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Wake Forest University President Nathan O. Hatch To Step Down

Nathan O. Hatch as served as president since 2005. Photo courtesy of Wake Forest University.

Wake Forest University President Nathan O. Hatch will step down in June 2021. Hatch has served as president for 15 years.

“It has been a joy to deepen Wake Forest's mission, expand its reach and enhance its reputation as a collegiate university,” Hatch said in Tuesday email to the Wake Forest community announcing his decision.

According to a press release, Hatch had intended to make the announcement earlier this year but after consulting with the Board of Trustees decided to postpone while the university responded to the pandemic. 

Hatch has served as president since 2005. During his tenure, he's overseen several campus expansion projects, including the establishment of Wake Downtown. He also led major fundraising initiatives and greenlighted the university's test-optional admission policy. 

Earlier this month, he helped facilitate the merger between Wake Forest Baptist Health and Charlotte-based Atrium Health. 

Hatch came to Wake Forest from the University of Notre Dame, where he served as a history professor before becoming a part of the school's administration. 
 

April Laissle is a reporter and WFDD's host of All Things Considered. Her work has been featured on several national news programs and recognized by the Public Media Journalists Association and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Before joining WFDD in 2019, she worked at public radio stations in Ohio and California.
Bethany joined the staff of WFDD in the fall of 2012. She received her B.A. and M.A. in English Literature from Wake Forest University and focused on Anglo-Irish writing. Between undergraduate studies and graduate school, Bethany served as the intern to Talk of the Nation at NPR in D.C., participating in live NPR Election Night Coverage, Presidential debate broadcasts, regular Talk of the Nation shows, and helping to plan the inaugural broadcast of ‘Talk of the World.' She enjoys engaging with her interests in books, politics, and art in the interdisciplinary world of public radio. Before becoming Assistant News Director, Bethany was a reporter and Associate Producer for WFDD's Triad Arts and Triad Arts Weekend. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Bethany enjoys calling the Piedmont home.

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