Class of 2027,
On behalf of the Old Gold & Black, welcome to Wake Forest!
For many of you, Wake Forest has long been the destination. You dreamed of getting that letter in the mail, and now you’re here. Soon, you’ll begin dreaming of new destinations — the graduate school letter, the dream job, your first apartment in a city twice the size of your hometown.
Never stifle that ambition, but also take a deep breath and appreciate where you are right now. Take classes that scare you, talk to people different from you and choose to be deeply involved in campus life. College is an investment — only what you develop will deliver results. Choose a few things and be meaningfully involved rather than spread yourself too thin. The relationships and experiences you develop because of your commitment will pay dividends.
The Old Gold & Black is one of those places you can find belonging. Allow me to introduce ourselves to you. We are Wake Forest’s student newspaper. That means our content is created by students primarily for students but also for anyone who may read us — staff, faculty, parents, alumni and those living in Winston-Salem.
We publish online every weekday and in print every other week. Our newspaper is comprised of six sections: News, Features, Environment, Opinion, Sports and Arts & Culture.
Think of our news coverage as existing in three circles. The first circle is around campus, our primary focus. We try our best to be at every newsworthy speech, meeting, gathering and event.
The second circle is around Winston-Salem. While we’re not at every city council meeting, we try to deliver the news about our city that you need to know — especially when it involves Wake Forest. The Old Gold & Black has a mission for every Wake Forest student to be aware of what’s going on in their city — the good and the bad. Wake Forest shouldn’t be an ivory tower.
Lastly, the third circle is drawn around our world. When applicable, we localize state, national and international news to show how it’s affecting Winston-Salem and Wake Forest students.
In Features, we tell stories about people and places with strong reporting and a narrative flair. One of the core tenets of journalism is to tell stories that often go untold, and our Features section does this with dignity and grace.
In Environment, our newest section, we tell our city and university’s ever-important climate and sustainability stories.
In Opinion, we give students a platform to tell us what they think about our school’s culture, policies and practices. We’re dedicated to publishing a diverse array of opinions, not just what’s popular. On page two of every print issue, our Editorial Committee takes a stance on an issue on behalf of our newspaper.
In Sports, our writers keep you in the know on all things Wake Forest athletics. From game recaps to features to news stories on the ever changing world of college athletics right now, this section has it all.
And lastly, in the section formerly known as “Life,” Arts & Culture is bringing you essays and reviews on the rich art scene and cultural happenings on campus and in Winston-Salem.
If storytelling isn’t your thing, that’s alright. Our university has a plethora of groups and clubs to which you can belong. Allow us to serve you and enrich your Wake Forest experience by documenting these years. Please check out our recent stories that were written by our upperclassmen staff just for you as you navigate your first days in the Forest.
I cannot wait to see all the ways your class leaves Wake Forest better than you found it. Here’s to challenging yourself and going all in.
All the best,
Christa Dutton
