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Shortly after returning home to New York City this spring amid the coronavirus pandemic, Walker Brandt ’22 was out for a walk near the Hudson River when he caught a glimpse of yellow tape in front of Brookdale, the senior living facility that had previously been his grandmother’s home. A sign on the sliding doors read, “No in-person visits are allowed at this time.” Brandt immediately appreciated the precautions the facility was taking to keep its residents safe, but also wondered what the seniors’ social lives would look like without visitors. With the suspension of in-person visitors also came a…

This spring, Graduate Liberal Studies student Kristen Cardona enrolled in her first-ever photography course, ARTS 613: Studies in Portraiture and Self-Portraiture. While learning how to better use a camera, she practiced taking images of herself, family, friends, and neighbors. Heading into early March, the assignment was to photograph strangers. And then the coronavirus pandemic struck the nation. All Wesleyan courses moved to an online format. "This threw a huge curve ball! Obviously we couldn’t finish photographing strangers," said Cardona, who is the program coordinator for continuing studies at Wesleyan. "People are scared. Simple requests to take a photo seem to…

When President Michael Roth announced in mid-March that Wesleyan would suspend in-person classes for the remainder of the spring semester because of the increasing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty had less than two weeks to prepare their courses for distance learning before classes resumed after spring break. Trying to recreate the immersive Wesleyan classroom experience in a digital format presented a variety of challenges, particularly for faculty who had never taught online previously. It’s become clear over the last month that faculty have been able to rise to those challenges, and the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) formally recognized their…

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that United States residents not only practice social distancing, but wear masks in public. In this piece, we highlight Wesleyan faculty, staff, students, and alumni donning their masks and explain a bit about them. (more…)

Jennifer Raynor, assistant professor of economics, is the co-author of a study titled "Can native species compete with valuable exotics? Valuing ecological changes in the Lake Michigan recreational fishery," published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2020. The Chinook salmon population in Lake Michigan is declining precipitously due to ecological changes, and the impact on recreational fishing value is unknown. In this study, Raynor estimates a conditional model to characterize how Wisconsin resident anglers react to changes in species-specific availability and catch rates. "Using these results, we calculate the non-market value of access to the fishery that reflects current,…

A comical handwashing illustration by author, artist, speaker, and mental wellness coach Ellen Forney '89 appeared in the March 20 edition of The Washington Post and is used in the COVID Coach App, a mental health app from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. She's also offering it as a free printable download from her website. Forney says her how-to "Hand-Washing Like A Pro!" comic adheres to the the World Health Organization guidelines, but is "easier and funnier." "I got the idea for [the comic] after reading that people had trouble remembering the WHO-recommended method," she said. "It's useful…

Wesleyan in the News 1. Washington Post: "Biden Makes End Run Around Trump as the President Dominates the National Stage" Erika Franklin Fowler, associate professor of government and co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, comments on Biden's unusual strategy during an unprecedented time for the 2020 presidential campaign. “There is not a ready off-the-shelf playbook for how you campaign in this environment if you are a nonincumbent, so that’s part of what you’re seeing,” she said. “We’re all being thrown into this new environment, where campaigns are going to need to reinvent, to some extent, how they go about things,…

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, Wesleyan's Sustainability Office led a virtual WesFest session to introduce Class of 2024 admitted students and their families to the office. Several Eco Facilitators and Sustainability Interns from the Wesleyan Sustainability Office, and members of the Wesleyan Green Fund and other environmental sustainability groups on campus shared information on the sustainability scene at Wesleyan. There are currently a total of 16 Eco Facilitators, two Eco Facilitator coordinators, five compost interns, three sustainability coordinators and one Sustainable Middletown intern. Sustainability Director Jen Kleindienst explained the office's three main purposes:…

Wesleyan received 12,752 applications for its Class of 2024, offering admission to 2,531 students (19.8%) from a competitive, diverse applicant pool. “In one of Wesleyan’s most competitive years, we selected students as much for their character and personal promise as their outstanding achievements and talents,” said Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Amin Abdul-Malik Gonzalez ’96. “I am proud of the fact that, statistically, the Class of 2024 is among the most distinguished group of students ever admitted who will undoubtedly contribute to our educational community in dynamic ways. They are bright, motivated individuals who love learning…

Several Wes alumni went on to pursue jobs in sports and athletics. While some became professional athletes on nationally-recognized teams, others delved into coaching, refereeing, sports reporting, and team management. In this "Best of Wes" article, read about Wes alumni who turned their love of the game into a lifelong passion and career. (Interested in other Wesleyan-themed lists? Check out our previous “Best of Wes” pieces, including Alumni in Sports I.) Field Yates ’09 is a National Football League (NFL) Insider for ESPN and co-host of ESPN Audio’s Fantasy Focus Football podcast. He joined ESPN in 2012 and is a…

Assistant Professor of Government Alyx Mark studies the American separation of powers system, access to justice, and Supreme Court decision-making. She was recently awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant to study the response of state courts to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Congratulations on receiving the NSF RAPID grant! Can you please explain how this opportunity came about? Near the beginning of the pandemic, NSF sent out a Dear Colleague letter soliciting project proposals related to COVID-19. When I read that letter, my first thought was that this was relegated to epidemiologists and…

Assistant Professor of Government Lindsay Dolan specializes in international political economy and comparative politics in developing countries. Her research and teaching interests include international organizations, foreign aid, and development. Together with her co-author Quynh Nguyen of Australian National University, she has been studying how COVID-19 is affecting public attitudes toward globalization. President Trump recently announced that he is suspending U.S. funding for the World Health Organization (WHO). Can you briefly explain the role of the WHO, particularly during a global health crisis, and what will be the implications of the U.S. cutting funding? Which countries or populations will be most…

Students Form Connections with Senior Citizens Isolated by Pandemic

Portraiture Photography Class Shifts Focus During COVID-19 Pandemic

Wesleyan Student Assembly Commends Faculty on Distance Learning Efforts

Campus Community Captures Themselves Wearing COVID-19 Protective Masks

Raynor’s Study on Fishery Economics Published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research

Forney ’89 Creates Comical Handwashing Illustration

Wesleyan in the News

Students Discuss Wesleyan’s Sustainability Efforts during Earth Month

Wesleyan, Notable Alumni Welcome the Class of 2024

Best of Wes: Alumni in Sports II

NSF Funds Mark’s Research Into Impact of Pandemic on Courts

Dolan Studies Impact of COVID-19 on Public Attitudes Toward Globalization