Remembering Lu Leake
Lula M. "Lu" Leake joined Wake Forest as Dean of Women in 1964. Before retiring in 1997, she held multiple leadership positions at the University including assistant vice president for planning and dean of the summer school. Across those leadership roles, Dean Leake was a guiding light for many Wake Foresters, and a leader who consistently advocated for the value of a holistic liberal arts education, one where students' academic lives and social lives were congruent. In 1996 she received the Medallion of Merit, the University’s highest award. As the first woman at Wake Forest University to hold a senior leadership role, Lu was often referred to as a “trailblazer.” She paved the way for many women on our campus and sought to bring other women along with her. She was a mentor, a champion, and a trusted friend to students, staff, and faculty.
In honor of the 60th anniversary of Dean Leake's arrival at Wake Forest, the Women's Center is working to raise $15,000 to establish the Lu Leake Fund. Reaching this goal will allow us to endow the Lu Leake Fund, which will be seeded by Dean Leake's estate that she left to Wake Forest upon her passing in 2015, and will ensure that resources will be available to advance academic and practical work situated at the intersection of gender and our lived experiences for generations of Wake Foresters to come.
Quotes of Appreciation
"The Women’s Center has been like a second home to me. It’s a place where I’ve felt safe, supported, and part of a community. It’s helped me grow in so many ways and I’m really grateful for the positive impact it’s had on my life and the lives of others on campus." - Javi Carceras '24
"I feel like the Women's Center is a space for people to share ideas and perspectives on the different definitions of womanhood. As a student it was a really important space for me to lead and to explore ideas with other people." - Antayzha Wiseman '21
"The Women's Center is a distinct community that fosters engagement with womanhood. It's a place for women to recognize our struggle, gather, and unpack what womanhood means to us." - Lexi Smith '26
"The Women's Center has given me a safe space to discuss things I care about like consent and abortion." - Austin Torain '24
"Lu Leake was a great lady!! She opened many doors for women at WFU and I was honored to be able to call her friend.”
- Dana Key Hutchens
About the Women's Center
The Women’s Center supports women at Wake Forest and promotes gender equity. We are dedicated to building community for women and any individuals in our campus community for whom woman is a meaningful identifier or lived experience. We foster spaces to reflect on individual and collective experiences and identities; develop programming related to women’s and gender issues; support professional and leadership development; and identify and advocate for policies to improve gender climate and inclusive practices at Wake Forest. As part of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Women’s Center supports and advocates for students, faculty, and staff towards the goal of a more inclusive campus.