So Cool

In this Issue:

• Hit the Bricks photostory
• What the neuroscience of motivation has to say about GLP-1s
• Preview of ARAW (Academic Resources Awareness Week)

Not sure about your Deacs, but I am loving this weather: today is cool, a high of only 70, but sunny and nice outside. The leaves are slowly beginning to turn colors. While our students may be having tests, papers, and/or midterms this week, at least they are doing so in a beautiful environment. And many of them might be coming home for Fall Break on Monday and Tuesday of next week, so there is that to look forward to as well.

Now onto the news I have for you today…

Hit the Bricks photostory

For those who were not able to see Hit the Bricks live, there is a terrific new photostory that tells the story of Hit the Bricks from a number of different angles: not just the laps run and the money raised (a recordsetter by the time all the counting was completed) but also the behind-the-scenes work of our talented student leaders and our facilities staff and more. It’s well worth a read. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

What the neuroscience of motivation has to say about GLP-1s

GLP-1 weight loss drugs are often in the news. And as it turns out, Wake Forest has a connection:

“Even before the era of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, Wake Forest neuroscientist Wayne Pratt dedicated his research lab to better understanding how the brain regulates food motivation.

Now, with GLP-1s a household name, his research has even greater and more immediate implications: We know that drugs like Ozempic, developed to treat diabetes because they lower blood sugar, also suppress appetite. But we don’t know exactly how and why they work.”

So what happens in the brain when GLP-1 drugs turn down ‘food noise’? Here’s what decades of neuroscience can tell us about GLP-1s and what researchers are still working to understand: Hear Dr. Pratt explain more in this video or read the news story.

Preview of ARAW (Academic Resources Awareness Week)

I was talking to a parent this morning singing the praises of the work done by CLASS (Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success). Our students are taking midterms around this time, and for some of them – perhaps our first-year students – those exams might reveal some room for improvement. And this is where CLASS’ very well-timed Academic Resources Awareness Week can come in handy:

“Academic Resources Awareness Week (ARAW) is an annual event sponsored by the CLASS Office every fall semester.  The goal of ARAW is to make students aware of all the free on-campus academic resources available and normalize their use. Each ARAW event that students attend enters them into a chance to win the CLASS sponsored Ultimate Study Experience, a private study room for your student and a few friends the weekend before finals week.

Here is the full ARAW schedule. Two events to highlight include: 

• CLASS Cafe on Wednesday, October 21st. Students will have a chance to meet Academic Coaches from the CLASS Office, connect with OAA staff and Registrar staff. Also, the owls will return [from Betsy: CLASS’ mascot is an owl, and they have brought owls to the Class Cafe before; see pic at end]
• The Academic Tailgate: Fill Your Plate with Success Strategies occurs on Thursday, October 22nd from 12pm to 3pm on Manchester Plaza. This event connects students with various academic supports across campus, including the Math/Stat Center, Chemistry Center, Writing Center, Speaking Center, and The Program for Leadership and Character.
  
  Besides delicious food, yard games and interactive activities will be available for students to learn about academic resources and connect with tutors from across campus. There will also be a Dunk Tank, where Staff and Faculty (including the Registrar, Dean of Students, Engineering Faculty, CLASS Staff, and First in the Forest staff) will “Take One For the Team” to highlight the many ways Wake Forest students can use their academic resources for their success.”

For families, keep this ARAW info in your back pocket and encourage your Deacs to attend. For any students reading, definitely drop by CLASS Cafe and the tailgate. Remember: it is the smartest students who take advantage of all the academic coaching, tutoring, etc. that CLASS offers, so do not be shy about using their services! See pics below – click to enlarge.