Susan Wente is named Wake Forest's first female president
2021
Winston-Salem
The board names Wente the 14th president on January 29, 2021.
Susan Rae Wente was named the 14th president of Wake Forest University on January 29, 2021, the first woman to hold the office. She announced on October 1, 2025 that she would step down in June 2026, and Peter Rodriguez was selected as the 15th president on May 20, 2026.