Meet A Deac
It’s a new week, so time for another Meet A Deac! Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to one of my colleagues from the Intercultural Center, Monique Gore. 
Monique, I’m glad you could join us as this week’s Meet A Deac! Let’s start at the beginning: tell me your job title and how long you’ve been at Wake. My title is Director of the Intercultural Center. I’ve been at Wake about 3 months. I’m new to the institution and new to the Winston-Salem community.
We are glad to have you here! Can you tell me a little about your educational background? I have a BA from Gettysburg College (Women’s Studies and African American Studies double major, Latin American Studies concentration). I also have an MS in Organizational Leadership from Cabrini College.
How would you describe your job in layperson’s terms? I help serve underrepresented and underserved student populations on campus by providing support and advocacy. I also create cross-cultural learning opportunities for all students. In the most basic of terms, I work to make sure all students who graduate from Wake Forest are competent to work with others who are different from their own identities.
What would you like families to know about the work of your office that they may not realize? Our team is solid and excited to help all students! Our work transcends the box of just helping Black and brown students succeed at a PWI (Predominantly White Institution)! We work to make sure all students graduate more culturally aware than when they started at Wake.
You’re still quite new to Wake…is it too soon to ask what you like best about working at Wake, or your favorite place on campus? For what I like best, I would say the people and the community that genuinely exist here. I’m still learning the campus, but I like The Pit, the big student dining option in Reynolda Hall. It has so much variety, and students can relax. I love seeing students socializing in a post-pandemic world. 
What advice would you offer to students if they asked you? Try all the co-curricular opportunities the school has to offer. You may find a new favorite place, thing to do, or person!
How about advice for families? Always support your child, but also give them the space to learn, grow, make mistakes, and FIX the mistakes they made. You gave them all the tools they need to be solid human beings, now let them do it.
Ready for the quick hit, lightning round? Yes!
Book(s) you are reading, podcast(s) you are listening to? Because I’ve been relocating my family, I haven’t had much time to enjoy leisurely things. I do love the Dope Labs podcast. It’s about two black female scientists making STEM accessible for all. 
Favorite music/genre/band? R&B. Anything 90s R&B. 
Movies/TV/Netflix, etc. that you love: Agents of Shield and Leverage.
Website you frequent? Amazon [laughs].
Introvert or extrovert? Extroverted Introvert! In a post-pandemic world, I’m still getting used to peopling and need to recharge after a very interactive day. I love peopling.
What brings you joy? My son enjoying being a kid! I love watching him as he explores the world and learns new things.
Something most people don’t know about you? I used to be an EMT with a volunteer fire department. It’s also how I met my husband.
What didn’t I ask that you want to answer? “What are your hobbies when you aren’t working?” I love doing my nails and sewing. YouTube university helped me learn these skills during the pandemic.
Thank you, Monique, for all you do to help our students and our campus community grow and thrive!
As a reminder, read past Meet A Deacs here.
— by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (’92, MA ’94)
October 3, 2022