Wake Forest Fellows

2009-2010 Wake Forest Fellows

Trevor Taylor
Alumni Relations

I may have grown up just north of the Mason-Dixon Line — in a Philadelphia suburb known as Havertown — but it did not take long for me to transition to a Southern way of life at Wake Forest. As a student at Wake, I spent my time studying a pre-medical curriculum with a major in Health & Exercise Science and a minor in Chemistry. My on-campus involvement consisted on serving as a Resident Adviser for two years, volunteering at Baptist hospital and with two research studies conducted by the HES Department, and attending the Emmaus campus ministry operated out of First Presbyterian Church of Winston-Salem. I am excited to meet with alumni and be involved with campus events as the Alumni Relations Fellow this year before attending medical school in the fall of 2010.

Darcy Delph
Information Systems

I am from Annapolis, Maryland. I graduated from Wake Forest University with a Communication major and a Psychology and International Studies double minor. During my time at Wake Forest I was involved with the L.E.A.D program, first as a participant and then as a mentor. I also enjoyed serving as the student assistant in University Events and as a member of the Information Systems Service Desk support team. Additionally, I served on the Student Technology Council where I was able to concurrently utilize my passion for both technology and Wake Forest University. I am extremely excited to begin my role as the Information Systems Fellow and hope to continue fostering the technological aspect of the Wake Forest experience.

Matt Triplett
Provost's Office

I am from Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and I graduated from Wake with a major in Political Science. As an undergraduate, I was heavily involved in Student Government, where I served as a legislator, committee chair, and Speaker of the House. I was also an active member of the WFU Tradition's Council and volunteered frequently with HOPE and Campus Kitchen. I am excited to be staying at Wake Forest for another year, and I am thrilled to be working in the Provost's Office. The WFU Fellows Program is an excellent opportunity to see the other side of higher education and gain some great, hands-on experience. I hope to have a busy year working with students and faculty to make Wake Forest a better place for the entire community.

Velvet Bryant
Provost's Office

My name is Velvet Bryant, and I am a 2009 William Louis Poteat Scholar from Stokesdale, NC-a small town outside of Greensboro. My academic experience as a Psychology major and Women and Gender Studies (WGS) minor included a directed study on the development of civic engagement in adolescents with Dr. Christy Buchanan, attending local and national conferences on social issues, and writing published articles for the Wake Forest magazine and WGS newsletter. I also participated in the Mission of Good Hope service trip in Kayamandi, South Africa, and served as an intern at Experiment in Self-Reliance. My undergraduate experience has reaffirmed my passion to equip people with the tools and knowledge they need to be empowered. I am honored to serve as a Wake Forest Fellow in the Office of the Provost because I know it will further enhance my professional and personal development and give me the opportunity to influence progressive change at Wake Forest University.

Trayonna Floyd
Student Life

I am a native from Gastonia, NC, and I am delighted to be serving as the 2009-2010 Division of Student Life Fellow. As a Sociology major and Women and Gender Studies minor, I spent the majority of my collegiate years trying to live out the motto of “Pro Humanitate” by serving others. I served my peers as a President's Aide, a Resident Adviser, and a Multicultural Enrichment Program Mentor. As a community member, I served as a guardian at litem with the Children's Law Center, and worked as a volunteer with the Darryl Hunt Project for Freedom and Justice, along with being a Winston-Salem Foundation Women's Fund member. Through my experience, both personal and professional, I hope to make valuable contributions to the collegiate experience of every student that leads to a more enriched life as a result of being apart of the Wake Forest community. I am looking forward to continuing to serve Wake Forest and I am excited about being apart of the Student Life team.

Lauren Hubbard
Young Alumni Programs

I am from Social Circle, Georgia. During my time at Wake Forest I have been incredibly fortunate to explore my academic passions as a Communication major while capitalizing on the many extracurricular opportunities available to undergraduates. My campus involvement included serving as Student Trustee, co-chair of the Senior Class Campaign, student representative to the Visual Identity Committee and Student Government Chief of Staff. My role as an Advancement Fellow allows me an exciting opportunity to remain connected to the Wake Forest community, and am I looking forward to what is in store for the coming year.

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2008-2009 Wake Forest Fellows

Lydia Harter
University Advancement

I am from a small suburb of Los Angeles called San Marino, California. I am a graduating History major with a double minor in both Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise and International Studies. At Wake Forest, I served as President of the Kappa Kappa Gamma fraternity, co-chaired the Senior Class Campaign, was on the leadership team of Wake N Shake. I am thrilled to be the Advancement Fellow to be able to meet alumni, travel, and stay closely involved with Wake Forest.

As a Fellow: Nearly 300 alumni, parents and friends across the country have shared their memories, their passions and their lives with me. I have talked with alumni of all ages, backgrounds, interests and regions - the one thing that we all have in common is a deep love for Wake Forest; its community, its hospitality, its people, its standards, and its integrity. What a truly special Wake Forest family we have.

I feel lucky to have experienced Wake Forest in a different light this year. Many can brag about a wonderful college experience as a student but, few are fortunate enough to channel that passion into a career. I have come to value this place as an alumna myself. Meeting with our alumni, I have been inspired by their passion and dedication to all areas of life. Wake Foresters are people who truly do well and do good.

I'm delighted to say that I will continue my career here at Wake Forest, next year working with young alumni and our reunions program. While sad to leave the Fellows position, I place it in the incredibly capable hands of our newest fellow, Trevor Taylor ('09). I hope all alumni have the chance to meet him.

