Old Gold&Black “Covers the campus like the magnolias”
WA K E F O R E S T ’ S S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 6
VOL 111 , NO. 12
Message from administration affirms institutional commitments The letter, “Affirming our institutional commitments,” outlined the values and goals of Wake Forest as an institution of higher education JILL YODER Staff Writer
On Monday, March 17, Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente, Provost Michele Gillespie and Executive Vice President Jackie Travisano sent out a letter titled “Affirming our institutional commitments.” The message acknowledged political change and its potential impact on higher education, and it reaffirmed the mission and goals of Wake Forest leadership to create an equal and supportive academic community. President Wente shared a comment via email, detailing the importance of keeping the Wake Forest community informed and assured of the commitments of the institution. “Recent federal policy changes directly impact Wake Forest’s mission— our teaching, research, and community
partnerships—as well as our commitment to ensuring opportunity for all,” Wente said. “In times of uncertainty, we reaffirm our dedication to transparency, collaboration, and care. We will strive to keep our community informed and take necessary steps to navigate these changes.” The inauguration of President Trump marked the beginning of a wave of executive orders and legal changes, including those that aim to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Direct acknowledgment of DEIrelated programs in higher education came on Feb. 14 in a letter from the Education Department titled “Dear Colleague Letter,” which warned schools that they would lose federal funding if they continued to consider race when making scholarship and hiring decisions.
In recent years, colleges and universities in the United States have been obligated to change long-established practices put in place to ensure diversity and equity in higher education. In June 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action in college admissions, limiting public and private universities from using race-conscious admissions policies. Freshman Sophia Sanders shared her disappointment in these changes and the significant effects on millions of U.S. citizens. “With alarming speed and efficacy, this [White House] administration has rolled back protections for the most vulnerable in our population and disturbed our sense of normalcy with its complete disregard for civil rights precedence,” Sanders said.
See Letter, Page 3
MARCH 27, 2025
20th annual Wake ‘N Shake fuels the fight against cancer MIRIAM FABRYCKY Features Editor
From noon to midnight, participants stayed on their feet — sweating, singing and sending countless emails. The teams of students competed to raise awareness and funding for the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund. On Saturday, March 22, students gathered in the Sutton Wellbeing Center for Wake Forest’s 20th annual “Wake ‘N Shake” dance marathon. By the end of the night, they had raised a total of $322,975. Junior Grayson Weavil, a member of the corporate sponsorship executive team, expressed her excitement and pride for the success of this year’s fundraising event. “The outcomes of the event absolutely exceeded our expectations,” Weavil said. “We raised over 130K in a single day. This was double last year’s amount and we were all absolutely speechless.” The Piccolo Fund promotes research into improved treatments against cancer at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and several other medical institutions in memory of Brian Piccolo. Piccolo, a Wake Forest alumnus and legendary football player, died of embryonal cell carcinoma at age 26 in 1970. Ten years later, Wake Forest students founded the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund and, in decades since, have continued to honor Piccolo’s legacy through several philanthropic avenues, including Wake ‘N Shake. Since its inception in 2006, the energetic fundraiser has been organized entirely by students and has grown into one of the most beloved campus events. Wake ‘N Shake has historically relied on the fundraising efforts of student organizations. Excluding the Wake ‘N Shake Executive Board, the teams that raised the most funds include the Bayer-Nops team and Delta Zeta sorority, each collecting close to $38,000. Some individual students also raised several thousand dollars.
See Wake & Shake, Page 3
NEWS
WFU celebrates Women's History Month
Page Four
CITY & STATE UNC eliminates DEI requirements Page Six
What's Inside
FEATURES Beth and Larry Hopkins Page Seven
ENVIRONMENT A Hidden Gem Page Eleven
OPINION The spring break dilemma Page Fourteen
SPORTS Women's Golf wins Old Barnwell Derby Page Sixteen
ARTS & CULTURE ZSR opens tobacco legacy exhibit Page Eighteen