Welcome to Wake Forest.

Like many other colleges and universities, we place our institutional motto in our official seal. But we don’t leave it there. We let it roam. We let its Deac flag fly.

Our motto, Pro Humanitate (For Humanity), is a calling to use our knowledge, talents and compassion to better the lives of others. It can mean donating time and resources to our communities or simply a lifelong commitment to pursuing our best self. No matter your personal interpretation, it’s an opportunity to leave the world better than we found it.

We welcome you to explore Wake Forest and get to know us better. We think you’ll quickly recognize what makes this such a special place.


Wake Forest University campus in the fall.

The Big Picture

Year Founded

1834 (Wake Forest, North Carolina)

Relocated to Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1956.

School Colors

Old Gold and Black

Old Gold and Black colors

Type

Private

Motto

Pro Humanitate (For Humanity)

Nickname

Demon Deacons

Campus Size

340 acres

President

Dr. Susan R. Wente (14th President)

The Wake Forest Campus Life office holds its Wake Up Wednesday event during Mental Health Week.

Who We Are

Enrollment

9,121

Undergraduate: 5,471
Graduate: 3,650

U.S. States

50 (+ Puerto Rico & D.C.)

Foreign Countries

39

Ethnic Diversity

37%

Gender

57% (Female)
43% (Male)

Full-time Employees*

Faculty: 2,312
Staff: 5,169

Data represents undergraduate enrollment, Fall 2023, unless otherwise noted.
* As of Fall 2022

Students present their research at the Undergraduate Research Day.

How We Learn

Programs of Study

Undergraduate

Majors: 50+
Minors: 60+

Graduate

Information regarding our graduate programs can be found on the Colleges & Schools page.

Student-Faculty Ratio

11:1

Class Sizes

99% of undergraduate classes have fewer than 50 students.

Career Outcomes

96% of graduates over the last 10 years are employed or in grad school within nine months of receiving their degrees.

Study Abroad

60% of our undergraduates have an academic study-abroad experience.

Demon Deacon mascot at a Wake Forest football game.

How We Play

Division

NCAA Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision)

Conference

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Mascot

Demon Deacon

Demon Deacon logo

Varsity Teams

18

Men’s: 9
Women’s: 9

Visit godeacs.com for a full list of Wake Forest varsity teams.

NCAA Championships

10

Student-Athlete Graduation Rate

96% (as measured by the NCAA)

Who We Become

Degree Recipients

82,229 (Living degree recipients)

Where We Call Home

North Carolina: 38%
U.S. States: 50
Foreign Countries: 103

Notable Alumni

  • Richard Burr (‘78)
  • Tim Duncan (’97)
  • Robert Ehrlich (JD ’82)
  • Charlie Ergen (MBA ’76)
  • Emily Giffin (‘94)
  • Kay Hagan (JD ‘78)
  • Thomas Marshburn (MD ’89)
  • Arnold Palmer (‘51)
  • Chris Paul (’07)

A Brief Look Back…

Wake Forest seal

1834

First known as the Wake Forest Manual Labor Institute, we are one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in North Carolina.

Diversity and inclusion

All-Inclusive

On April 27, 1962, Wake Forest University became the first major private institution in the South to integrate.

Wake Forest shield

WFC to WFU

Wake Forest College became Wake Forest University in 1967. The letters WFC can still be found in ironwork around campus.


Why Wake Forest?

Lawyer, bestselling author and social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson joins the Face to Face Speaker Forum for a student-led conversation at Wait Chapel.

Leadership and Character

The Program for Leadership and Character inspires, educates, and empowers leaders of character to serve humanity.

Wake Forest students attend a career fair put on by the Office of Personal and Career Development in the Sutton Center.

Career-Focused Outcomes

Our goal is simple: To provide Wake Forest students with the tools and confidence to navigate the often daunting path from college to career.

The Wake Forest community runs, walks, and rides laps around Hearn Plaza to raise money for cancer research at the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian event.

Pro Humanitate

Translated as “For Humanity,” Pro Humanitate calls upon the entire University community to engage in the fundamental questions about what it means to be human.


More from the Forest

Additional resources and information about Wake Forest are provided below.