Wake Forest University and the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation have announced a partnership to advance leadership and character development through youth golf programs worldwide, as well as to support Wake Forest student-athletes.
The initiative, named the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Leadership and Character Development Program at Wake Forest University, is supported by the Palmer Foundation and the Godfrey family. It is inspired by the virtues exemplified by Arnold Palmer in his career.
“Golf is an ideal opportunity to teach life lessons to young people. It’s a game of integrity and honesty. Character is an essential element,” said Amy Palmer Saunders, Board Chair of the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation and daughter of Arnold and Winnie Palmer. “Our goal with this new initiative is to prepare young people for success in life, whether they continue to play competitive golf or not.”
Dr. Michael Lamb, senior executive director of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest, stated: “We believe that character is the foundation not only of leadership but of life. In his Wake Forest commencement address in 2005, Arnold Palmer encouraged us all to teach ‘the basic traits and habits that make good citizens and good human beings.’ Our aim is to do just that — to help as many young people as possible — at every stage of development — embrace character as their foundation for what Mr. Palmer called ‘a life well played.’”
Corey Crossan will lead this new initiative. Crossan has a background as an NCAA golfer at Eastern Michigan University, holds a PhD in Kinesiology from Western University where she focused on character development in sports, works with the Oxford Character Project, and co-founded Virtuosity Character—a mobile app supporting daily practice of character-based leadership development. At Wake Forest, Crossan will collaborate with the Palmer Foundation to design curriculum, programming, and tools aimed at helping young golfers both improve their skills and build their lives on principles of character.
“Sports impact character, for better or for worse,” said Crossan. “I believe deeply in what we’re building.” She added: “When we embed character into golf, we’re not only refining swings, we’re shaping the person who holds the club.”
In addition to her work with youth golfers globally, Crossan will serve as assistant director of programming and research scholar within Wake Forest’s Program for Leadership and Character. She will also work directly with student-athletes at Wake Forest.
“We’re excited to work with Corey and lean on her skills, research, and practical knowledge to help Demon Deacons in golf and other sports excel both in competition and in life,” said Wendell Dunn, assistant director of leadership and character in athletics.
Arnold Palmer’s legacy continues to be central to this partnership. His connection with Wake Forest began when he arrived on campus in 1947; he later won multiple championships during his time there before going on to receive several university honors including distinguished alumni recognition.
“I have had a love affair with Wake Forest since my undergraduate days,” Palmer said in 2005. “But I didn’t realize until many years later what I had truly learned at Wake Forest, both in and out of the classroom, about the meaning of a productive and meaningful life.”
Wake Forest University has nearly 9,000 students enrolled on its Winston-Salem campus—with additional locations across Charlotte; Washington D.C.; nationally; and internationally—and offers programs across multiple disciplines including business, law, medicine, divinity, professional studies along with its Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.
The Program for Leadership and Character focuses on fostering leaders who serve humanity through innovative teaching methods and research efforts. Its Educating Character Initiative seeks to promote character education throughout higher education institutions across the United States by providing resources for integration into curricula.
The Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation supports youth development—especially focusing on strong character formation—as well as children facing health challenges while honoring nature’s role in healing.
