First year students are moving into their dorm rooms this week, which takes me back to my own arrival in 2016. I unloaded on what felt like the hottest day of the summer with my dad, Kevin Laws (’89), and my mom, Kippi, already a Demon Deacons super-fan.
Kerry M. King (’85), then-senior editor of Wake Forest Magazine, had emailed us about being interviewed for the annual story covering alumni families at move-in. By chance, my freshman roommate, Maisie Howland Greene (’20), is also the daughter of a Wake Forest grad, Heather Scull Howland (’90). So Kerry, who would become my coworker six years later, met us: my family from Concord, North Carolina, and Maisie’s from outside Chicago. I remember talking to him in our dorm room, Babcock A110, about how we were feeling and how we chose Wake Forest.
Today, I see arriving students experiencing what I felt — wondering if my roommate and I would get along and how I’d hold up when my parents and I said goodbye. I could not have imagined all that my years at Wake Forest would hold. Maisie and I became and have remained the best of friends, nine years later.
Kerry became my colleague and mentor when I joined Wake Forest Magazine in 2022. And for the past several years, we interviewed alumni families together during move-in. He retired earlier this year, after just about 36 years with the University.
But Wake Forest Magazine will continue to connect with a few alumni families as they begin this new chapter. We wish all of our incoming students a Wake Forest experience of growth, joy and friendship. It has only just begun!
–Katherine Laws Waters (’20)
Grace Mailly, Raleigh
Grace is the daughter of David Mailly (’97, MBA ’04) and Ann Horsley Mailly (’98).
David and Ann, what was your favorite Wake Forest memory?
David: My favorite memories tend to take me back to people and relationships that I was able to develop. Ann and I met here, so we have a shared experience… but it is more than that. The size of Wake Forest, and the fact that you must live on campus for three years, drives a sense of closeness and community… My closest friends today are still people I met all those years ago at Wake.
Ann: One of my first Wake memories is hearing Maya Angelou speak in Wait Chapel to start my freshman year. What an honor to have had her in our community! I also had the privilege to be on the “Year of the Arts” committee and was able to personally meet many of the artists who came that year, like James Earl Jones. But when I look back at my Wake experience, one of the most special memories is actually our wedding. We had so many friends from college, which speaks to the strong friendships we built during our four years at Wake.
Did you have a favorite professor or class?
Ann: I became a political science major after taking an American government class with (Professor Emerita) Kathy Smith. I loved my economics class with (the late Professor Emeritus) Michael Lawlor because we studied economics through the topics of drug cartels and the Great Depression. As a member of the Dance Company, I had the opportunity to work with fantastic teachers!
What was your favorite spot on campus?
Ann: I loved to study in the Carswell library. The big leather chairs were comforting on those late night study sessions. But if I had to say “favorite,” it would be the Quad wall outside of Tri Delta and Sig Ep on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Those were the times campus was buzzing and you essentially saw everyone you knew on their way to the post office while sitting and chatting with friends.
David: I will say Benson and the library. For me it never mattered the day or the time of day, when I walked in either one of those places, there was always a table full of friends I could join to talk about our day or the work we had to get done.
What advice do you have for Grace as she starts at Wake Forest?
Ann: Have fun and say yes. Be willing to try new things and open to connecting with people who may be different from you… Those may become some of your closest friends.
College is not about knowing the answers; it’s the journey to find them that really counts. Take these four years and find out who you want to be. Take advantage of the time where learning and being curious is the goal. Travel abroad. Go talk to your professors, and please utilize OPCD!
David: Take advantage of all of the things Wake Forest has to offer. Study abroad, learn new things, be open to other points of view, take a road trip with friends, exercise, go to parties, go to games, go to tailgates and go to class. … On the day you move in, four years feels like an eternity, but on graduation day, you look back and think it all went by so fast that you wish you could do it again one more time.
What will you miss most about Grace?
Ann: Our many gossip sessions. My lessons on all things Taylor Swift. And also the general presence of another girl. She’s leaving me with a house full of boys!
David: Everything. Her quick wit and her laugh. I think it will be little things, like the way a hallway will smell like perfume after she walks by. We will have two boys left in the house after she leaves, so I am definitely going to miss the good smells.
Over the next four years, you will grow and learn so much; be open to it all. I can’t wait to hear about the things you do and the people that you meet. As Ted Lasso said, “Be curious, not judgmental.” I will miss you.
Grace, what made you choose Wake Forest?
Some of my happiest childhood memories happened here on campus, and I grew up hearing my parents talk about all the things they loved about their time at Wake. As I started looking for what I wanted in a college, I knew I wanted a tight-knit community, great academics and school spirit. I knew Wake would give me all of that!
