Week One

Wake Foresters head to class for the Fall 2020 semester

By Wake Forest University

September 3^rd, 2020

Heading to Class on the First Day

Wake Forest students grab coffee at the new Camino Bakery outpost in the library, then head to class on the first day of classes for the Fall 2020 semester. Classes are online, in person, or a bit of both. Some students were able to take advantage of the cool morning to attend class outdoors.

While the University requires everyone to wear face coverings indoors and outdoors when unable to maintain a six-foot distance, many wear them nearly all the time.

Learning the Arts Looks a Bit Different

Art, dance, theatre and music classes are held in studios and classrooms that are carefully designed to provide space between students. Face coverings are required.

First Year Seminars

All first-year students are required to take a small seminar class with their faculty advisor, and each advising group will stay together for the academic year. Chemistry professor Christa Colyer leads a discussion in her seminar, “Scientists: Born or Made?” in Manchester Hall, while classical languages professor Amy Lather teaches a Greek and Roman history seminar in Tribble.

Class is in Session, Indoors or Out

Indoors, professors take advantage of moveable desks to reset classrooms with widely spaced seating. Tents and campus spaces like the Scales Fine Arts Center Breezeway provide outdoor options for learning. Math professor Abbey Bourdon teaches a calculus and analytical geometry class in Tribble, while health and exercise science professor Gary Miller teaches a nutrition class under a tent on Davis Field. Religion professor Ulrike Wiethaus teaches “Introduction to American Indian and First Peoples Traditions” in the Scales Breezeway.

In the business school, chairs have been removed to ensure distance, or specific seats have been marked in places like Broyhill Auditorium, where professor Kenny Herbst teaches part of his marketing class. Professor Matthew Phillips teaches business law in a reset classroom on the first floor of Farrell Hall.

Studying is Always in Season

Students study for class, take a snack or coffee break, or even attend online classes in numerous locations around campus. Thirty-three large tents scattered around campus allow for cooler outdoor seating, and of course the library atrium and the Farrell Hall living room are available.

The Spirit of the Old Gold and Black

The Spirit of the Old Gold and Black marching band is at the heart of athletic competition on campus. It's also a class in the music department. Here, the band members work on marching in formation in small groups with their instruments (and their face coverings!). Then the entire band rehearses on Davis Field.

"Show Humanitate"

“Show Humanitate” takes the University motto Pro Humanitate to heart. It’s a way of life that shows we care about our community. It is more than wearing a mask, keeping a safe distance or complying with campus policies. It’s about taking care of one another.