Alumni Personal & Career Development Center

Do you want to feel less stressed and more fulfilled in your personal and professional life? Or struggle to figure out what balance looks like for you? 🤸‍♂️

We’re excited to end our year of programming and events with this last Alumni Discussion Group! Grab your preferred morning beverage ☕️ and join us on 🗓️ Thursday, November 13th, from 9-10am ET on Zoom. This discussion will be facilitated by @wfualumni and personal/professional development coach Amy Shuman (MAED ’99).

If you’ve been feeling drained, overwhelmed or stretched thin, join your fellow alums for conversation and practical tips on how to build better balance and find more meaning and satisfaction in work and life, one step at a time.

Please note this is an alumni-only event!

Register at the link in our bio or stories. Space is limited!

https://wakenetwork.wfu.edu/events/online-alumni-discussion-group-less-stressed-11-13-2025-0012568 …

We’re down to our LAST Coffee Chat with Alumni for 2025 (how did that happen so quickly?!). Sign-up by THIS Friday, 🎃10/31, to get on the list.

Coffee Chats with Alumni is our *most popular* program offering. In fact, we have dozens of alums who sign up over and over again because it’s a simple way to build their network and meet new contacts throughout the year.

If you’re new around here, this is how it works:

1️⃣ You register.

2️⃣ We pair you up with another 🎩 Wake alum and introduce the two of you via email. We don’t usually match based on specific criteria, and here’s why: we believe that any connection you make with a fellow Deac is valuable and can help expand your network to other people who you may have never met before!

3️⃣ The two of you find a mutually convenient time for a conversation (phone, Zoom, in-person, whatever makes sense for y’all!)

💥And just like that, you’ve grown your network, one conversation at a time!💥

*This is an alumni-only event (students – connect with @wfuopcd for student networking opps!)*

This is NOT a live, time-specific event! And yes, you have to register for each month in which you want to participate. Sign-up at the 🔗 in our profile or stories by Friday, October 31st, to give it a try!

https://wakenetwork.wfu.edu/events/online-coffee-chat-with-alumni-11-01-2025-0012178 …

Frances Wargo (‘23) is the Therapeutic Program Coordinator at Chastain Horse Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Having been involved with the organization for over 15 years, she brings a deep passion for working with both horses and people with disabilities to her role. As the therapeutic program coordinator, she manages all logistical aspects of the program, from scheduling to communication with families. Frances is currently working toward becoming a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor to further her expertise in the field.

Here are some fun facts about Frances:

🎩 Frances was part of the CHARGE Emerging Leader group while she studied at Wake Forest.

🏅She earned her Girl Scout Gold Award, which is the biggest award in Girl Scouting!

🇮🇪 Frances had the opportunity to study abroad in Ireland during the summer between her junior and senior year, during which time she served as an intern for Volleyball Ireland.

We’ll leave you with some advice from Frances about staying connected with your network:
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“Every few weeks, I look on LinkedIn to see if there are any new suggested connections of people that I have met previously and add them if so. I also let people I interact with on a daily or semi-daily basis know my goals and aspirations and if they are people who want you to succeed, they will offer their network to tap into in the future”

Read more of our Q&A with Frances at the link in our profile or stories! Plus, you can always check out our past alumni spotlights in the “Deacon Spotlight” highlight reel in our profile.

https://alumni.opcd.wfu.edu/deacon-spotlight/deacon-spotlight-frances-wargo/ …

Will Nolan (‘94) is a sparkling embodiment of ✨Pro Humanitate – after graduating from Wake Forest, he has followed his heart and values and found work in the non-profit sector. His goal is always to leave the world better than he found it, and he is currently fulfilling that mission as the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases. Will is leading the company’s process of rebranding, as well as ensuring that the employees of EveryLife Foundation are happy and successful.

Here are some fun facts about Will:

🎩 Will had the opportunity to take a class with Dr. Maya Angelou when he was at Wake Forest.

🗽He moved to NYC after graduating from Wake with a group of theater friends, all of whom are still close and still in & around the city, 30 years later.

💃🏽Will’s side hustle is performing in drag as a senior citizen lesbian from South Georgia!!! He performs regularly in NYC at the Green Room 42.

We’ll leave you with some advice from Will about writing and thinking strategically:
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“There are a number of new tools and shortcuts being developed for a variety of professions (including AI), but at the end of the day, I have to know how to think strategically and communicate. That is not something that will be replaced by a machine because there is a nuanced voice, tone, and messaging that only I can provide. Write. It can feel like a dying art or tool, but it is critical and there are so many communities that need those who can write to be their voice.”

Read more of our Q&A with Will at the link in our profile or stories! Plus, you can always check out our past alumni spotlights in the “Deacon Spotlight” highlight reel in our profile. 🫶

https://alumni.opcd.wfu.edu/deacon-spotlight/deacon-spotlight-will-nolan/ …