What item did you bring from home that you couldn’t live without?
My sound machine! I can’t sleep without it!
What classes are you excited to take this semester?
I’m excited for my Public Speaking and Writing 111 classes.
What are you most looking forward to at Wake Forest?
I can’t wait to study abroad and to live with friends for the next four years!
Timothy Kindy, Winston-Salem
Timothy is the son of Jennifer McCarthy Kindy (’00) and Jeremy Kindy (’01), Unix systems administrator at Wake Forest.
Jennifer and Jeremy, what’s your favorite Wake Forest memory?
Jennifer: I have so many (marching) band-related memories. One that stands out is the football game against Georgia Tech my senior year (fall 1999) when Wake played amazing through the first part of the game and recovered an onside kick to stop Tech’s comeback attempt. Georgia Tech was heavily favored in that game, but with that win Wake Forest earned their first winning record in my years there and qualified for the Aloha Bowl. As a result, I was able to spend Christmas in Hawaii with the band and cheer the Deacs on to a win over Arizona State, and Jeremy was also there as a cheerleader!
Jeremy: Cheering on the Deacs in the Aloha Bowl and the NIT Finals were both fantastic experiences.
Did you have a favorite professor or class?
Jennifer: I really enjoyed organic chemistry with Dr. Mark Welker and analytical chemistry with Dr. Christa Colyer (P ’18) … I loved my chemistry (major) and they are both such kind, mentoring professors.
Jeremy: I remember enjoying the databases course, which has been very helpful over the course of my career.
As a student, what was your favorite spot on campus?
Jeremy: (I had) many great times hanging out, playing ping pong and talking in the Lambda Chi lounge.
Jennifer: My favorite spot was the Quad. I rarely walked across the Quad without seeing someone I knew, and it feels so quintessentially Wake Forest. Also, I have some great memories of rolling the Quad after big wins!
What advice do you both have for Timothy as he starts at Wake Forest?
Jennifer: Enjoy this time and all of the people you will meet, both fellow students and professors. Try out some new things, learn all you can, shine your light and embrace the journey!
Jeremy: Enjoy your time there (responsibly)! Plus what Jenny said.
What will you miss most about Timothy?
Jennifer: I will miss the time in the evening when he would talk about his day and things he’s thinking about. I loved those conversations. I will also miss his big hugs.
Jeremy: Spending time together and talking. Timothy always has an interesting perspective and it’s fun to talk through things together.
Timothy, what made you choose Wake Forest?
Almost every aspect appealed to me. Wake Forest is a small school, has a broad, liberal arts focus and is close to home. It’s also really cool to be able to go to the same school my parents went to!
What item did you bring from home that you couldn’t live without?
The item I brought from home that I couldn’t live without is probably my phone, simply because it’s so versatile. I can use it to text, take photos, send emails, read, play games, and it can even replace my watch to help me keep track of time.
What class are you excited to take this semester?
I’m most excited for CHM 111/L (College Chemistry 1 Lab) because I’m looking forward to seeing what a chemistry lab looks like as an undergrad in college. I also really like the math and algebra components of chemistry, especially in balancing reaction equations.
What are you most looking forward to at Wake Forest?
I’m most looking forward to meeting all my new classmates! I love meeting people and making new friends, and I’m very excited to see who I’ll connect with at Wake Forest.
Nishtha Roy, New York
Nishtha is the daughter of Rima Chakrabarti Roy (MBA ’96) and Ritendra Roy.
Rima, what was your favorite Wake Forest memory?
Living with other international students right outside campus. We had a tradition of surprise birthday parties for each of our birthdays.
Did you have a favorite professor or class?
Rima: (Associate Professor of Business) Herb Schuette, (who taught) operations management.
Ritendra, what advice do you have for Nishtha as she starts at Wake Forest?
I had shared two pieces of advice at her graduation party: “Choose Kind” (RJ Palacio’s “Wonder” was her favorite book growing up); and always listen to your dad.
What will you miss most about Nishtha?
Rima: Nishtha is very empathetic and would express genuine interest and curiosity everyday about how my day is. She would love discussing how extended family is doing. I will miss our conversations.
Do you have any other words of wisdom for Nishtha?
Ritendra: I want her to feel that she belongs here. That doesn’t mean that you (have) to fit into every club. You’ll find your club.
Rima: The best part of college for me was friendships. … I hope you find some strong lifelong friends.
Nishtha, what made you choose Wake Forest?
I chose Wake because its academic structure and resources really appealed to me, along with the smaller class sizes.
What item did you bring from home that you couldn’t live without?
