‘Top Hat Wednesdays’ Program Educates Demon Deacons for Success Beyond Competition Field
4/7/2023 10:18:00 AM | Football
This initiative is an eight-week program that takes place every Wednesday between 5:30-6:30 p.m., and has included topics so far like taxes and investing, N.I.L., leadership, and mental health awareness.
For five weeks from mid-March to mid-April, Wake Forest football student-athletes have been honing their skills on the field culminating with this Saturday's annual Spring Game at Truist Field.
However, starting a month earlier back in February, 'Top Hat Wednesdays' became a weekly event for the Deacs led by Wake Forest director of player development Wendell Dunn. Discussions between Dunn, head coach Dave Clawson and football chief of staff Jordan Jarry sparked the creative fire that led to this educational initiative for their student-athletes.
The innovation that led to this type of World Class program for Wake Forest student-athletes is made possible because of a generous gift made by Billy Prim to create Dunn's role. The donation created the Football Player Career Development fund. This grant helps football student-athletes transition into college as undergraduates, and into the industry of their choice upon graduation.
'Top Hat Wednesdays' is proof of this mission being fulfilled.
"It's a program I have started with the football team," Dunn said. "Both Coach Clawson and Jordan (Jarry) have wanted an ongoing, intentional program where we can teach our guys life skills that will help them become better men, better fathers and better leaders in the community after football. We're teaching our guys life skills to become better men."
This initiative is an eight-week program that takes place every Wednesday between 5:30-6:30 p.m., and has included topics so far like taxes and investing, N.I.L., leadership, and mental health awareness.
"We're hitting a bunch of different topics," Dunn said. "We have branched out to our Wake Forest community and brought in experts on entrepreneurship, to talk to them about starting their own business.
"We try to do an engaging activity. It's always outside resources. It's not anybody from our offices or from the football program. Top Hat Wednesdays are about providing our guys different resources — folks they can reach back out to in order to prolong that conversation. This is an ongoing initiative beyond just the hour together on a Wednesday afternoon."
Here is the list of topics and guests that were covered with our student-athletes. Additionally, here is a list of partners who help with this program:
"It's not mandatory, but strongly encouraged," he said. "Coach Clawson has been to every single one and greeted every guest. He sees value in what we're doing. The only way our guys would miss it is if they had some type of academic commitment."
The program has been a big hit with the players.
"It's awesome," Wake Forest receiver Taylor Morin said. "We're getting exposure to a lot of real-world information that we wouldn't otherwise get. Getting these people in to talk to us about N.I.L., taxes and investments; it's been really incredible.
"Everyone has their pens and notepads out."
Each meeting starts with a Top Hat welcome and chant, with the goal to keep things both informative and high energy.
"Just to get the juice going," Dunn said. "It's not just about educating our guys, it's about energy. I want all of our guys to have tax education, know how to put on a suit, maximize their N.I.L. potential, sign a lease and read about specific job benefits. I want them to leave here as men of the community, who can teach other men how to do these things.
"I have the support from Coach Clawson and from Wake Forest. I can still put myself in the shoes of a player, but I also know the resources we have at our disposal."
This initiative is just another way Dunn is making an impact within the Wake Forest football program since starting in his current position a little more than two years ago, thanks to a Prim's aforementioned generous donation.
Prim's connection to Wake Forest started young, growing up on a tobacco farm in nearby Yadkinville, he always rooted for the local team in athletics. Facing struggles early in life, he was forced to drop out of college and take care of the family farm after the passing of his father and grandfather. After some time running the farm, however, his natural sense of entrepreneurship earned him the opportunity to become a part of the Wake Forest community when he was accepted into the Executive MBA Program without an undergraduate degree.
"It's awesome to know there's an outside source that is solely invested in our student-athletes outside of their athletic ability," Dunn said. "I talk to Billy often, and that's all he cares about. He wants them to prosper and to grow. He wants to know what I'm doing to help these guys succeed outside of football. That's what he is about. He's about growth."
The Football Player Career Development fund continues to reverberate across the Wake Forest campus and throughout the city of Winston-Salem, fueled by Dunn's focus on enhancing the holistic student-athlete experience.
"Before Wendell we didn't do quite as many community service events," Morin said. "Wendell is helping us engage with the community both on and off campus. It gives us an opportunity to use our platform to give back. It's humbling and brings everyone together. It's awesome to use our platform for good."
