Sunny Monday

In this Issue:

• Fall in the Forest video
• The 12 Leadership and Character virtues
• Native American Heritage Month
• For P’27s – Weekly Message and Letters So Dear
• Bystander intervention training link

Happy Monday, Deac families! It’s a new week – let’s all have a great one. Some of my content is lengthy today, so we’ll get right to it. First up: fall is beautiful!

Fall in the Forest video

We’ve had a really beautiful fall on campus, and my very talented colleagues who make videos have put together this video of Fall in the Forest, which I hope you’ll enjoy.

The 12 Leadership and Character virtues

I had the good fortune to attend the initiation ceremony for the newest Leadership and Character scholars a couple of weeks ago, and part of the ceremony was really moving: the scholars read off the virtues that the program aspires to cultivate. I thought you might enjoy seeing the virtues:

• The virtue of PURPOSE enables us to live intentionally, providing meaning and direction as we pursue our goals with passion and perseverance. 
• The virtue of HOPE inspires us to look ahead, resisting despair and shaping the future with a vision of what is possible.
• The virtue of HUMILITY helps us to see ourselves rightly, neither inflating our own importance, nor neglecting the vital role we play in the world.
• The virtue of COURAGE empowers us to lead in the face of fear, speaking out in silence and acting when others remain passive.
• The virtue of TEMPERANCE directs us to moderate our desires and make choices that contribute to our own wellbeing and that of others.
• The virtue of COMPASSION leads us to listen, understand, and feel the needs of others, enabling us to use our own gifts to reduce suffering and foster flourishing.
• The virtue of JUSTICE motivates us to give others what they are due in our thoughts, words, and deeds, even when it comes at a personal cost.
• The virtue of HONESTY equips us to speak truthfully and share our authentic selves, particularly in moments of confusion, division, and danger.
• The virtue of GRATITUDE prompts us to recognize the gifts of others, acknowledging all those who have contributed to who we have become.
• The virtue of KINDNESS moves us to lift up those around us, treating others with love and dignity, especially when they have been ignored.
• The virtue of RESILIENCE empowers us to persist in the purpose that calls us forward, despite the trials we may face and the resistance we may encounter.
• The virtue of WISDOM guides us to bear all other virtues in balance, discerning and deliberating to make the right decision in the right way.
• We will seek to understand, live out, and lead others to develop these virtues.

I have to admit, as I was listening to these virtues, I thought about which ones resonated the most with me, and whether I ought to be more purposeful about thinking about my own set of virtues. College is a great time for your students to wrestle with the idea of virtues and which ones they want to cultivate.

The Program for Leadership and Character is really an impressive program and I love that we are helping students explore these kinds of values. And your students don’t have to officially be a Leadership and Character scholar to benefit: the program offers discussion groups each semester, and works with faculty on infusing issues of leadership and character into their classes.

If you want to read more about the program, here is their most recent e-newsletter or see the What We Do section of their website.

Native American Heritage Month

The Intercultural Center has released the Native American Heritage Month calendar of events. Hopefully your Deacs will take advantage of the various offerings. If they have not visited the Tohi Garden, that is a really peaceful and beautiful spot on campus.

And for the gardeners in the Daily Deacdom, this article from the Wake Forest Magazine in 2022 showed off all our wonderful gardens.

For P’27s: Weekly Message and Letters So Dear

It’s Monday, which means that we have a new Weekly Message for First-Year Families. This week’s message is about I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. Similarly, your ’27s got their weekly issue of Letters So Dear. I want to call attention to one section of Letters So Dear that might be particularly helpful to our ’27s – it’s about upcoming registration:

“The Office of Academic Advising will be in Luter Residence Hall for registration assistance from 5pm-9pm Thursday, November 9th.

• Before then, make sure you’ve been advised and have your PIN! 
• Remember, this week is a “dress rehearsal” at best; you’ll have plenty of time to finalize your schedule before “opening night” in January.”

Bystander intervention training link

I mentioned last week that students were invited to join in trainings about how to be an effective bystander if they witness antisemitic, or Islamophobic/Xenophobic behavior. I attended both of these sessions myself (though I did them online, not at the student event) and found them really helpful.

There were a couple things that stood out to me as being especially useful. They have a 5 step intervention model that is really simple and offers you a range of tools to use if you witness uncomfortable behavior: Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct. They stressed making the choice that feels right to you, and to prioritize your safety. And the training was grounded in the idea that we can and should care for each other, and allyship is one way to do this, which to me spoke to our motto of Pro Humanitate. So I hope your students will attend one (or ideally both) of the remaining trainings; details here. Showing support and care for our community members is one way we can demonstrate care for each other.

A couple of you had asked whether you can register for these trainings. You can see more at this link to the Right to Be organization’s training registration page (they said we could share that with others). There are multiple free training options.