Tuesday [Big] Newsday

In this Issue:

• President Susan R. Wente joins 60 college presidents to advance civic preparedness
• Wake Forest University commits to 100% renewable energy
• RiverRun International Film Festival
• Golfing excellence!

We have a few big news stories to share with you today. Let’s get right to it!

President Susan R. Wente joins 60 college presidents to advance civic preparedness

This was announced a few days ago and it is a pretty big deal: “Wake Forest University President Susan R. Wente is joining 60 other college presidents of diverse institutions from across the country to advance higher education’s pivotal role in preparing students to be engaged citizens and to uphold free expression on campus.

Through College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, a unique consortium designed by the presidents and convened by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, participating presidents are dedicated to preparing the next generation of well-informed, productively engaged, and committed citizens; defending free expression, civil discourse, and critical inquiry as essential civic norms; and increasing thoughtful engagement and better understanding by students for the effective functioning of our democracy.” Read the full story.

Ensuring our students leave Wake Forest as engaged and active citizens is a wonderful goal. I look forward to hearing more about this consortium’s work as it unfolds.

Wake Forest University commits to 100% renewable energy

On Earth Day, we made a big announcement: “Wake Forest University and eight other colleges and universities in North Carolina and Pennsylvania are joining forces to bring a large-scale solar facility online in western Kentucky. By collaborating on this Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), the schools are accessing the benefits of renewable energy through an arrangement typically only feasible for large customers.

Wake Forest will be purchasing an amount of energy equal to 100% of the current electricity used on campus for 20 years…..’This is Pro Humanitate in action. In joining this consortium, the first higher education renewable energy aggregation in North Carolina, we are catalyzing an innovative partnership to tackle the environmental impacts of our operations and signifying our commitment to environmental wellbeing for present and future generations of Wake Foresters,’ said Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente.” Read the full story. 

While our school colors are Old Gold and Black, we are proud to be Green as well!

RiverRun International Film Festival

For those who know Winston-Salem well, you may be familiar with the RiverRun International Film Festival, which comes to town in April. This year, Wake Forest is very well-represented at RiverRun: films with Wake Forest ties include a narrative feature, a feature-length documentary and eight narrative and documentary shorts. Read more.

Golfing excellence!

I am late in my congratulations, but our long legacy of golf excellence continues. We had a lot of significant wins this weekend: Michael Brennan (’24) won the men’s ACC individual championship; Rachel Kuehn (’23, MA ’24) won the women’s ACC individual championship; and the women’s golf team brought home the ACC championship title. 

GO DEACS!