History of Wake Forest University in Timeline
Wake Forest University (WFU), established in 1834, is a private research university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, having relocated from its original site in Wake Forest in 1956. While its main campus is in Winston-Salem, WFU also operates academic facilities in Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Venice, Vienna, and London. Founded by the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, WFU maintains a commitment to research and offers a range of academic programs.
1902: School of Medicine established
In 1902, the School of Medicine was established at Wake Forest.
1911: First librarian appointed
In 1911, Louise Heims Beck became the university's first librarian.
1917: Reynolda House constructed
In 1917, Reynolda House was constructed by Katharine Smith Reynolds and her husband, Richard Joshua Reynolds.
1921: First summer session
In 1921, the university held its first summer session.
1923: Wake Forest Student Government Founded
Founded in 1923, Wake Forest Student Government (SG) works under a semi-Presidential system.
1923: Team name becomes the Demon Deacons
In 1923, after a win against the Duke Blue Devils, a newspaper reporter wrote that the Deacons "fought like Demons", giving rise to the team name, the "Demon Deacons".
1932: Graylyn built
Graylyn was built as a private estate for Bowman Gray, Sr., and his family in 1932.
1941: School of Medicine moved to Winston-Salem
In 1941, the School of Medicine moved to Winston-Salem and became the Bowman Gray School of Medicine.
1942: First female undergraduate students admitted
In 1942, Wake Forest admitted its first female undergraduate students due to the depletion of male students during World War II.
1946: College moved to Winston-Salem due to Reynolds Foundation gifts
In 1946, as a result of large gifts from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, the college began preparations to move to Winston-Salem.
1946: Graylyn donated to Bowman Gray School of Medicine
In 1946, the Gray family donated Graylyn to the Bowman Gray School of Medicine.
1951: Arnold Palmer alumni PGA golfer
In 1951, Arnold Palmer graduated from Wake Forest and became a PGA golfer.
1952: Construction of new buildings began
From 1952 to 1956, fourteen new buildings were constructed on the new campus.
1955: Wake Forest won the College World Series in baseball
In 1955, Wake Forest won the College World Series in baseball.
1955: Debate Team Made Semifinals
In 1955, the Wake Forest Debate team made it to the semifinals of the National Debate Tournament.
1955: Baseball wins NCAA championship
In 1955, the Wake Forest baseball team won an NCAA team national championship.
1956: University moved to Winston-Salem
In 1956, the Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, was established north of downtown Winston-Salem after the university relocated there.
1961: Graduate studies program inaugurated
A graduate studies program was inaugurated in 1961.
April 27, 1962: Acceptance of first black full-time undergraduate
On April 27, 1962, Wake Forest's board of trustees voted to accept Edward Reynolds, a native of Ghana, as the first black full-time undergraduate at the school.
1962: Reached the Final Four in basketball
In 1962, Wake Forest's men's basketball team reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.
1964: First black graduate
In 1964, Edward Reynolds became the first black graduate of Wake Forest University, earning a bachelor's degree in history.
1965: Al Hunt alumni in media
Al Hunt (B.A. 1965) worked for Bloomberg News.
1967: Fully accredited Wake Forest University
In 1967 the school became the fully accredited Wake Forest University.
1967: Reynolda House converted to art museum
Reynolda House was converted to an art museum in 1967.
1967: WFDD Broadcast on 88.5 FM
Since 1967, WFDD has been broadcast on 88.5 FM.
1969: Camillo Artom left Baptist Medical Center
In 1969, Camillo Artom, a professor at the Baptist Medical Center, left his position.
1969: Babcock School of Management Founded
In 1969, the Wake Forest School of Business was founded as the Babcock School of Management.
1969: Babcock Graduate School of Management established
The Babcock Graduate School of Management was established in 1969.
1972: Reynolds earned Ph.D.
In 1972, Edward Reynolds earned a Ph.D. in African history from the University of London.
1972: Graylyn donated to Wake Forest University
In 1972, Graylyn was donated to Wake Forest University.
1974: Wake Forest Purchased Casa Artom
In 1974, Wake Forest University acquired the building that previously housed the American Consulate in Venice, naming it Casa Artom in honor of Camillo Artom.
1974: Men's golf team wins national championship
In 1974, Wake Forest's men's golf team won a national championship.
1975: Men's golf team wins national championship
In 1975, Wake Forest's men's golf team won a national championship.
1975: Lea Laboratory listed on National Register of Historic Places
Lea Laboratory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
1976: Charlie Ergen co-founded EchoStar and Dish Network
In 1976, Charlie Ergen (M.B.A. 1976), co-founded EchoStar and Dish Network.
