“Both … And”

Dear Wake Forest community,

As you know, an open exchange of ideas is at the heart of what we do at Wake Forest. In my commencement address to the Class of 2018, “Both … And,” I challenged graduates to strive to understand opposing views.

Even as we pursue curiosity and intellectual growth, careful listening can help us reach a mutual understanding that evades us in today’s fragmented society. In my remarks, I urged our graduates to respect the viewpoints of others in an effort to restore unifying ideals that have long propelled our nation toward positive change.

This commencement address serves as an introduction to new and ongoing efforts to embrace conversation as a form of leadership. I look forward to sharing more details with you in the fall. In the meantime, the text of my remarks and a video of the speech are available online.

Have an enjoyable summer,

Nathan O. Hatch
President