Special Collections & Archives

Delta Kappa Epsilon was founded at Wake Forest University in 1970 and removed from campus in 2018, though the fraternity still owns a home on Polo Road just off campus. Materials in this collection include a news article.

Wake Forest College's D.V.L. Fraternity encouraged its male members to pursue brotherhood, intellectual advancement, and leadership. Following the "While We Live" motto, members were involved in many social events, such as banquets. Materials in this collection include record books, ledger notes, member lists, and banquet menus.

The Fideles society, established in 1961, became the Chi Omega sorority in 1994 after national sororities were established on Wake Forest University's campus. Materials in this collection include the Fideles Society constitution and spring formal commemorative glasses.

The Gay Straight Student Alliance (GSSA) was an advocacy group on campus, founded as the Gay and Lesbian Association (GALA) in 1990. This collection contains materials documenting GSSA's work and community members. Materials include a petition and newspaper clippings regarding Wake Forest's decision to ban same-sex unions on campus, a timeline displayed by the LGBTQ Center about the GSSA, news clippings, plaques, photographs, brochures, programs, and artifacts.

Honor societies at Wake Forest promote scholarship, leadership, and good citizenship. Materials in this collection are related to honor societies at Wake Forest and nationwide, especially Phi Beta Kappa.

Wake Forest University's intramural sports program offers students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to compete and socialize through sports; club sports offer the opportunity to play team sports competitively or recreationally. Materials in this collection include promotional fliers, cards, stickers, and newspaper clippings.

The Theta Tau chapter of Lambda Alpha Chi was established at Wake Forest in 1970. The materials in this collecton include the fraternity's constitution, bylaws, and alumni newsletters.

The Lavoisier Chemical Society and the Gamma Sigma Epsilon, Alpha Gamma chapter both promoted the excellence of chemistry by providing opportunities to form connections and learn. This collection documents both groups. Materials in this collection include meeting journals, memberships forms and lists, and finance related materials.

WFU's Gamma Phi chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha was recognized in 1939. This collection includes newspaper and magazine clippings of academic, charter, sports, and leadership achievements, alumni questionnaires, petitions and disciplinary actions. Included is Raymond Cannata's (class of 1990) book, "The History of Gamma Phi Chapter: The House that Brotherhood Built," and relevant correspondence for the book's production.

The Rigel Society was an all-women social organization at Wake Forest University, 1975-1980, one of six female societies at the time. These materials belonged to the executives of the Rigel Society. Materials in this collection include meeting minutes, membership, rush notes and procedures, songs, event plans, and Inter-Society Council minutes.

The Delta Nu chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity was established at Wake Forest Univeristy in 1967. Materials in this collection include a constitution booklet and chapter by-laws.

Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep) is a national fraternity organization that had a WFU chapter, N.C. Zeta chapter, from 1940-2002, and a colony from 2009-2017. This collection contains materials pertaining to Sigma Phi Epsilon members on WFU's campus. Materials include composite photographs, chapter and membership record books, national organization publications, scrapbooks, and a student awards plaque.

Sigma Pi Alpha was a French honor fraternity at Wake Forest College. This collection contains the organization's constitution and bylaws, a record book, and a signed vow from members to the fraternity.

Strings Society was a local sorority founded at Wake Forest University in 1946 that remained active until 1993 when the the group, like other Wake Forest societies, affiliated with a national sorority. Strings Society became the North Carolina Gamma chapter of Pi Beta Phi sorority. That group has been inactive since 2010, when the national governing body of Pi Beta Phi revoked the Gamma Chapter's charter. This collection contains scrapbooks, newsletters, photographs, and artifacts.

Wake Forest University has 243 student clubs and organizations as of 2018, managed by the Office of Student Engagement and the Student Organizations Board. The clubs and organizations range from sports-based, to religious, political, and cultural, to interest and ideology focused, as well as sororities and fraternities. Materials in this collection include promotional materials, such as stickers, fliers, and cards with meeting information, as well as scripts from Lilting Banshee's shows.

Wake Forest University's Student Government is the representative body for the undergraduate classes and the School of Business. Since 1923, Student Government has been committed to student leadership. Student Government has be integral in many of the University's large-scale changes, such as the decision to integrate. This collection includes election materials, such as advertisements and results, judicial committee materials, leadership conference materials, and information and records regarding the legislature's work.

Wake Forest University offers many organizations and outlets for students. The collection includes fliers, emails, and event tickets.

WFU's Student Union is a programming committee in charge of many campus events, including Homecoming, movie screenings, lectures, art exhibitions, trivia, craft events, and campus traditions. Materials include lecture notes, autographed photos, art brochures and pamphlets, lists of student organizations, and its constitution.

Tassels was a women's leadership honor fraternity at Wake Forest, established in 1947, which became a chapter of national organization Mortar Board in 1968. This collection contains a record book, with notations dated 1947-1962.

Wake Forest University's Gamma Omnicron chapter of the Theta Chi fraternity was established in 1948 by Dr. Hubert M. Poteat. Materials in this collection include the constitution, bylaws, statement of purpose, and a joke pamphlet.

Thymes Society was a local sorority group at Wake Forest University, active from 1968 to 1993. In 1993, the society, as with other Wake Forest women's societies, became affiliated with a national sorority; in Thymes' case, it was Kappa Alpha Theta. The Zeta Omicron chapter was active 1993 to 2002 and then was re-chartered in 2013. This collection contains Thymes Society member scrapbooks, Theta scrapbooks, newsletters, meeting notes, correspondence, and photographs.

WFU's Volunteer Service Corps was a student service organization that ran on and off campus events from 1989 to 2020. These bulletins, handouts, reflections book, and greeting cards highlight some of the work that the Volunteer Service Corps completed in 1999 to 2002. There is information on the service trips and local Winston-Salem philanthropy organizations that the Volunteer Service Corps worked with.

Wake Forest University chapter of College Democrats is a club dedicated to the advancement of progressive values on campus and in the community. Materials in this collection include stickers, posters, and flier.

The Wake Forest Scientific Society began in 1891 and possibly disbanded around 1903. The Student Scientific Society began in 1912 and continued through to 1913, at least. This collection contains a single meeting minutes ledger book that documents the two groups. Both organization's notes contain constitutions, some information about members, and meeting notes.

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) began in 1844 in the United Kingdom, with its first U.S. chapter opening in 1851. Wake Forest College's chapter appears to have started in 1898, and ended sometime around 1923. This collection contains a record book, with a constitution for the organization, member lists, and meeting minutes, and reports and notes.

Laurels Society was a women's society at Wake Forest, active 1964-1972. This collection consists of a composite photgraph of Laurels Society from 1971 and an undated ring with an engraving of the Laurels crest and motto.

Sugar Creek Baptist Church was founded in Mecklenburg County, N.C. This church is a part of the Mecklenburg Baptsit Association. This collection contains minutes of church conferences and other materials.

Sydney Langston and Sarah Frances Goldfinch were Southern Baptist Convention missionaries to Uruguay, 1939-1944; Paraguay, 1945-1960; and Costa Rica, 1961-1981. Materials include biographical files; Sydney's memoir; correspondence; educational files; literary productions of Goldfinch and others; reviews; note and appointment book; photographs; certificates; professional files relating primarily to their work in the Baptist missions in South America; a scrapbook; and several artifacts.