Sunny Monday
In this Issue:
- The difficult present and bright potential future of public service
- Last day to increase fall meal plans: Sept. 30
- Reynolda House exhibitions
- Patriotic concert tomorrow night (free for students)
- P’30 weekly message: adjusting to the academic workload
It is a beautiful sunny day on campus, and we are still reveling in the away game victory this weekend, when our football team beat Louisville at home. Go Deacs! Some of the trees are starting to get a hint of fall color, but it is too early in the season to see a resplendent display of foliage; that comes closer to the first week of November.
I have a handful of things that have popped into my inbox that I want to share, so as always dig in to what serves you and skip anything that doesn’t.
The difficult present and bright potential future of public service
Last Tuesday, my colleagues at Wake Washington hosted a panel at the National Press Club to talk about the future of public service. There is a terrific Wake Forest Magazine story about it as well as a video. Here is a snippet:
“We are living through one of toughest periods to work in federal government service in the nation’s history. Hundreds of thousands have left the federal workforce in recent years, and public opinion of Congress and the federal government is overwhelmingly negative, according to a study released this month by the Partnership for Public Service.
What does the future hold for public service? Wake Washington convened a panel Tuesday night at the National Press Club in Washington to discuss that question. The University tapped three veteran public officials. Former U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (’80), D-Md., U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit that works to improve the federal government, participated in the panel moderated by Michael Lamb, senior executive director of Wake Forest’s Program for Leadership and Character.
The discussion focused on federal workers and civil servants, scores of whom were among the alumni, parents and others in attendance. Public service is a point of emphasis for the Wake Washington program, now in its 10th year of programming for students who spend a semester working and taking courses from Wake Forest professors in the nation’s capital.”
The Wake Washington program is an especially valuable study away program because it gives students internships as well as course credit. Students get real-world work experience and learn skills like time management, diplomacy, working in teams, and more. Graduates of the program say that they come back better prepared than their peers, which gives them a leg up in the job market (whether or not they want to work in DC). Definitely worth it for students to look at Wake Washington and Wake Charlotte (same kind of program, different city).
Last day to increase fall meal plans: Sept. 30
Students received a message this morning about the upcoming deadline to increase their fall meal plans:
“As a reminder, Wednesday, September 30 is the last day to increase your Fall Meal Plan in the Housing Portal. All students, regardless of class year, can increase their meal plan until September 30 adhering to area and class year minimums. Charges will not be pro-rated; extra meals will be added to a rollover bucket.
If at another point in the semester you would like to add additional food dollars or deacon dollars to your account, all you have to do is go to dining.wfu.edu to purchase more. You can also call 336-758-5607 or visit Deacon Dining’s main office in Reynolda Hall Room 12 Monday – Friday from 8:30am – 4:30pm for assistance to add these to your account.”
Reynolda House exhibitions
If you will be on campus Family Weekend (or any other time this fall), here is a great option for something to do while your Deac is in class: go to Reynolda House, Museum of American Art to see their new exhibitions:
“Reynolda House will mark the occasion of the nation’s semiquincentennial (America250) with two exhibitions exploring pivotal movements in American art and history. In the Babcock Wing, Flash Point: The Civil Rights Photography of Danny Lyon will be on view from September 17, 2026 to January 3, 2027. In the historic house, Art & Democracy will assemble the museum’s collection as a visual chronicle of the nation since its founding and will remain on view for a year.”
Patriotic concert tomorrow night (free for students)
The Secrest Artists Series shared that there will be a free concert from the North Carolina Symphony in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Interested students can see more below.
P’30 weekly message: adjusting to the academic workload
As I was walking to my class today, I overhead another student talking on the phone near some of the first-year halls. They were describing one of their classes in terms that sounded like the Titanic seeing the iceberg in the distance and not being able to pivot quickly enough to avoid the crash. I felt for this student because I remember struggling mightily in my first semester with a very difficult class.
As if by magic, adjusting to the academic workload is the topic of this week’s message for P’30s, which you can read here.
My fingers are crossed for the student in question. There is almost always a way to avoid the iceberg – and most of those paths begin with office hours and using the resources of the CLASS office.
To all our families who will be making their way to us this weekend for Family Weekend, please keep an eye on the weather forecast and plan accordingly. As of right now it looks like we could get some rain, but the forecast is known to change as we get closer, so be sure to check the lastest projections before you pack.