Welcome, P’27s (parents/families of the Class of 2027)

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

Bottom Line, Up Front

    • The Early Decision website is live for your students. The newstudents.wfu.edu website for the Class of 2027 will launch May 1st and will include important information and action items for students and families. (Note that the New Students website is being updated as we speak, so the information and dates currently on the website are for last year’s Class of 2026.)

    • Move-In and Orientation dates are included in this message; we encourage families to make flexible travel arrangements so students can consider Pre-Orientation programs before move-in.

    • International families, please consult the information about international student arrivals.

    • Action item: We need each parent or guardian to log into our family record system, Wake Network, to verify your family record (if you have not already done so).

Dear parents and families of Early Decision students,

We are so thrilled your students will be joining us as members of the Class of 2027! Please allow us to introduce ourselves: we are Dr. Betsy Chapman (’92, MA ’94), Executive Director of Family Communications, and Dr. Cherise James, Associate Director of Orientation and Lower Division Programming. In her role with family communications, Dr. Chapman will be sharing messages directly with parents and families from this point until your students graduate. As a member of the Office of Academic Advising, Dr. James will be in touch with your students throughout the spring and summer.

We wanted to send a co-authored email to all Early Decision families to bring a few items to your attention as you prepare for your students to join us in August.

Early Decision website and New Students website

We are excited to share our newly created Early Decision website to keep your students informed prior to the May 1st launch of our official Class of 2027 New Students website. You should note that the New Students website is being updated as we speak, so the information and dates currently on the website are for the Class of 2026. Some incoming families have found it helpful to get a sense of what the summer might look like as they prepare for their student’s entry into the Wake Forest community! But please be aware that dates currently on that site are from last summer.

Move-In Dates

We also want to share some important tentative Move-In dates with you:

    • Wake Forest offers a variety of outstanding Pre-Orientation programs to our incoming students. These experiences are intended to provide small group interactions and will allow your students to connect with other new Deacs prior to the start of Orientation. Students participating in optional Pre-Orientation programs will move in either August 18 or 19, depending on the program. Those students will receive move-in instructions directly from the Office of Residence Life and Housing later this summer.

        • We ask that you delay finalizing your travel plans until your students have considered Pre-Orientation experiences and have final communication from Residence Life and Housing about their approved move-in date. The Pre-Orientation registration process will launch on May 1st and will be available at newstudents.wfu.edu.

    • International students must arrive on Saturday, August 19 between 9 a.m.-4 p.m. See “Important Message for International Students” later in this message.

    • New and transfer students not participating in Pre-Orientation programs will move in Wednesday, August 23rd.

    • There may be other students who are approved to move in earlier, such as student-athletes, marching band members, etc. Move-in instructions, including their move-in date, will be sent to those students later this summer from the Office of Residence Life and Housing.

Orientation Dates

    • August 23-28: Orientation for New and Transfer Students. Orientation for new and transfer students is mandatory. There will be portions of Orientation for incoming students that will be completed online and will be made available to your students prior to their arrival on campus. There will also be in-person Orientation events for students beginning on August 23 through the first day of classes on August 28.

    • August 23-24: Orientation for Parents and Families. We will have some in-person Orientation activities for parents and families on the evening of Wednesday, August 23rd through the evening of Thursday, August 24th. Families should plan to depart late Thursday night or Friday morning, as students will be involved in their own Orientation programming.

        • While parent and family Orientation sessions are not mandatory, we strongly encourage attendance if you are able. Information about all these sessions will be available later this summer.

    • August 28: First Day of Classes (FDOC).

Important Message for International Students

    • The Center for Immigration Services & Support (ISS) will host a required new international student orientation. All new international students are required to attend Connect@Wake from Saturday, August 19-Tuesday, August 22, 2023. Connect@Wake is the mandatory orientation for new undergraduate international students with F-1 or J-1 visa status who are attending Wake Forest University for the first time. International students must arrive on Saturday, August 19 between 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

        • ISS will communicate details regarding visa status and the Connect@Wake schedule of activities to new international students through their WFU email account. Additional information will be added to the Connect@Wake website throughout the spring semester. International students should reach out to ISS (iss@wfu.edu) regarding any questions, and please continue to monitor their ISSDeacs account for updates. For now, international students need to take action in the ISSDeacs system to request an I-20 or DS-2019. The ISS team looks forward to welcoming our new class of Demon Deacons to campus.

A few important announcements to put on your radar

    • ACTION ITEM FOR FAMILIES: So that we are certain we have correct contact information for your family (to reach you in an emergency, to send important Wake Forest news, or to send information about Wake Forest events in your home area), we need each parent or guardian to log into our family record system, Wake Network, to verify your family record (if you have not already done so). You can find instructions on how to do this here.

    • New Student Receptions: This summer, a series of virtual and in-person receptions for new students and their families will be held across the country. We hope that every incoming family will join us at one of the virtual options and that you’ll also register for a local reception should one be offered in your area. Please check the New Student Receptions page on May 1st for a list of events and to register. Note that events will be added throughout June, so check the website frequently for additions.

Resources for you and your students

Wake Forest has many resources to help you during your student’s matriculation:

    • There is a comprehensive Parents and Families website, and the Daily Deac blog shares important news, offers advice about supporting your students, and covers a variety of WFU activities and events to help you get a sense of campus life. You can subscribe to the Daily Deac and have it sent to your inbox each weekday via the Subscribe box on the Daily Deac website. We also have an incoming families website that you can review until our New Students website goes live on May 1st for the Class of 2027.

    • From May up to Move-In, families will be sent a weekly email from Dr. Chapman about due dates and action items for families, as well as general information we hope will be helpful.Your students will be receiving similar email communications from Dr. James about things they need to do over the summer. Please encourage your student to get in the habit of checking their WFU email regularly. All messages sent to students or families will be posted on the Parents & Families section of the New Students website. While the goal is for your student to be on top of deadlines, we want to make sure that you also have access to the information they receive.

    • The Office of Family Engagement is another terrific resource. They provide information and support to Wake Forest parents, guardians, grandparents, and family members. The Office of Family Engagement also plans virtual and in-person summer New Student Receptions for incoming first-year students and families, runs the Parents’ Campaign of the Wake Forest Fund, works with our Parents’ Council, and serves as a resource for all families during their time at Wake Forest.

Finally, a reminder about the calendar: Use a pencil, not a pen.

If we learned anything during the pandemic, it’s been the importance of flexibility. Dates in emails and on websites are accurate at the time of publication, but the University will adapt to any changing conditions if needed. The New Students website (starting May 1st) will be your place for the most up-to-date information.

This is an exciting time for students and families alike, and we look forward to getting to know your family better during your students’ time at Wake Forest. If you have questions or need additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact our offices.

With best wishes,

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

Dr. Cherise James
Associate Director of Orientation and Lower Division Programming

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.