Ways to Get Meaningfully Involved in Campus Life
In this Issue:
- Fall Involvement Fair – Aug. 27
- Program for Leadership and Character: fall discussion groups, block party, and Wednesday dinners
- Interested in shaping the Wake Forest experience? Apply to The Campus Life Advisory Council (CLAC)
- New Deac Week photostory
- P’30 message on FDOC (First Day of Classes)
Today’s Daily Deac is all about encouraging meaningful involvement. Dig in to some of the great options coming up very soon!
Fall Involvement Fair – Aug. 27
The Fall 2026 Involvement Fair will be held on August 27th from 3-6 p.m. on Poteat Field. This is an incredible opportunity for our students to learn about our 150+ Registered Student Organizations, Student Initiatives, and our Greek Council organizations.
Students will have the ability to sign up on distro lists for organizations they are interested in, and then they will begin getting messages about activities for that group. I encourage all students to 1) go to the Involvement Fair, and 2) take one ‘reconaissance loop’ around all the tables before you sign up for anything, so you can really be intentional about the groups that might be the best matches (if you sign up for 30 distro lists, you’ll be overwhelmed with emails/texts).
This is especially important for new students, because sense of belonging tends to come with meaningful engagement in campus activities. Encourage students to bring a friend (especially introverts like me who did not want to go alone, having a partner to go with you makes it so much easier!)
Program for Leadership and Character: fall discussion groups, block party, and Wednesday dinners
I’m on the mailing list for the Program for Leadership and Character, an office I greatly admire. L&C does many things at Wake, but one of the most important is to provide spaces where students can connect with each other for meaningful reflection and encourage students to ask the big questions in life. They have three upcoming events that would be ideal for students, particularly our newest students who are trying to connect and find their people.
Fall Discussion Groups: L&C will be hosting a discussion group called “What is College For?” Students will think about the nature of the good life and how we can live such lives in college and beyond. Topics will include things like friendship, failure, and gratitude. All are welcome. Discussion groups will start on Monday, September 7 and will meet four times over the following weeks, once per week for one hour each time. Students should sign up here by Wednesday, September 2
Leadership and Character Block Party (Wednesday, September 2 from 6-8 p.m. at Starling Hall): Students are invited to swing by for yard games, friendship bracelets, free food from Que Viva food truck, and more. Students can meet program staff and faculty, learn more about the work we do, and enter a raffle for a chance to win something sweet.
Wednesday Night Dinners: Beginning September 9 through October 14, L&C will host dinners every Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in Starling Hall; after that the schedule will be every other week. During Wednesday Night Dinners, “we come together to eat food, build meaningful connections, move past the small talk, and engage in deep, thoughtful dialogue. This is a space to strengthen our bond as a community, get to know each other better, and support one another in our journeys. Whether you’re a regular or not, you’ll find a warm welcome and a place at our table any week.”
Interested in shaping the Wake Forest experience? Apply to The Campus Life Advisory Council (CLAC)
For students who are interested in shaping the Wake Forest experience, there is a great opportunity to get involved: students can apply to The Campus Life Advisory Council (CLAC) by Sept. 7.
“CLAC allows students to connect directly with senior leadership, share their perspectives, and help enhance the Wake Forest experience for all. CLAC members serve as an advisory board to the Vice President for Campus Life, Shea Kidd Brown; positions are open to first-year students who may not already hold leadership roles.”
New Deac Week photostory
Whether you are a P’30/’30 and want to see if you can spot your Deac/yourself, or you just want to relive all the joy that is New Deac Week, I hope you enjoy this photostory. As a reminder, you can subscribe to photostories so they come to your inbox whenever a new one is published; see the link in the footer of any photostory.
P’30 message on FDOC (First Day of Classes)
As I do each Monday, I have a special message just for our new P’30s about a particular facet of the fall semester. Yesterday’s message was about FDOC (First Day of Classes). Here’s the Cliff Notes version: encourage your new student to: build intentional connections, connect with residential staff, explore campus, and get involved.
And for those who came to the Sense of Belonging presentation at Orientation, remember that real belonging is built slowly over weeks and months, not hours and days. It’s a contact sport, not a spectator sport, and requires effort on our students’ part. Please give your student—and yourself—the grace of time as the true rhythms of campus life begin.
As students think about where they can get involved on campus, we want them to think broader than just social events like parties. We tend to make important friendships over conversation and deep engagement, not surface chit chat. So students should try to find a balance between events where they may meet a lot of people and events where they can actually connect and get to know each other. Thankfully, there are a lot of options!