1976: Wake Forest University Press Established
In 1976, Wake Forest University Press was established by Irish scholar Dillon Johnston.
1977: David Farr became CEO of Emerson Electric Company
In 1977, David Farr (B.S. 1977) became CEO of Emerson Electric Company and board director of IBM.
1977: Wake Forest Acquired London Program House
In 1977, Wake Forest acquired a large brick home in Hampstead for its London program, a gift from Eugene and Ann Worrell, and named in their honor.
March 17, 1978: Jimmy Carter made National Security address
On March 17, 1978, president Jimmy Carter made a major National Security address in Wait Chapel.
1978: Kay Hagan Alumni
Kay Hagan (J.D. 1978) became a member of United States Congress.
1979: Process to change relationship with Baptist State Convention began
In 1979, Wake Forest began a process to change its relationship with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
1979: James R. Scales Fine Arts Center opened
The James R. Scales Fine Arts Center opened in 1979.
1982: Richard Burr Alumni, United States Senator
Richard Burr (B.A. 1982) became a United States Senator.
1986: Men's golf team wins national championship
In 1986, Wake Forest's men's golf team won a national championship.
1986: Autonomy from Baptist State Convention
In 1986, the school gained autonomy from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
1986: Rhodes Scholars
Since 1986, Wake Forest has had 13 Rhodes Scholars.
1986: Thirteen Rhodes Scholars since 1986
Thirteen Rhodes Scholars have been affiliated with Wake Forest since 1986.
1987: Muggsy Bogues alumni NBA player
In 1987, Muggsy Bogues graduated from Wake Forest and became an NBA player.
1987: RJR Nabisco building donated to Wake Forest
In 1987, RJR Nabisco donated its world headquarters building to Wake Forest University.
September 25, 1988: Presidential debate hosted
On September 25, 1988, Wake Forest hosted a presidential debate between George H. W. Bush and Michael Dukakis.
1988: Al Louden National Coach of the Year
In 1988, Al Louden was named the "National Coach of the Year".
1988: Wake Forest appeared in NCAA tournament
In 1988, Wake Forest appeared in the program's only NCAA tournament appearance.
April 1989: Planning for the School Began
In April 1989, planning for the school began.
1989: Coliseum Opened
In 1989 the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum opened and has been the home of Wake Forest's men's and women's basketball teams since.
1992: Middleton House deeded to Wake Forest
In 1992, Middleton House and its surrounding 5 acres were deeded to Wake Forest by gift from Philip Hanes and his wife Charlotte.
1993: Debate Team Made Semifinals
In 1993, the Wake Forest Debate team made it to the semifinals of the National Debate Tournament.
1993: Fulbright recipients
Since 1993, Wake Forest has had 62 Fulbright recipients.
1993: Sixty-two Fulbright recipients since 1993
Sixty-two Fulbright recipients have been affiliated with Wake Forest since 1993.
1994: Debate Team Made Semifinals
In 1994, the Wake Forest Debate team made it to the semifinals of the National Debate Tournament.
1994: Marc Blucas alumni in entertainment
Marc Blucas (B.A. 1994) became an actor.
1995: Randolph Childress MVP of ACC tournament
In 1995, Randolph Childress was the MVP of the ACC tournament.
1995: School of Business established Charlotte campus
In 1995, the School of Business established a satellite campus in Charlotte, North Carolina.
1995: Debate Team Made Semifinals
In 1995, the Wake Forest Debate team made it to the semifinals of the National Debate Tournament.
May 1996: Bill J. Leonard Appointed First Dean
In May 1996, Bill J. Leonard was appointed the school's first dean.
1997: Tim Duncan alumni NBA player
In 1997, Tim Duncan graduated from Wake Forest and became an NBA player.
1997: Debate Team Won National Debate Tournament
In 1997, the Wake Forest Debate team won the National Debate Tournament.
March 1998: Board of Visitors Selected
In March 1998, the school selected its 14-member board of visitors.
April 1998: First Faculty Members Named
In April 1998, the first faculty members were named.
1998: Wake Forest Purchased Villa in Vienna
In 1998, Wake Forest University purchased a three-story villa in Vienna, made possible by a donation from Vic and Roddy Flow, and named in their honor.
August 1999: First Students Enrolled
In August 1999, the first 24 students enrolled in the program.
October 11, 2000: Presidential debate hosted
On October 11, 2000, Wake Forest hosted a debate between George W. Bush and Al Gore.
January 2001: School of Business moved into new facility
In January 2001, the School of Business moved into a new facility on North College Street in Uptown Charlotte.
