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President's Office. Nathan O. Hatch Records

Finding Aid & Inventory

Nathan O. Hatch was the thirteenth president of Wake Forest University and a scholar of religious history in America. This collection documents the years of his presidency, 2005-2021, as well as some of his personal life. This collection also contains unprocessed materials.

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Biographical and Historical Note

Nathan Orr Hatch was a scholar of religious history in America and the thirteenth president of Wake Forest University. He was born May 17, 1946, in Columbia, S.C., to Reverend James M. (Buck) Hatch and Mittie Orr Hatch. Buck Hatch was a professor at Columbia International University (S.C.) and a Presbyterian minister. Buck and Mittie Hatch had four boys together: James Donald, Nathan Orr, David Bradley, and Robert Allen (died 1989).

Hatch completed high school in Columbia, S.C. (1964) and attended Wheaton College in Illinois, graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree (1968). He then attended Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, for a Master of Arts degree (1972) and PhD (1974). Hatch then held postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard University and Johns Hopkins before joining the faculty of University of Notre Dame in Indiana. He served as Professor (1975-2005), Vice President of Graduate Studies and Research (1989-1996), and Provost (1996-2005) at Notre Dame.

In 2005, Dr. Hatch became the thirteenth president of Wake Forest University. During his tenure as president, Wake Forest was ranked 23 in the U.S. News and World Report annual college rankings. He also spearheaded the Wake Will capital campaign which began in 2013 and helped raise $1 billion in funds for the University, including $400 million added to the institution's endowment.

Hatch is the author of eight books, most notably The Democratization of American Christianity (1989),  The Search for Christian America (1983), and  The Sacred Cause of Liberty: Republican Thought and the Millennium in Revolutionary New England (1977). In addition to his professional work, he engaged with other organizations, serving as board member of American Council on Education, Chair of the N.C.A.A.'s Division I Board of Directors, board chair of National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, board member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and chair and board member of United Way of Forsyth County (N.C.).

Hatch is married to Julie Gregg Hatch; they met while undergraduate students at Wheaton College. She graduated in 1969 and became a public school teacher. Together they have two sons, David and Gregg, and one daughter, Beth.

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Collection Overview

This collection documents the years of Hatch's presidency of Wake Forest, 2005-2021, as well as some of his personal life. Material types include email messages, event invitations and programs, memorabilia, news articles, photographs, reports, speeches and remarks, and videocassettes,

