The Wake Forest University School of Divinity welcomed 44 new students at New Student Orientation, held August 20-22, 2014. This year’s theme, Coming to the Table, was inspired by the words and deeds of Christ that depict the table as an expansive and revolutionary place around which religious leaders are called to gather and grow as disciples of hospitality and grace. The incoming class received an invitation to come sharing their stories, receiving and extending grace, and willing to risk being transformed through life at the table.
This year’s incoming class, ranging in age from 21 to 62, comes from 17 states, 3 countries, 33 undergraduate colleges and universities, and represents over 19 religious affiliations. Over sixty percent of the class is female, half of them identify as ethnic minority, and sixty percent are 30 or younger.
Orientation Coordinators Lindsey Altvater (MDiv ’16) and Chelsea Yarborough (MDiv ’15) recognize the importance of Orientation for new students. “As we planned orientation, we wanted entering students to move toward beginning classes with a greater sense of place and a clearer picture of what their first year of divinity school would be like.”
Shonda Jones, associate dean of admissions and student services, is excited about what this year’s incoming class will bring to the community. “We look forward to guiding them along this journey in anticipation of what they will offer the School of Divinity,” she says, “and what we will be able to offer them throughout their theological education as they prepare to transform the communities and congregations they will eventually serve.”
Orientation began with a welcome dinner on Wednesday evening in downtown Winston-Salem, giving new students the opportunity to meet one another, faculty, staff, current students, and their families. Official programming began on Thursday morning with presentations and workshops on the curriculum, resources for study and student success, and introductions, activities and initiatives that will keep students engaged in the classroom and beyond.
Complete information and details about New Student Orientation, including the schedule and resources for transitioning to the University and city of Winston-Salem, are available on the orientation website.
Media Contact: Mark Batten; 336.758.3748
Categories: Admissions, Current Students, News
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