These are strange days for Nathan O. Hatch, the soon-to-be-former president of Wake Forest University.
His Reynolda Hall office has been boxed up. A couple of months ago, he and Julie, his wife, moved out of the presidentâs house where they lived for the past 16 years. A day after commencement, his last as a full-time academic, Hatch turned 75.
For a few more days, Hatch will conduct presidential business from his study in his new home that backs up to Graylyn, the former estate of Bowman Gray that Wake Forest now operates a hotel and conference center.
That ends Wednesday, when Hatch will retire after a remarkable run of 16 years at Wake Forest and 30 more before that at the University of Notre Dame. Susan Wente, now the provost of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, becomes Wake Forestâs 14th president Thursday.
The past week has been a pretty good one for Wake Forest University students.
On Friday, the Winston-Salem university lifted most of the remaining campus restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 among its students.
The university followed that up Tuesday by telling students that it plans to hold commencement in person in May.
In a message to 2021 graduates, Wake Forest said most undergraduate commencement activities will take place May 16 or May 17Â â or possibly both days.
One of those events is what President Nathan Hatch called a large, celebratory event for seniors at Truist Field â the Wake Forest football stadium â that will be a high-energy event that you wonât want to miss.