Almost the end!

by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. ('92, MA '94)

In this Issue:

  • Face to Face Season 4 speakers!!
  • Some Commencement logistics
  • P’24s: use #WFUGrad in any social media posts of your graduates
  • Women’s golf heads to NCAA Championships

We’re coming down to the end of final exams: by the time this hits your inboxes, all that’s left is a 7 p.m. exam tonight, and a 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. exam tomorrow. And then all our non-graduating students (unless otherwise approved to remain) will need to be out of their University housing by 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 11.

This year really has sped by.

I have a few things to share today. Let’s get right to it!

Face to Face Season 4 speakers!!

At the conclusion of last week’s Face to Face with Trevor Noah, the lineup for Season 4 was announced. And it is a great one:

Lineup for Face to Face season 4

If you are interested in buying season tickets, you can do so here. I’m excited about all of them, but I will confess that I am especially excited about Anderson Cooper. His podcast about grief really hit me in all the feels after my mom died, so I feel a kinship there.

Some Commencement logistics

I was at a meeting Monday morning to talk about some of the logistics of Commencement weekend, and I wanted to share this information with our P’24 families to be sure you are aware of some key points:

  • Clear bag policy: There is a clear bag policy, so please be sure everyone in your party is compliant. We would hate to have to send families back to their cars because they did not bring a clear bag.
  • Magnetometers: All guests will need to pass through metal detectors and/or be wanded. Graduates will also be wanded.
  • Prohibited items:
    • Weapons: There are no weapons of any kind, including pocket knives. We know some gentlemen of a certain age are used to carrying a pocket knife at all times (certainly my dad did). Any weapons of any kind are prohibited.
    • Signs of any kind: Whether they are a poster (preprinted or homemade “congratulations, Sarah!” etc.), a flag, a sign on a stick, a fathead (i.e., large poster of your student’s head), etc. – ALL signs are prohibited.
    • Wrapped gifts: No wrapped gifts. Gift bags are acceptable.
  • We do not supply wheelchairs, walkers, golf carts, or other medical/mobility equipment: In the event you have a family member or guest who needs personal medical equipment, they will need to bring their own, or procure a rental. The Events office recommends this vendor for rentals, though you can use any you prefer.
    • NOTE: there will be hearing assistance devices available in Wait Chapel only for all ceremonies on Commencement weekend (first-come, first-served)
  • On University Commencement day (Monday, May 20)
    • The Polo Road entrance will be closed to all traffic except University shuttles. Families will need to use the University Parkway or Reynolda Road entrances to drive onto campus (though we encourage you to park at the LJVM Coliseum and shuttle onto campus).
    • The ceremony will be simulcast into Wait Chapel for any guests who want to view it in an air-conditioned area.
    • We strongly encourage guests to use the Executive Restrooms that will be in Lot B. Those are air conditioned and have running water, and are likely to have less of a line than in any building.
    • Info Desk/Lost and Found: We will have an Info Desk/Lost and Found (place still being determined – most likely between Reynolda Hall and the Deacon Shop) on the Quad. If you have minor issues (e.g., have a blister and need a band aid, forgot your reading glasses, found someone’s wallet on the ground, etc.), bring it to us. This is where I will be working, so if you are looking for the Daily Deac, come say hello.
    • Purchases available on the Quad: there will be food and drink available for purchase (cash only, it will be things like chips, muffins, half dozen boxes of donuts, energy bars, coffee and water) as well as small gifts (card only, it will be things like t-shirts with graduates’ names printed on the back, teddy bears, flower leis and kukui nut leis).
    • At the end of the ceremony during the recessional, there is what we refer to as the ‘faculty tunnel’ or ‘hug and handshake line’ where faculty line up as students process out and offer applause and/or handshakes and hugs to our graduates (it’s kind of like the handshake line you used to see at your kids’ sports games when they were little). We ask families to stay out of the way for this part of the recessional; waiting on the sides of the Quad (instead of in front of Reynolda Hall) will keep the line from bottlenecking.
    • Rain on Monday, May 20 for University Commencement: Our goal is to hold University Commencement on the Quad (Hearn Plaza) if at all possible. If it is raining but safe to be on the Quad per our emergency planner, we will be on the Quad in the rain. If there are risks of high winds or lightning or other potentially unsafe conditions, we will move to the LJVM Coliseum. A final decision should be made on the potential to enact the Inclement Weather plan by Sunday afternoon, May 19.
    • For undergraduates on University Commencement day (Monday, May 20):
      • During line up for the graduates, students will be asked to unzip their robes to be checked for security. While our faculty marshals will instruct students to zip up their robes before the Processional begins, you may also wish to remind your student to be sure to zip up.
      • Students cannot leave any items (e.g., clothing, shoes, keys, etc.) at lineup. Any of those items will be collected and sent to Lost and Found with University Police after Commencement has concluded.

        Note: the timing of moving those items is likely to be 1-2 hours after the ceremony ends, as we typically find items as we begin the cleaning process

P’24s: use #WFUGrad in any social media posts of your graduates

To our senior parents and families, please use the hashtag #WFUGrad in any social media posts of your graduates. We will have social media on the jumbotrons during Commencement weekend and would love to feature your content. It is always such fun to see family-submitted posts, so be sure to use that hashtag.

Women’s golf heads to NCAA Championships

I got this happy news in my inbox this morning from my friends in Athletics:

“The No. 3-ranked Wake Forest women’s golf team finished third at the NCAA Regional at Bermuda Run Country Club to advance to the NCAA Championship, and graduate Rachel Kuehn took the top individual spot.

Finishing above sixth, the Deacs have punched their ticket to the 2024 NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California. It marks the 20th appearance in the Championship for the program and the sixth-straight. Wake Forest will travel to the west coast as the reigning NCAA Champion.”

You can read the full story here. Congratulations to our team and all best wishes as they head to the NCAA Championships!

To all our families with Deacs still here, wishing them the best on their final finals (see what I did there?) and safe travels home. And if your Deacs are already home, pile on the TLC and special homecooked foods for them!

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