May 20, 2002: First Master of Divinity Degrees Conferred
On May 20, 2002, the university's first Master of Divinity degrees were conferred.
2002: Hoover member of the ACC's 50th Anniversary Team
In 2002, Jenny Mitchell Hoover was a member of the ACC's 50th Anniversary Team.
2002: Reynolda House affiliated with Wake Forest
In 2002, Reynolda House became affiliated with Wake Forest University.
2002: NCAA Field Hockey national championships
In 2002, Wake Forest won an NCAA Field Hockey national championship.
2002: Women's field hockey wins NCAA championship
In 2002, Wake Forest's women's field hockey team won an NCAA team national championship.
2003: Josh Howard alumni NBA player
In 2003, Josh Howard graduated from Wake Forest and became an NBA player.
2003: NCAA Field Hockey national championships
In 2003, Wake Forest won an NCAA Field Hockey national championship.
2003: Women's field hockey wins NCAA championship
In 2003, Wake Forest's women's field hockey team won an NCAA team national championship.
2004: NCAA Field Hockey national championships
In 2004, Wake Forest won an NCAA Field Hockey national championship.
2004: Women's field hockey wins NCAA championship
In 2004, Wake Forest's women's field hockey team won an NCAA team national championship.
July 1, 2005: Hatch assumed office
Nathan O. Hatch assumed office as president of Wake Forest on July 1, 2005.
October 20, 2005: Hatch announced as president
On October 20, 2005, Nathan O. Hatch was officially announced as the thirteenth president of Wake Forest.
2005: Defeated in the semifinal round by Duke University
In 2005, the Deacs were defeated in the semifinal round by Duke University.
2005: "Shag on the Mag" Started
In 2005, the annual "Shag on the Mag" event started under then Springfest chairman Joseph Bumgarner.
2006: Chris Paul NBA Rookie of the Year
In 2006, Chris Paul, a Wake Forest alumnus, was awarded the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
2006: Defeated in the championship game by the University of Maryland
In 2006, Wake Forest was defeated in the championship game by the University of Maryland.
2006: Debate Team Made Finals
In 2006, the Wake Forest Debate team made it to the finals of the National Debate Tournament.
2006: Men's soccer team advances to NCAA tournament final four
In 2006, the Wake Forest men's soccer team advanced to the final four of the NCAA tournament but was defeated in a penalty kick shootout by UC Santa Barbara.
2006: VSC Sent Students to Hurricane Katrina Relief
In the Spring of 2006, the Volunteer Service Corps (VSC) sent 30 Wake Students on a Wake Alternative Spring Break in light of the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina.
2006: Mock Trial Team Qualified for National Tournament
In the spring of 2006, the Mock Trial team qualified for the national tournament while only in its 2nd year in operation.
2007: Men's soccer team captures NCAA Championship
In 2007, the Wake Forest men's soccer team captured the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship, defeating Ohio State 2–1, with the winning goal scored by Zack Schilawski.
2007: Ted Budd Alumni, junior United States Senator of North Carolina
Ted Budd (M.B.A. 2007), became the junior United States Senator of North Carolina.
May 2008: College Entrance Exams Made Optional
In May 2008, Wake Forest made college entrance exams optional for undergraduate admissions, becoming the first national university ranked in the top 30 by the U.S. News & World Report to adopt a test-optional policy.
2008: Debate Team Won National Debate Tournament Again
In 2008, the Wake Forest Debate team won the National Debate Tournament.
2009: President Hatch outlines strategic plan and appoints VP for personal and career development
In 2009, President Nathan Hatch outlined a strategic plan emphasizing personal and career development as integral to the undergraduate experience. Later that year, he appointed Andy Chan as the vice president for personal and career development, a new cabinet-level position.
2009: Debate Team Made Finals Again
In 2009, the Wake Forest Debate team made it to the finals of the National Debate Tournament.
2009: Men's soccer team returns to NCAA tournament final four
In 2009, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons returned to the final four of the Division I Men's College Cup, losing to Virginia 2–1 in overtime in the semifinals.
2009: Team began playing at David F. Couch Ballpark
In 2009, the Wake Forest baseball team began playing at David F. Couch Ballpark, in Winston-Salem, NC, moving from Gene Hooks Stadium.
2010: On-Campus Living Requirements
As of 2010, students were required to live on campus for their first three years as full-time enrolled students.
2010: Gail O'Day Appointed Dean
In 2010, Gail O'Day was appointed as dean of the school and professor of New Testament and preaching.
2010: Partnership with Reynolda House
In 2010, Reynolda House and Wake Forest partnered on a first-year student orientation project.
