Opinion > September 20, 2007

By This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board. |

A highlight of the Homecoming weekend was seeing many familiar faces back on the Reynolda campus, one of whom has developed a special place in the hearts of students, alumni and supporters nationwide – Chris Paul.

Paul has proven that though his basketball career at the university was cut short, his heart will always be in Winston-Salem. At the Sept. 15 football game against Army, Chris Paul presented the university with a check for $110,000, part of his Nathaniel Jones Scholarship Fund, which was established in memory of his grandfather. Paul’s scholarship fund is not limited to future university athletes. The fund provides one scholarship to a university athlete and one to a local student from Forsyth County.

Paul hasn’t taken his roots for granted and the university community has responded with open arms. Three years ago, talk of Paul leaving the university divided the community into those who supported Paul’s decision and those who didn’t. But at the Homecoming game, Paul’s entrance onto the field was met with applause from an audience of local fans. Paul continues to give back, and the university community respects and cherishes this gesture. We only wish that every alumnus stayed as loyal to the school as the 6-foot point guard who calls Wake Forest his alma mater.