Living and Learning in The Forest

To families of the Class of 2027:

The message below was sent today to all students in the Class of 2027. While normally we do not send families every email that students receive, we wanted you to be aware of all the layers of support that we have in place for your students within The Forest.

We wish your new Deacs a wonderful FDOC (First Day of Class).

Best,

Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (’92, MA ’94)
Executive Director of Family Communications
Communications and External Relations

Good Morning —

We hope this message finds you settling into your new home and looking forward to the beginning of your academic career here at Wake Forest. During New Deac Week, we hope you’ve had a chance to connect with your fellow students and with faculty and staff who will support and guide you throughout your Wake Forest journey.

First, we would like to officially welcome you to The Forest, a vibrant residential experience. The Forest is a place designed to connect you with your peers, advising, faculty support, and the many resources available to you as you settle into your college experience. It’s a place we want you to explore and carve out as your own. The Forest is a community of learners where you can be yourself, explore who you want to become, and have the support needed to reach your potential.

Important elements of this layered support include:

FACULTY FELLOWS

Faculty Fellows are a crucial part of The Forest experience. Each first-year residence hall has an affiliated faculty team from a diverse set of academic departments. If your Lower-Division Adviser is also a Faculty Fellow, they will likely be assigned to your hall; that builds another layer of support for you as a first-year student.

Faculty Fellows are, first and foremost, connectors. Your Faculty Fellows have a ton of campus knowledge, including academic policies, campus resource offices, and how to find your way out of Tribble Hall. They are also interested in getting to know you as a whole person — not just a student — outside of classrooms, studios, and labs. You will see your Fellows regularly in your residence hall. Expect events — workshops, meals, and casual drop-ins — to help build community in your new home. When you see your Fellows, remember they want to meet you. Slow down and say hello.

If you haven’t met your Faculty Fellows yet, visit southforest.wfu.edu to learn more about the Fellows affiliated with your hall, and look out for them soon!

LOWER DIVISION ADVISING

On Friday, you had the opportunity to meet your Lower-Division Adviser (LDA). Your advisor will play a vital role in your academic and personal growth during your first two years at Wake Forest before you declare your major. Advisers are careful listeners, caring consultants, and impartial coaches for an exciting, changing array of academic options. They also assist with the processes of executing your academic options in the university environment. And they are a conduit to the Office of Academic Advising (OAA), where you can receive more comprehensive advising anytime. Your LDA will empower you to take personal responsibility for your education, so you should consider them a first point of contact for academic guidance and making a home at Wake Forest and in Winston-Salem.

To the extent possible, your lower-division advising groups have been assigned within the same residence hall. This added layer of connection and support will allow you to have a closer relationship with your advising group and faculty through proximity and programming.

STUDENT LEADERS

As you begin your journey here at Wake, you’ll interact with two different student leaders. Those are your Resident Adviser (RA) and Student Adviser (SA), and both will serve as guides during your early days of navigating The Forest.

As you know, your lower-division advising group includes at least one Student Adviser (SA). Just like you, they are Wake Forest students — they’ve just been here a little longer. They remember their transition to college well and are trained to help you navigate these first days. Their involvement doesn’t stop after New Deac Week: they serve as guides through your first semester. Your SAs will initiate activities and stay in touch, checking in to see how you are doing. We encourage you to engage in the opportunities provided. Your LDA and SAs want to get to know you and hear how your year is going!

Your RAs, as you’ve already discovered, are an important resource who live in community with you. They will see you almost every day and are specially trained to help you through your first year. Your RA is here to connect you with others on your floor, within your building, and to other resources on campus. Together with your Community Director and Graduate Hall Director, they will help you build community here in The Forest.

As you begin classes, we want to emphasize there will be both celebratory and challenging moments in your Wake Forest journey. No one expects you to have it all figured out. Lean on the resources available — including those outlined in this message — and you’ll find your stride with time.

Welcome Home and Welcome to The Forest!

Sincerely,

Matt Clifford, EdD
Associate Vice President, Campus Life
Interim Dean of Students

Stephanie Carter-Atkins, Ed.D.
Interim Dean and Director of Residence Life
Office of Residence Life and Housing

Eric Ashley Hairston, J.D., Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Advising,
Undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences
Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Humanities
Interim Chair of Classics

Laura Giovanelli
Associate Dean for Learning Spaces,
Undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences
Associate Teaching Professor,
The Writing Program, Department of English