My crochet projects! I enjoy crocheting in my spare time, and it always helps me relax after a long day.
What class are you excited to take this semester?
I’m excited to take Arabic!
What are you most looking forward to at Wake Forest?
I’m most looking forward to the community at Wake Forest and exploring all the opportunities Wake has to offer!
Shepard Adamson, Richmond, Virginia
Shepard is the daughter of Katherine Thalhimer Adamson (’00) and John Adamson and the sister of Katie Adamson, a junior at Wake Forest.
Katherine, what’s your favorite Wake Forest memory?
On campus, I always loved attending the beautiful, candlelit Lovefeast during the holidays. Off campus, I had the most amazing semester abroad in Salamanca (Spain) and lived with the sweetest family. To this day, 26 years later, I continue to send a holiday card and note to my Spanish mother, Nati, and she writes me back.
Did you have a favorite professor or class?
Majoring in Spanish, I remember taking a linguistics course with (Professor Emeritus) Stanley Whitley, who was so passionate about the language and really helped his students to have the best, most precise diction. I also minored in Education and loved (Professor Emerita) Mary Lynn Redmond, who was the department chair. She was so sweet, encouraging and supportive and made it a joy to minor in the field.
What was your favorite spot on campus?
The changing seasons on the quad were always so pretty, and seeing Wait Chapel, day or night, photogenically in front of the changing skies or lit up against the night sky. I also loved special lunches in the Mag Room and many runs and walks through Reynolda Gardens.
Katherine and John, What will you miss most about Shepard?
Katherine: I will miss everything about Shepard! I will miss hearing her play the guitar and sing in her room. I will miss her coming in the door and greeting me with “Hi, Mother Goose!” I will miss her caring for her 12 chickens because now that is my job! But mostly, I will just miss her sweet presence. However, the transition to college has been so much easier knowing she is at the place I love, that also feels like home to me.
John: I am going to miss her smiling face greeting me at the end of long workdays and her infectious positivity, her hugs and her laughter brightening up any space, and (how she is) always showing up and offering a helping hand. While I will miss her greatly, I am comforted in knowing she will thrive in the Wake community.
Shepard, what are you most looking forward to at Wake Forest?
I’m looking forward to finding friends and making memories!
What class are you excited to take this semester?
I’m excited to take communications and my writing seminar about environmental justice in Winston!
What made you choose Wake Forest?
Wake had everything I was looking for: a friendly community, a beautiful campus, a strong academic culture (“Work Forest”) and numerous opportunities to dive into my interests.
What item did you bring at home that you can’t live without?
My cowgirl boots, (because they’re the best!), and my tennis shoes because I love to run!
John and Katherine, what advice do you have for Shepard as she starts at Wake Forest?
Katherine: Be in the moment these next four years on campus as before you know it, you will be on the Quad receiving your diploma. Take advantage of all the incredible opportunities that Wake Forest has to offer. Study abroad. Get to know your professors.
John: Be authentically you. Try new things and push yourself out of your comfort zone. You can learn as much from books and classes as you can from friends and extracurricular activities. Say what you mean, do what you say and when things do not go as planned, own it and move forward. Most importantly, have fun!
Other families we met along the way:
Grey McMahon and his father, Tim McMahon, who live in Raleigh, spent time during move-in remembering their mother and wife, Caroline Murray McMahon (’87). Grey learned that he had been accepted to Wake Forest about two weeks before his mom died of breast cancer in January. He’s extending a long line of alumni that includes aunts and uncles, grandparents and nearly a dozen cousins. His mother was a member of the Fideles society, which used to be housed in Grey’s new Wake Forest home, Babcock Residence Hall. He came to campus “a couple of times a year” growing up, he says, “but my connection came more from meeting Wake Forest people in Raleigh.”
Tally McConchie is a fourth-generation Wake Forest student and the daughter of Charee Duncan McConchie (’97) and Marty McConchie (’97). “I toured other schools, and I loved the tours, but I knew I wanted to be here,” Tally said. “Plus, I’m the only grandchild. I knew if I didn’t (come here) then the heritage would end!”
One other note: Kerry always wanted to find pet dogs helping with move-in, and sometimes we went to great lengths to track one down. This year, we happened upon Peter, who was adopted by two recent alumni, Anne Gilstrap (’22) and Geremia Orio (’21, MSBA ’22) of Charlotte, when they were students. Peter was hit by a car and now gets around on wheels. He was visiting campus to help Geremia’s sister, Jeannette Orio, get settled in for her first year. And next June, Peter and the rest of the family will head to Italy, where Geremia and Jeannette grew up, for Anne’s and Geremia’s wedding.
