5/21 Weekly Message: Pre-Experiences

Bottom Line Up Front:

  • Upcoming key dates or action items for families and/or students
  • Reminder: Family Weekend football tickets are on sale now (May 21)
  • Register for our Virtual New Student Reception (June 17)
  • Pre-Orientation programs
  • Travel planning for Pre-Orientation Move-In (August 16-17)
  • Travel planning and Move-In for students not doing Pre-Orientation (August 21)
  • New Student Receptions (virtual June 17 and in-person)
  • Project Wake

Dear parents and families of incoming students,

Yesterday was Commencement at Wake Forest, where we celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2024. If you want a taste of what Commencement might look like four years from now, you can check out the Commencement website.

Every Tuesday, we bring our incoming families news you can use. In addition to our every-week feature of upcoming key dates to be aware of, this week’s issue will cover Pre- experiences: Pre-Orientation programs, New Student Receptions, and Project Wake. 

Upcoming key dates or action items for families and/or students

Family Weekend football tickets are on sale now (May 21)

  • Tickets for the Family Weekend football game(Sept. 28 against Louisiana) will are on sale now (Tuesday, May 21) as of 10 a.m.See full details and premium ticket options. 
    • NOTE: Students can get a free ticket to sit in the students’ football section with the Screamin’ Demon Rewards App (ticket claims open at noon the Monday before the game: Sept. 23 at noon ET). If your student wants to sit with you, you will need to purchase a ticket for your student.
  • While you can order your football tickets today, registration for Family Weekend events doesn’t open until July 10 (more details on events will come later this summer, but generally speaking the weekend begins on Friday early afternoon and concludes with brunch on Sunday).

Pre-Orientation programs

  • Hopefully by now your Deac has seen the section of the New Students website on Pre-Orientation Programs. These are remarkable launch experiences that our students can participate in. These sessions begin a few days before official Move-In and they give students an opportunity to make friends and meet people in a smaller group setting and around a shared activity or interest.
  • These are also student-led programs, allowing our new students to meet upperclass (i.e., not new) students as well as staff members from various offices within the University. These early connections can make for powerful mentoring opportunities down the road. It never hurts to have a trusted upperclassman or a staff member you can talk to in the first weeks of school if you need help or advice.
  • A little more than half our students do a Pre-Orientation program. If yours is on the fence about whether this might be for them or not, they may want to see what previous participants have said about Pre-Orientation. But if your student does not want to do one, or their summer schedule does not allow, they will be just fine (I didn’t do one during my time at Wake and I still made plenty of friends on my hall in the first few days of school).
  • Be sure your student fully reviews the Pre-Orientation website and understands the finer points (e.g., when they will be notified if they are accepted, accessibility, medical forms, and planning for meals and snacks).

Travel Planning for Pre-Orientation Move-In (August 16 or 17)

  • Some of you have asked me about travel planning for Pre-Orientation programs. It is probably wisest not to make plans yet: students participating in Pre-Orientation programs will receive notification of program acceptance between June 5-July 8.
  • Move-in details will be communicated by the Office of Residence Life and Housing only after a student is accepted, paid, and confirmed by their respective Pre-Orientation program. Move-in details will not be communicated until first-year assignments have been finalized and released in late July. 
    • Students approved to participate in Marching Band or Wilderness to Wake will move in on Friday, August 16 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
    • Students approved to participate in any other Pre-Orientation program will move in on Saturday, August 17 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. 
    • Move in assistance will be available both days between 9 a.m. to noon ONLY.
  • Note that students will move into their assigned housing for 2024-25, not a temporary space.
  • Families tend to approach Pre-Orientation move-in in one of a few ways:
    • The family moves their student in 100% when they arrive for Pre-Orientation, then remains in Winston-Salem (or goes to the mountains or the beach for a couple of days while their student does Pre-Orientation) then comes to campus for official family Orientation on August 21-22.
    • The family moves their student in 100% at Pre-Orientation, but the family can’t remain in town because they have other kids at home/work commitments/etc., so they go home after they move their student in.
    • The family sends the student to campus for Pre-Orientation with only the bare bones necessities they’ll need for Pre-Orientation, then the family comes on official move in day (August 21) with the bulk of the student’s belongings, and remains for family Orientation. 
    • There is no right or wrong way, just what is right for your family. And while our parent and family Orientation programming is not mandatory, we strongly encourage you to attend if you can, so you have the opportunity to hear from the various support offices and learn about resources in place to help your student.
  • We strongly recommend that your travel plans remain flexible and do not finalize them until your student receives official move-in instructions from the Office of Residence Life and Housing.

(And because we know you want to know) Travel planning and Move-In for students not doing Pre-Orientation (August 21)

  • All students who are not participating in Pre-Orientation programs will come to campus for official Move-In Day for new students (August 21). 
  • Check-in and move-in assistance will be available from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and ALL students must be moved in by 1 p.m.
  • Move-in details will not be communicated until first-year assignments have been finalized and released in late July. I will have much more information about this closer to August, so stay tuned.

New Student Receptions (virtual and in-person)

  • Starting college is a new experience, and you (and your students) likely have many questions, as well as a few anxieties. We try to help alleviate those via New Student Receptions.
  • All parents/families and their new students are encouraged to register for our Virtual New Student Reception on June 17 from 7-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. The event will be recorded and posted in the days following the event. The virtual reception will provide a glimpse into life at Wake Forest; some tips from administrators on successfully transitioning to college, including balancing classes and residential life; and a Q&A with a panel of current students. 
  • There will also be regional, in-person New Student Receptions, and we invite you to sign up for one if convenient. Details, dates, and registration can be found here (this list will be updated throughout the summer as new locations are added).

Project Wake

  • Our final Pre- experience to talk about is Project Wake. Project Wake is an optional program, and one I highly recommend.  It functions similar to a book club in that students will sign up to read one of this year’s books, all centered around the theme of Interconnectedness: A Call for Humanity. 
  • Your students will then read their chosen book this summer, and then at a specified time during Orientation, their reading group comes together to discuss the book.
  • This is a wonderful way for your students to begin the process of engaging in intellectual dialogue. They will meet other students in a small group setting (helping to build their social network) and they will also have the benefit of connecting with the faculty or staff member who is leading the discussion. It’s always a good thing to be able to have an adult in your corner when you are starting out in college – someone who knows you, who you could go to for advice and counsel if needed, etc.
  • The book list and registration should go live June 3. Your students will be able to see both the books and the discussion leaders, who are faculty and some staff. I’ve led a discussion group several times and have enjoyed doing it – and will be doing a group again this year.

Parting thoughts

We will continue sending weekly messages to our new P’28 families throughout the summer. In case you missed last week’s message, you can view our archive here.

With best wishes,

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

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