Keon McGuire
Student Life

I am native of Wilmington, North Carolina. As a History major, I have been awarded the opportunity to pursue my field of academic interest, while still having the course space to engage the rich interdisciplinary curriculum Wake Forest offers. Guided by a passion for service to others, my tenure at Wake Forest has included a diverse range of experiences such as PREPARE facilitator, Multicultural Enrichment Program Mentor, Campus Kitchen server, and Forest Fire Christian Ministry event coordinator. Being a Wake Forest Fellow in the Division of Student Life will be both a challenging and rewarding opportunity to experience and facilitate growth and development for myself and others. I sincerely anticipate my next year at Wake Forest University as a Fellow.

As a Fellow: My year as a Wake Forest Fellow has been a formative and enjoyable one. This experience was full of growing, through challenging experiences and learning opportunities. Most memorable of all will not be the projects or assignments I completed, but the community of people with whom I interacted daily. My colleagues in the Division of Student Life, the other Fellows, the Event Planning Office, Aramark employees, and many more all provided a wonderful environment with which I'm confident is rivaled by few.

As a young professional, the support, guidance, and encouragement I received from my mentor, Dr. Mary Gerardy, and Division of Student Life colleagues, allowed me to develop both personally and professionally. The high expectations and varied responsibilities placed before me were staunch markers of the confidence my supervisors had in me. Projects that I worked on included Best Practice research for the Division of Student Life, raising software awareness among students and faculty, developing a council to increase programming among international and minority student organizations, to name a few. Furthermore, my on-campus training was buttressed through a series of Leadership Luncheons. The luncheons afforded us Fellows the opportunity to pick the brains of established community leaders such as Mayor Joines (Winston Salem), Ben Sutton (CEO, ISP), Susan Ivey (CEO, Reynolds American), Ed Wilson (Provost Emeritus, WFU), and many more. These individuals were extremely open, sharing with us their insight and diverse perspectives on leadership.

Most refreshing was the equal support and investment in my success after the fellowship came to an end from my mentor and supervisors. As I searched, applied, and interviewed for graduate schools, they were consistently available to offer advice and guidance throughout the entire process. I would be remiss to not name them: Dr. Mary Gerardy, Dean Harold Holmes, and Dr. Kenneth Zick. I could not have asked for more balanced, amicable, and competent individuals to work with.

I am extremely excited to start the next chapter of my life, as I transition to a joint PhD program in Higher Education and Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania on the Dean's Fellowship. As I look back, I am amazed at the many facets of the university with which I've had the opportunity to engage. It has been my ultimate privilege and great joy to be a part of the inaugural class of Fellows. Best wishes to the new Fellows!

Tristan Salvanera
President's Office

I am from Albemarle, NC. During my time at Wake Forest University, I worked through the rigors of the Calloway Business School, majoring in General Business with minors in Global Trade & Commerce and International Studies. Actively involved, I served as a Resident Advisor for 3 years, a President's Aide, and a Co-Chair for Project Pumpkin. I have also participated in two international service trips with the Wesley Foundation. Passionate about the ideal of Wake Forest, I am delighted to serve as a Wake Forest Fellow in the President's office in the hopes that I can better facilitate effective communication between university administration and my recent peers.

As a Fellow: When I think about my first day in August, I really had no idea what to expect. The year as a Fellow has given me invaluable experience and rewarding opportunities that have helped shape my outlook as a young professional. I never imagined I would know so much about Wake Forest and feel privileged that I have been able to understand the reality of administration. I have been fortunate enough to work in and learn from the various offices at Wake Forest. As a Fellow, I have learned industriousness, tact, and teamwork among a host of new skills. I have updated blogs, participated in a service trip, and held managerial duties. I have interacted with students and administration with the mission to bridge the gap between the two. Though I've found times difficult in balancing students and administration, I have found it an enriching experience, developing my people-skills and communication techniques. Next year, I will be working for the General Services Administration (GSA) working as a Contract Specialist in Washington DC. Afterwards I plan to teach abroad for 1 year in Southeast Asia and then graduate school in International/Public Policy. I know this program has potential. It has given me a new skills-set that I can take with me to my next opportunity. I wish the Fellows luck in filling their roles and soaking up all that Wake Forest has to offer.

Parul Patel
Provost's Office

Graduating with a Business major and a Political Science minor, I am from the Richmond metropolitan area in Virginia. I have spent 4 great years with Student Government on campus and also served as Secretary for the past year. Initiating and organizing the Culture/International Week this year has been one of my defining moments at Wake along with 3 years as a student representative on the Judicial Council. I can't wait to apply my experiences as a student to my work next year and to acquire a different perspective of Wake.

As a Fellow: This past year has gone by so fast. Even though I feel far removed from being a student, there is so much to learn every single day. I love the work I do and the people I work with. They've confidently given me projects I didn't think I could do. They've let me mess up, and yet learn from my mistakes to succeed in the projects. The best part about this job is the academic setting we work in. They are not only your supervisors and co-workers, but advisors and mentors as well.

The people here are phenomenal and the opportunities available, incredible. Even though it was an adjustment at first to switch from a student to staff position, I was treated with respect and an equal at all levels. It has allowed me to learn fascinating aspects of Wake Forest and the higher education sector itself.

Taking on this position was one of the best decisions I made. Not only did I grow professionally, but I've discovered intriguing qualities and interests I possess. I am curious to see what possibilities lay ahead. Regardless, the skills I've acquired and relationships I've built will stay with me for a long time.

Next year, I will be working as the Special Assistant to Steve Reinemund, Dean of the Wake Forest Business Schools.

UPDATE: Lydia Harter ('08) oversees Young Alumni and Reunion Programs for Wake Forest University Advancement.  Keon McGuire ('08) is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania.  Tristan Salvanera ('08) is employed by the General Services Administration as a contract specialist in Washington, D.C.  Parul Patel ('08) is Special Assistant to the Dean of Wake Forest Business Schools.