Leadership and Character I Winston-Salem, NC

Summary:

Wake Forest faculty, staff, undergraduate, and graduate students gathered over dinner in the Graylyn International Conference Center on Tuesday, September 18, 2018, to discuss the topic of “Discovery.”

Overview and highlights of the Call to Conversation:

As we discussed the prompt of your most salient childhood memory, the six Call to Conversation groups spread throughout Graylyn participated in an honest and authentic dialogue in which powerful memories helped shape the conversation and allow a spirit of vulnerability.

• Participants noted a common theme of a novelty amongst the stories whether that novelty was related to a time of transition, a sense of culture shock or unexpected achievement or failure
• We noted that “Discovery” often stems from questions. To achieve the most significant discoveries, we must ask difficult questions
• Some conversations included connecting our past experiences to how they have shaped who we are today
• Discussions ranged from facing individual and family challenges to reaching/striving to meet a goal
• One table found that a major theme across their conversation involved values and virtues and the significance they attach to each
• Overall, there was comfort in knowing that everything contributes to the end goal; it was all worth it in the end
• At one of the tables, three themes seemed to permeate each story – risk related to character building, support or inspirational people that helped us and how we each found our way