2010: Debate Team Went "Open Source"
In 2010, Wake Forest became the first top-tier debate team in the country to go "open source".
2011: Student Involvement in Performances
In 2011, more than 500 Wake Forest students were directly involved in performances on campus.
2011: Donation of Middleton House completed
The donation of Middleton House to Wake Forest was completed in 2011.
February 2012: Opening of Wake Forest Biotech Place
In February 2012, Wake Forest Biotech Place opened in downtown Winston-Salem.
December 2012: Launch of Wake Forest Innovations
In December 2012, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center formally launched its new commercialization enterprise, Wake Forest Innovations.
2012: Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award
In 2012 Wake Forest was among 40 schools across the country awarded the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award by Insight into Diversity magazine.
2012: Public Exhibitions held in Scales Fine Arts Center
In 2012, 110 public exhibitions in theatre, music dance and visual arts held in Scales Fine Arts Center.
2012: Jen Hoover takes over as coach
In 2012, Jen Hoover took over as coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons women's basketball team from Mike Petersen.
2012: National Conference hosted
In 2012, Wake Forest hosted a national conference called "Rethinking Success: From the Liberal Arts to Careers in the 21st Century", featuring Condoleezza Rice.
2012: Oakes named one of the "25 Women Making a Difference"
In 2012, Wake Forest's Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion, Barbee Oakes, was named one of the "25 Women Making a Difference".
2012: Food, Faith, and Religious Leadership Initiative Established
In 2012, the school established the Food, Faith, and Religious Leadership Initiative.
2012: School of Medicine Research Funding
In the 2012 fiscal year, the School of Medicine was awarded nearly $185 million in research funding.
August 1, 2013: Purchase of Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
On August 1, 2013, Wake Forest purchased the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum from the City of Winston-Salem.
2013: Public Exhibitions held in Scales Fine Arts Center
In 2013, 110 public exhibitions in theatre, music dance and visual arts held in Scales Fine Arts Center.
2013: Roadmap for Transforming the College-To-Career Experience issued
In 2013, Wake Forest issued "A Roadmap for Transforming the College-To-Career Experience".
2013: Community Areas
The three main community areas for the 2013–2014 academic year are:
2014: Noah Rubin wins championships
In 2014, Noah Rubin won the boys singles championship at Wimbledon, and the US boys' national championships in singles and doubles.
2014: Summer school classes offered in Charlotte
In the summer of 2014, the university began offering a small set of general summer school classes at the Charlotte campus.
2014: Community Areas
The three main community areas for the 2013–2014 academic year are:
September 16, 2015: Plans to offer undergraduate classes downtown announced
On September 16, 2015, Wake Forest announced plans to offer undergraduate classes downtown in Innovation Quarter in Winston-Salem.
2015: Dearica Hamby drafted in WNBA draft
In 2015, Dearica Hamby was drafted 6th overall in the WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars (now Las Vegas Aces).
2015: Rubin was an All-American
In 2015, Noah Rubin was an All-American and the runner-up in the NCAA singles championship.
2015: Summer Immersion Program Began
In 2015, the Summer Immersion Program began, offering 23 institutes in the STEM, social sciences, and creative disciplines.
2015: Matt James alumni in entertainment
Matt James (B.A. 2015) appeared on The Bachelor.
January 2016: Sutton Center Opened
In January 2016, the Sutton Center opened.
March 18, 2016: Programs in biomedical sciences and engineering announced
On March 18, 2016, the school announced programs in biomedical sciences and engineering at its new Wake Downtown campus.
July 2016: Second School of Medicine Campus Opened
In July 2016, the Wake Forest School of Medicine opened a second campus downtown Winston-Salem.
July 2016: School of Medicine second campus opening
In July 2016, the second campus of the School of Medicine opened.
2016: Bill Clinton campaigned for Hillary Clinton
Bill Clinton campaigned at Wake Forest for his wife Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign.
2016: Undergraduate Teaching Ranking
In 2016, U.S. News & World Report ranked Wake Forest tied for 10th best undergraduate teaching in the U.S.
2016: Online Immersion Program Began
In 2016, the Online Immersion Program began, offering nine courses in the STEM, social sciences, and creative disciplines.
2016: Men's soccer team reaches NCAA Championship game
In 2016, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons reached the NCAA Championship game again, losing to Stanford in the College Cup Championship.
2016: School of Medicine Ranked by U.S. News & World Report
In its 2016 edition, U.S. News & World Report ranked the School of Medicine tied for 52nd best in research and tied for 74th in primary care.
