Discovering the Forest

This past Saturday, February 21, 2026, both cohorts of our 2026-2026 LAUNCH Scholars gathered together on our beautiful Wake Forest University campus to explore all that being a Demon Deacon has to offer.

We began our day with a mock admissions committee session led by Assistant Dean of Admissions, Riley Hall, examining three example college applications and deliberating as a group in order to better understand the evaluation process. Then, we were delighted to invite Cesar Grisales from the Office of Personal and Career Development, Davita DesRoches from the CLASS Office, Monique Gore from the Intercultural Center, and Moriah Gendy from the Women’s Center to present on what makes the Wake Forest advantage so unique.

Even though the morning had started gray and rainy, the weather cleared up and the sun came out in time for the campus tour. Scholars and their families enjoyed lunch at the Pit, the Wake Forest dining hall, followed by a session on financial aid specifics and a campus involvement fair, where current Wake Forest students represented many clubs and groups, from the Student Union to OLAS (Organization of Latin American Students).

We closed out our Summit with a Student Experience and Involvement Panel, to give Scholars and their families a chance to hear directly from Wake students about their personal journeys to and through the Forest.

Check out the photos from our day below.