DESK is an annual event in which local children are paired with teams of Wake Forest students to paint a custom desk that the child will get to take home.
The Office of Civic & Community Engagement seeks to nurture existing partnerships, incubate new community-based initiatives, and foster connections between Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem. We have a specific focus in three areas: educational equity, health and nutrition, and economic empowerment.
Our Focus Areas
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D.E.S.K.
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Freedom School at Wake Forest University
Freedom School at Wake Forest University is a summer program which enhances children’s motivation to read and makes them feel good about learning.
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LALX Latinx Mentoring Initiative
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Network of Educational Resources and Development (NERD)
Network of Educational Resources and Development (NERD) – A training and leadership program for Wake Forest students interested in mentoring, tutoring, and educational advocacy.
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Paisley Sports Literacy Project
Paisley Sports Literacy Project is a weekly after-school club for seventh- and eighth-grade boys with an interest in sports.
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Project Launch
Project Launch is a mentoring program between students from Wake Forest and Paisley Middle School which aims to put seventh-grade students on a path to success.
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Project Pumpkin
Project Pumpkin is a student-led event where children from local school and after school agencies are invited to Hearn Plaza to participate in a fall Halloween themed festival.
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Sci-Tech Summer Camp
Sci-Tech Summer Camp is a community enrichment program in science, math, and technology for middle school students in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
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STEM @ Wake
STEM @ Wake consists of a visit by high school students to the Wake Forest Reynolda Campus and Wake Downtown to learn about STEM offerings.
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Students For Education Reform
SFER is a student organization which empowers students as stakeholders in the education system, connecting them with tools to advocate for change.
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Volunteer Service Corps
Volunteer Service Corps is a student-run organization dedicated to furthering the University’s motto of “Pro Humanitate” by engaging students, faulty, and staff in meaningful volunteer service.
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Wake Academy
Wake Academy is a student organization improving the academic abilities of elementary-aged students at Kimberley Park Elementary School through a rotational, small-group tutoring on Saturdays.
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Wake Downtown - The Science of STEM Outreach
Wake Downtown – The Science of STEM Outreach is a program to provide free STEM educational activities to K-12 students in local Title 1 schools.
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Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition (Cook Elementary School)
Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition (Cook Elementary School) is part of AmeriCorps VISTA’s who are sponsored by the Office of Civic and Community Engagement at Wake Forest University and placed at a local non-profit.
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Campus Kitchen at Wake Forest University
Campus Kitchen at Wake Forest University is an organization that partners with a network of civic, non-profit, and private organizations to develop innovative solutions to reduce food insecurity.
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The Collaborative for Public Religious Leadership
The Collaborative for Public Religious Leadership is a program which prepares agents of justice, reconciliation, and compassion to navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing religious landscape.
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Delivering Equal Access to Care (DEAC) Clinic
Delivering Equal Access to Care (DEAC) Clinic is a student-run and physician-staffed clinic for patients who have no insurance and are ineligible for Medicaid
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Food, Health, and Ecological Well-Being Program
The Food, Health and Ecological Well-Being Program is a program through Wake Forest School of Divinity for faith leaders working on food insecurity, health disparity, or ecological degradation.
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Film Feast
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Healthcare Advocacy Law Clinic
The Healthcare Advocacy Law Clinic (Elder Law Clinic) is a law clinic through Wake Forest School of Law that provides free legal services to the community in Forsyth and surrounding counties.
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IMPROVment
IMPROVment® is an integrative movement class that emphasizes physical and mental fitness by encouraging participants to create their own movement in response to multiple auditory prompts.
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Kids Cooking Coalition
Kids Cooking Coalition is a community based initiative for children in elementary and early middle school that gives them the knowledge, skills, and ability to take control of their food future.
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Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention and Response
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USDA Summer Feeding Site for Freedom School
The USDA Summer Feeding Site for Freedom School acts as a location of the Summer Food Service program, a federally-funded, state-administered program which serves free healthy meals and snacks to children and teens in low-income areas.
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“Visualizing Air Quality” Design Challenge
“Visualizing Air Quality” Design Challenge helps to develop air quality visualizations for local schools.
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Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition (Twin City Harm Reduction Collaborative, Kids Cooking Coalition, Senior Services, Shalom Project)
The Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition (Twin City Harm Reduction Collaborative, Kids Cooking Coalition, Senior Services, Shalom Project) consists of team of AmeriCorps VISTA’s who are sponsored by the Office of Civic and Community Engagement at Wake Forest University and placed at a local non-profit.
Economic Empowerment
As one of the largest employers in Forsyth County, Wake Forest supports an inclusive economy. The Office of Civic and Community Engagement builds capacity in neighborhoods, organizations, and nonprofits to provide affordable housing, workforce development, and asset-building with involvement in the following:
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Dash Corps
Dash Corps – A foundational leadership and civic action program for first year students, which pairs student groups with non-profit and civic organizations for a yearlong exposure to theory and practice related to community development.
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Latino Community Services
Latino Community Services is an organization that partners with Latino families to equip children and adults to fulfill their educational and economic potential, with hope for a positive and healthy future.
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Grow Your Business Seminar in School of Business
The Grow Your Business Seminar in School of Business is a seminar designed specifically for first- and second-generation immigrants, offering training on basic business concepts and solutions like strategy, finance, operations, human resources, cultural awareness, and marketing.
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Religion and Public Engagement
Religion and Public Engagement is an academic concentration in the Wake Forest Department for the Study of Religions which allows students to pursue their deepest interests and directs them toward community development.
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Research, Education & Advocacy Committee, Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem – Women’s Philanthropy in Action
Research, Education & Advocacy Committee, Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem – Women’s Philanthropy in Action is a strategic initiative of the Winston-Salem Foundation which works to reduce concentrated poverty while strengthening economic security of women and girls in Forsyth County.
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Student Association for the Advancement of Refugees (SAFAR)
The Student Association for the Advancement of Refugees (SAFAR) is a student organization supporting the dreams and initiatives of refugees in the Winston-Salem community, creating a welcoming environment, and setting an example for Wake Forest Students for inclusivity.
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Summer Nonprofit Immersion Program
The Summer Nonprofit Immersion Program is a summer internship program that brings together students at Wake Forest University with community partners to enhance both the learning of the student and the capacity of the nonprofit partner.
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Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition (Urban League, Habitat for Humanity)
The Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition (Urban League, Habitat for Humanity) consists of a team of AmeriCorps VISTA’s who are sponsored by the Office of Civic and Community Engagement at Wake Forest University and placed at a local non-profit.