-4:45 in the Annenberg Forum of Carswell Hall, there is a lecture entitled “Reconstructing the Most Terrifying Moments of the Holocaust: A Documentary Approach.”  Dr. Churchill Roberts, professor and documentary filmmaker at the University of Florida, discusses the ethical challenges filmmakers face in portraying the testimonies of Holocaust survivors.

Also on Tuesday at 7:00 pm in Auditorium 404 of the ZSR Library, there is a screening of  “A Jihad for Love,” a documentary on gay, lesbian and transgender Muslims across the Muslim and Western worlds.  Following the film, there will be a discussion of the intersection of faith and identity discussed in the film.

At 6 pm in Auditorium 404 of the ZSR Library will be An Encounter with Simone Weil.  Director and Producer Julia Haslett will show her film that tells the story of French philosopher, educator and activist, Simone Weil (1909-1943), who spent most of her too-short life advocating for the rights of the socially and politically disadvantaged.

On Thursday at 4 pm, our students can learn more about Wake Forest’s own history and culture by attending Founders’ Day Convocation in Wait Chapel.  Friday night at 7 pm is a gallery opening at Reynolda House, and at 8 pm is a Demon Drag Show. On Saturday is the Giles Harris Competitions in Musical Performance.

Those are just a sampling of some of the events of the week.  A full list is available on the University Calendar.  Speaking in more general terms, we hope you’ll encourage your students to sample a variety of cultural activities this semester.  Here are some suggestions:

• The departments of Art, Music, and Theatre and Dance host events and activities in addition to providing world-class instruction in the fine and performing arts.
• Most college students love to venture off campus for the occasional meal.  And while Winston-Salem can’t boast the same kind of culinary diversity as a large city, there are still opportunities to sample foods from many different cultures.  Never tried Irish food? Go to Finnegans Wake and try a Scotch Egg.  How about sampling some soul food at Sweet Potatoes?  Or Indian cuisine at Nawab?  Smitty’s Notes is a local web site with links to restaurants by type  or your student can check out Urbanspoon (or use the Urbanspoon app for mobile phones).
• February is Black History Month, and part of Wake Forest’s history is the participation of college students in lunch counter sit ins in downtown Winston-Salem to protest segregation.   This month, students can explore and learn about this part of history by visiting the International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, NC.
• Explore another part of Wake Forest’s history and make a road trip to the Wake Forest Birthplace Museum in the town of Wake Forest, NC (near Raleigh).  The newly-built museum addition hosts artifacts from Wake Forest’s past.
• Our own Museum of Anthropology on campus has a vast array of exhibits from other cultures.  Students can visit the museum – and parents, you can do a virtual visit online.

Encourage your students to explore this month and reflect on those new experiences!