January 2017: Undergraduate programs began at Wake Downtown
In January 2017, undergraduate programs began at Wake Downtown.
January 2017: Wake Downtown opening
The new Wake Downtown campus opening in January 2017.
2017: Cheslie Kryst alumni
Cheslie Kryst (J.D., M.B.A. 2017) graduated from Wake Forest Law School.
2017: Eight players were selected in the 2017 MLB Draft
In 2017, eight players were selected in the MLB Draft, the most in the Wake Forest Baseball history.
2017: Debate Team Made Semifinals
In 2017, the Wake Forest Debate team made it to the semifinals of the National Debate Tournament.
March 2018: Reynolds Gym Renovated
In March 2018, Reynolds Gym was renovated and renamed the Wake Forest Wellbeing Center.
2018: Research and Development Spending
According to the National Science Foundation, Wake Forest spent $191 million on research and development in 2018.
2018: Men's tennis wins NCAA championship
In 2018, the Wake Forest men's tennis team won an NCAA team national championship.
March 12, 2019: Involved in Varsity Blues scandal
On March 12, 2019, Wake Forest was one of eight colleges and universities involved in the Varsity Blues scandal.
April 2019: Jonathan L. Walton Appointed Dean
In April 2019, Jonathan L. Walton was appointed as the new dean of the divinity school.
2019: Cheslie Kryst Miss USA
In 2019, Cheslie Kryst alumni, was Miss USA.
2019: Debate Team Made Semifinals
In 2019, the Wake Forest Debate team made it to the semifinals of the National Debate Tournament.
2019: Partnership announced
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Atrium Health announced a partnership in 2019 with the goal of a Charlotte, North Carolina campus for the Wake Forest School of Medicine.
February 21, 2020: Apology for benefiting from slavery
On February 21, 2020, Wake Forest officially apologized for the institution's role in benefiting from enslaved people during slavery.
2020: Hatch announced retirement
In 2020, Nathan O. Hatch announced his retirement as president of Wake Forest.
January 29, 2021: Susan Rae Wente named president
On January 29, 2021, Susan Rae Wente was named Wake Forest's fourteenth president and first female president.
February 2021: Details revealed
In February 2021, more specific details of the Wake Forest School of Medicine campus were revealed.
March 24, 2021: Site announced
On March 24, 2021, Atrium Health announced a 20-acre site at Baxter and McDowell Streets for the Wake Forest School of Medicine.
2022: Construction starts
Construction for new campus of Wake Forest School of Medicine was planned to begin in 2022.
November 2023: School of Medicine Pledged Funding for Research
In November 2023, the School of Medicine pledged $100 million to help fund research.
2023: Women's golf team wins first championship
In 2023, Wake Forest's women's golf team won its first championship.
2023: Wake Forest Ranked in U.S. News & World Report
In the 2023 U.S. News & World Report America's Best Colleges report, Wake Forest ranked tied for 31st for "Best Undergraduate Teaching", 64th for "Best Value", and tied for 47th overall among national universities in the U.S.
2023: Undergraduate Admission Rated "Most Selective"
In the fall of 2023, Wake Forest's undergraduate admission was rated as "most selective" by U.S. News & World Report. The university received 17,479 applications and admitted 3,768, with 1,385 students enrolling.
2024: Admission rate of 22%
As of 2024, Wake Forest's undergraduate admissions are considered highly selective with an admission rate of 22%.
2024: Rhodes Scholars
As of 2024, eighteen Rhodes Scholars have been affiliated with Wake Forest.
2024: Wake Forest Ranked Third in North Carolina
In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked Wake Forest 3rd among best national universities in North Carolina.
2024: First students attending
The first students were planned to attend at the Charlotte location in 2024.
September 17, 2025: Tuition-Free Admissions Announced
On September 17, 2025, Wake Forest announced it would offer tuition-free admissions for some low income North Carolina students starting fall 2026.
2025: Men's Tennis claims second NCAA National Championship
In 2025, Wake Forest Men's Tennis defeated TCU 4–2 to claim its second NCAA National Championship.
2025: Estimated Cost of Attendance
In 2025, Wake Forest's estimated cost of attendance for the 2025–26 academic year is $94,600, including $70,332 in tuition.
2025: Men's tennis wins NCAA championship
In 2025, the Wake Forest men's tennis team won an NCAA team national championship.
2025: Campus officially opened
The Charlotte campus of Wake Forest School of Medicine officially opened 2025.
2026: Tuition-Free Admissions Starting
Starting in the fall of 2026, Wake Forest will offer tuition-free admissions for some low income North Carolina students.
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