However, starting a month earlier back in February, 'Top Hat Wednesdays' became a weekly event for the Deacs led by Wake Forest director of player development Wendell Dunn. Discussions between Dunn, head coach Dave Clawson and football chief of staff Jordan Jarry sparked the creative fire that led to this educational initiative for their student-athletes.
The innovation that led to this type of World Class program for Wake Forest student-athletes is made possible because of a generous gift made by Billy Prim to create Dunn's role. The donation created the Football Player Career Development fund. This grant helps football student-athletes transition into college as undergraduates, and into the industry of their choice upon graduation.
'Top Hat Wednesdays' is proof of this mission being fulfilled.
"It's a program I have started with the football team," Dunn said. "Both Coach Clawson and Jordan (Jarry) have wanted an ongoing, intentional program where we can teach our guys life skills that will help them become better men, better fathers and better leaders in the community after football. We're teaching our guys life skills to become better men."
This initiative is an eight-week program that takes place every Wednesday between 5:30-6:30 p.m., and has included topics so far like taxes and investing, N.I.L., leadership, and mental health awareness.
"We're hitting a bunch of different topics," Dunn said. "We have branched out to our Wake Forest community and brought in experts on entrepreneurship, to talk to them about starting their own business.
"We try to do an engaging activity. It's always outside resources. It's not anybody from our offices or from the football program. Top Hat Wednesdays are about providing our guys different resources — folks they can reach back out to in order to prolong that conversation. This is an ongoing initiative beyond just the hour together on a Wednesday afternoon."
Here is the list of topics and guests that were covered with our student-athletes. Additionally, here is a list of partners who help with this program:
- WFU Entrepreneurship Dept.
- Winston-Salem Sheriff Department
- WFU Office of Personal & Career Development
- WFU School of Business
- WFU Leadership & Development Department
- WFU Sports Psychology
- WFI Counseling Department
"It's not mandatory, but strongly encouraged," he said. "Coach Clawson has been to every single one and greeted every guest. He sees value in what we're doing. The only way our guys would miss it is if they had some type of academic commitment."
The program has been a big hit with the players.
"It's awesome," Wake Forest receiver Taylor Morin said. "We're getting exposure to a lot of real-world information that we wouldn't otherwise get. Getting these people in to talk to us about N.I.L., taxes and investments; it's been really incredible.
"Everyone has their pens and notepads out."
Each meeting starts with a Top Hat welcome and chant, with the goal to keep things both informative and high energy.
"Just to get the juice going," Dunn said. "It's not just about educating our guys, it's about energy. I want all of our guys to have tax education, know how to put on a suit, maximize their N.I.L. potential, sign a lease and read about specific job benefits. I want them to leave here as men of the community, who can teach other men how to do these things.
"I have the support from Coach Clawson and from Wake Forest. I can still put myself in the shoes of a player, but I also know the resources we have at our disposal."
This initiative is just another way Dunn is making an impact within the Wake Forest football program since starting in his current position a little more than two years ago, thanks to a Prim's aforementioned generous donation.
Prim's connection to Wake Forest started young, growing up on a tobacco farm in nearby Yadkinville, he always rooted for the local team in athletics. Facing struggles early in life, he was forced to drop out of college and take care of the family farm after the passing of his father and grandfather. After some time running the farm, however, his natural sense of entrepreneurship earned him the opportunity to become a part of the Wake Forest community when he was accepted into the Executive MBA Program without an undergraduate degree.
"It's awesome to know there's an outside source that is solely invested in our student-athletes outside of their athletic ability," Dunn said. "I talk to Billy often, and that's all he cares about. He wants them to prosper and to grow. He wants to know what I'm doing to help these guys succeed outside of football. That's what he is about. He's about growth."
The Football Player Career Development fund continues to reverberate across the Wake Forest campus and throughout the city of Winston-Salem, fueled by Dunn's focus on enhancing the holistic student-athlete experience.
"Before Wendell we didn't do quite as many community service events," Morin said. "Wendell is helping us engage with the community both on and off campus. It gives us an opportunity to use our platform to give back. It's humbling and brings everyone together. It's awesome to use our platform for good."
Players Mentioned
WR
/ FootballFootball Media Availability (9/24/25)
Wednesday, September 24
Football Media Availability (9/23/25)
Tuesday, September 23
Wake Forest Football Head Coach Jake Dickert Press Conference (Week 5)
Tuesday, September 23
Coach Jake Dickert Press Conference (Sept. 22, 2025)
Monday, September 22