The Program for Leadership and Character inspires, educates, and empowers leaders of character to serve humanity.
“All are equal before the law.” Recent graduate and Leadership and Character in the Law Cohort Alum Josh Flemings (JD ‘26) reflects on his experience in visiting the courthouse where the Nuremberg Trials were held. The Cohort embarked on a trip to Germany where they focused on learning about the tension between what is legal and what is just.
06/04/2026
"Wake Forest University’s Character and Leadership program teaches students to practice virtues, including compassion, curiosity and courage. It shows them how to reflect on their personal experiences and to wrestle with difficult ideas through dialogue with others ... Basically, it’s not being a scoundrel."
Read more from Inside Higher Ed :
How to Instill a Love of Learning in Students Showing students how to be curious is a hard-to-quantify return on investment for a college degree, but one that pays lifelong dividends.
06/01/2026
Leadership & Character Scholars in the UK! Last month, our Scholars explored several landmarks in London, including Primrose Hill, Worrell House, and Westminster Abbey. They also visited the University of Oxford, where they enjoyed a campus tour and gained valuable insights during a panel discussion about non-traditional leadership.
“One day [empathy] stops becoming a choice, because you choose it everyday.” Acting students Bennett Haara and Mycah Pitman reflect on the experience of creating characters for the law simulations they participated in, and how that developed their core empathy. Watch the full mini-documentary about their experiences in the Link In Bio.
Last month, Leadership and Character Artist-in-Residence Pádraig Ó Tuama visited campus and spoke with Executive Director Michael Lamb for a public discussion. During the talk, he read his poem “The Facts of Life,” a reminder to choose love and embrace life, even in the face of uncertainty.
05/21/2026
Michael Lamb, our senior executive director, joined Jeff Rosen, CEO emeritus of the National Constitutional Center, for a webinar about character and virtue in America's founding. The conversation was hosted by the F.M. Kirby Foundation. You can watch it in its entirety here:
Character & Virtue in America's Founding Jeff Rosen, CEO Emeritus of the and Professor of Law at Law School, and Michael Lamb, F. M. Kirby Chair of Leadership & Characte...
05/20/2026
The Board of Trustees of Wake Forest University announced the appointment of Peter Rodriguez as the University’s 15th President. He will begin his presidency at Wake Forest on July 1, 2026.
Read more: https://wakefo.rest/15thPresident
At Wake Forest’s 2026 commencement, spoke about finding a new path at , and how she’s learned to be more honest about who she is, what she values, and what kind of person she wants to be.
Amaya is the Student Body President and a Leadership and Character Scholar. Congratulations to her and the entire Class of 2026!
05/19/2026
Something big is happening at Wake Forest University, and at institutions across the country.
05/18/2026
Congratulations to our Leadership and Character Scholars and the entire Class of 2026!