Collection Inventory

  • Audiovisual materials
    • Inauguration DVD (3 copies)  (2005 October 5) box 2 folder 18
    • Interview with Hatch (12 mini DVcam videotapes) (2005 August-September) box 1 item 1-12
    • "North Carolina People with William Friday," UNC-TV, interview with Hatch (1 DVD)  (2006 February 6) box 2 folder 28
  • Biographical materials
    • Holiday cards (circa 2005-2015) box 2 folder 37
    • "Hatch receives Wheaton College 'Alumnus of the Year' Award" article, WFU News Service  (2017 May) box 2 folder 13
  • Memorabilia
    • Event posters, photographs, and artworks (circa 2006-2019) oversize 1
    • Inauguration lunch commemorative napkin ring, engraved (3)  (2005 October) box 1
    • Inauguration commemorative bookmark   (2005, October 20) box 2 folder 51
    • Photographs: campus, groups (circa 2005-2019) box 2 folder 49
  • Subject files
    • "25 Years Later: Nathan Hatch's The Democratization of American Christianity" symposium program  (2015 February 6) box 2 folder 44
    • "After racist emails, WFU keeps armed guards outside of some classrooms," Washington Post article  (2019) box 2 folder 10
    • Boston Thurmond Innovation Network articles  (2017 November- December) box 2 folder 14
    • Campus shooting memorandum and related news clippings regarding the death of Najee Ali Baker  (2018 January 20-23) box 2 folder 16
    • "The Case for Building the Endowment," goals and reasoning pamphlet  (2005 October) box 2 folder 36
    • "The Collegiate University" booklet   (2006) box 2 folder 56
    • Commencement honorary degree recipients dinner reception invitation  (2019 May 15) box 2 folder 5
    • Commencement remarks: "A Life of Learning," "The Art of Conversation," and "Grit"  (2011-2013) box 2 folder 24
    • Commencement remarks: "Both ... And"  (2018 May 21) box 2 folder 11
    • Commencement remarks: "'Breathe"  (2015 May 18) box 2 folder 23
    • Commencement remarks: "Gratitude"  (2016 May 16) box 2 folder 22
    • Compensation articles and letter  (2017) box 2 folder 20
    • Email announcements  (2015) box 2 folder 9
    • Email messages  (2013-2014) box 2 folder 8
    • Email messages  (2016) box 2 folder 33
    • Email messages  (2017-2018) box 2 folder 4
    • Email messages (2019, 2021 June 30) box 2 folder 1
    • Email messages  (2021) box 2 folder 53
    • Email messages regarding college admissions scandal investigation  (2019) box 2 folder 3
    • Email newsletters from President Hatch   (2019-2020) box 2 folder 55
    • "Final Report of The President's Commission on Race, Equity, and Community" publication, available online only  (2020 May 29)
    • Inaugural address speech  (2005 October 20) box 2 folder 26
    • Inauguration Academic Symposia event programs  (2005 October 19) box 2 folder 27
    • Inauguration activities invitation memorandum for staff  (2005 September 26) box 2 folder 41
    • Inauguration ceremonial tickets and invitations  (2005 October) box 2 folder 34
    • Inauguration luncheon and dinner menus and event programs  (2005 October 20) box 2 folder 35
    • Inauguration luncheon script  (2005 October 20) box 2 folder 43
    • Installation ceremony program  (2005 October 20) box 2 folder 40
    • "The Leadership Project presents the Honorable Donna Edwards, U.S. Congresswoman" event program  (2017 March ) box 2 folder 6
    • New Student Convocation address, "A Community of Hospitality"  (2019) box 2 folder 7
    • Oral history interview transcript   (2013) box 2 folder 50
    • "Our Way Forward" and "Slavery, Race, and Memory Project" emails, project lists, and fliers   (2021) box 2 folder 52
    • Photographs: Hatch, trustees, professors, others on trips (circa 2010-2019) box 2 folder 31
    • President's Aides rosters  (2015-2016) box 2 folder 45
    • President's Associates membership certificates (circa 2005-2010) box 2 folder 42
    • President's Commission on Race, Equity, and Community materials  (2019 May) box 2 folder 12
    • President's Weekend inauguration event invitations  (2005 October 20-22) box 2 folder 29
    • President's Weekend inauguration stewardship breakfast event program  (2005 October 22) box 2 folder 32
    • Presidential appointment announcement  (2005) box 2 folder 30
    • Sanctuary campus for undocumented immigrants petition  (2016 November 29) box 2 folder 46
    • Senator Richard Burr collection donation announcement and event materials  (2018 February, March) box 2 folder 21
    • "Slavery, Race, and Memory Project" email  (2021) box 2 folder 54
    • State of the university address, "Why I Believe in Wake Forest"   (2008 October 23) box 2 folder 25
    • State of the university address, "After Ten Years: Looking Back, Reaching Ahead"  (2015 October 8) box 2 folder 19
    • "Transcending Boundaries, Building a Global Campus Community: Quality Enhancement Plan" booklet  (2016 March) box 2 folder 38
    • Voices of Our Time, Krista Tippett, event programs  (2018 November) box 2 folder 39
    • Wake Forest Fellows information session promotional materials (circa 2010-2015) box 2 folder 48
    • Wake Forest Fellows mentoring handbook  (2014) box 2 folder 47
    • WFU admissions supports high school students protesting Parkland shooting announcement   (2018 February 26) box 2 folder 15
    • WFU Howler blackface in 1977  Winston-Salem Journal article  (2019 February 9) box 2 folder 2
    • ZSR Library celebration invitation  (2014 September 4) box 2 folder 17

Summary Information

Repository
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
Creator
Wake Forest University. Office of the President
Title
President's Office. Nathan O. Hatch Records
ID
RG1.13
Date [inclusive]
Quantity
1 document box, 1 record carton
Extent
1.72  Linear Feet

Administrative Information

Publication Information
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, 2013
Revision Description
Revised by Finley Turner, 2019
Revision Description
Materials added and finding aid revised by Mackenzie Jackson with Stephanie Bennett, 2022
Revision Description
Materials added by Chloe Patz and Meg Campbell, 2024
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for use. 
Copyright Notice
The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. 
Preferred Citation
President's Office. Nathan O. Hatch Records (RG1.13), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. 

Controlled Access Headings

Occupation(s)

Digitized materials from this collection are available in Z. Smith Reynolds Library Digital Collections.

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