Living and Learning on South Campus

by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. ('92, MA '94)

To our P’26 parents and families,

On Monday of this week, my colleagues in the Office of Residence Life and Housing, the Office of Academic Advising, and the Office of the Dean of the College sent a message to all students in the Class of 2026, emphasizing the ways in which their offices work together to create supportive experiences for students as they adjust to college. You can read the HTML version of the student message here, and it is also included in the text below.

We wanted you to be aware of this important information so you can encourage your students to take advantage of these resources.

Wishing your students a great weekend following their first week of classes.

Best wishes,

Betsy

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Good Afternoon –

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, with faculty and staff who will support and guide you throughout your Wake Forest journey, and with this place that so many call “Mother, so dear.”

As you begin your journey, we want to highlight some of the ways Residence Life and Housing, the Undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences, and the Office of Academic Advising partner to layer living, advising, and learning in intentional ways.

New this year, your advising groups have been, to the extent possible, assigned within each residence hall. This added layer of connection and support will give you the opportunity for a closer relationship with your advising group and faculty through proximity and programming.

Other important elements of support include:

FACULTY FELLOWS

Faculty Fellows are a crucial part of the South Forest experience. Each faculty team is affiliated with a first-year residence hall. If your Lower-Division Adviser is also a Faculty Fellow, they will likely be assigned to your hall; that builds in another connection for you as a first-year student. Faculty Fellows are able to answer questions, connect you to campus opportunities and student support services, and help ease your transition to college. Your Faculty Fellow team will organize events–workshops, meals, and casual drop-in opportunities–to help build community.

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

LOWER DIVISION ADVISING

On Friday, you had the opportunity to meet your Lower-Division Adviser (LDA). This individual plays a vital role in your academic and personal growth. Advisers are careful listeners, caring consultants, impartial coaches, and helpful guides to an exciting, changing array of academic options. They also assist with the often-daunting procedural challenges you might face in a complex university environment. Your LDA can teach and empower you to take personal responsibility for your own education, so you should consider them a first point of contact for academic guidance.

FIRST-YEAR PROGRAMMING

This year, the Division of Campus Life and the Undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences will provide support for additional programming by Lower Division Advisers. If your LDA or Student Advisers (SAs) reach out, we encourage you to engage in the opportunities provided. Your LDA and SAs want to get to know you and hear about how your year is going!

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 your Faculty Fellows, LDA, and advising group – and with time you’ll find your stride.

Sincerely –

Matt Clifford, EdD
Assistant Vice President, Campus Life
Dean, 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

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

Contact

To contact the Office of Family Engagement or Family Communications, please visit our contact page.

 

For mental health assistance: 336-758-CARE (2273) is a service that ensures someone will always be available (i.e., 24/7 M-F, weekends and university holidays) to provide caring and thoughtful consultation services for Wake Forest students in need of mental health assistance or support.