Kate CarlisleDecember 31, 20133min
One of Wesleyan's most distinguished alumni, Trustee Emeritus John Baird ’38 P’69’78, died on Dec. 27 in Glenview, Ill., after a brief illness. “His life of service to Wesleyan, his community, and his country serves as a standard for us all,” said President Michael Roth. After graduating from Wesleyan in 1938 and receiving his MBA from Harvard in 1940, he served with distinction as a captain in the U.S. Army during WWII. After the war, he joined his family's prominent Chicago real estate firm, Baird & Warner, where he worked for the remainder of his life.  At Baird & Warner,…

Bill FisherDecember 18, 20134min
Brooks Kraft '87 has been named 2013 International Photographer of the Year, the top honor given by the International Photography Awards (IPA) in its annual competition. The award was announced at New York's Carnegie Hall during the 11th annual Lucie Awards ceremony recognizing the accomplishments of photographers working in editorial, advertising, journalism, fine art, fashion and beyond. The IPA's competition is one of the most ambitious and comprehensive in the photography world today; this year's field included more than 10,000 entries from 103 countries. Kraft received the top honor for his portfolio "The Last Days of Barack Obama’s Campaign," which…

Kate CarlisleDecember 12, 20133min
A  $50,000 grant to Wesleyan from the National Endowment for the Arts will support dance programs at the Center for the Arts and poetry initiatives at Wesleyan University Press. The award, announced by the NEA Dec. 11, recognizes the university’s commitment to the arts across all forms of artistic expression. It includes a $30,000 grant to the CFA, the ninth NEA award to the dance programs. That represents a 50 percent increase over the 2012-2013 season grant supporting the Breaking Ground Dance Series. “Support from the National Endowment for the Arts has been central to our ability to fulfill our…

Olivia DrakeDecember 6, 20134min
Amber Smith '14 understands the importance of having connections with others who understand the hardships faced as an amputee. Smith, an African American studies major, was born with an upper extremity amputation of her left forearm. On Nov. 6, Smith received a 2013 Ella T. Grasso Leadership in Action Grant from the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. The award will serve as seed money for starting up her social enterprise, "I AMputee," an online community designed for amputees and their families to connect with those of similar circumstances in an effort to create positive, reciprocal relationships grounded in common experience. I AMputee's…