Olivia DrakeFebruary 20, 20132min
This summer, high-achieving high school students from around the world will have the opportunity to delve into the Wesleyan experience by enrolling in online courses. Wesleyan's Office of Continuing Studies will launch a pilot project offering non-credit online courses featuring some of Wesleyan’s areas of strength such as psychology, creative writing, environmental studies, and music as part of the new Pre-College Study program. "These subject areas are in high demand, but difficult for many high school students to find," said Rob Rosenthal, provost and vice president for academic affairs. "These online courses, characterized by small class size and personal interaction between faculty…

Kate CarlisleFebruary 20, 20133min
Gun laws in the United States need to be changed to protect thousands of lives, but meaningful change is not a sure thing, even in the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, three experts told a packed house at Wesleyan on Feb. 6. The seminar, “Guns and Gun Violence: Crisis, Policy and Politics” featured three specialists in the legal, social and political aspects of firearms regulation, and drew a capacity crowd at the Center for the Arts Hall. “The United States is not more violent, but more lethally violent (than other developed nations who have stricter gun…

Olivia DrakeFebruary 20, 20133min
Starting on Feb. 28, Wesleyan will bring together teams of artists and scientists to share approaches, skills and outcomes of their research at the intersection of art and science. The symposium, titled “Innovations: Intersection of Art and Science," is part of the Creative Campus Initiative at the Center for the Arts. "The goal of this experimental program is to elevate the arts as a means of teaching, learning and knowing through co-teaching opportunities for artists and non-artists, as well as commissioning new works by artists who are invited to work with faculty and students across disciplines in their creation process,"…

Hannah Norman '16February 20, 20132min
Two Wesleyan skiers took podium spots in the McBrine Division League Championships Feb. 16 and 17 at Magic Mountain, Vt. Michael Creager '15 and Chris Delaney '14 came in second and third respectively in the Men's Ski Division. Two snowboarders, Dylan Penn '15 and Atticus Swartwood '14, qualified for nationals. The Wesleyan Ski Team is a student-run club team that competes in both Giant Slalom and Slalom events. The men’s ski team, led by captain Adam Freed ’14, took first place overall in the 2013 season, qualifying for USCSA Eastern Regionals at Sugarloaf on Feb. 23-24. The women’s team, led…

Olivia DrakeFebruary 20, 20135min
Q&As with outstanding students are an occasional feature of The Wesleyan Connection. This issue we speak with Evan Okun from the Class of 2013.  Q: Evan, you'll be graduating this spring. How would you sum up your Wesleyan experience so far? A: Wesleyan University encourages interdisciplinary inquiry while simultaneously supporting student efforts to put theory into practice. Earlier this semester the Sociology Department (along with other student and administrative groups) sponsored a panel discussion on the education system featuring the brilliant rap duo, Dead Prez. This served as the action component of my Senior Essay, which addressed exclusion in academia and incorporated…

Olivia DrakeFebruary 20, 20132min
Janice Naegele will become director of the Center for Faculty Career Development on July 1. Naegele, professor of biology, professor of neuroscience and behavior, has served as chair of the Biology Department, and has served on the Educational Policy Committee, Review and Appeals Board, the Graduate Liberal Studies Advisory Committee, the Life Sciences Building Committee, and the Writing Certificate Committee. She has published extensively in the areas of developmental neurobiology, stem cells and translational rodent models of neurological disorders. Her research explores genetic, small molecule, and neural stem cell based treatments for cognitive disabilities and epilepsy. She currently serves on…

Brian KattenFebruary 20, 20134min
For the first time in men's basketball history at Wesleyan, three members of the same class are 1,000-point scorers. All-time leading scorer Shasha Brown '13 has 1,745 points; Mike Callaghan '13 finished with 1,175 career points to rank sixth; and Derick Beresford '13 ranks 18th with 1,055 points. Brown, who averaged 18 points a game over his career, also will graduate as the Cardinals' all-time leader for assists (393) and free throws made (438). During the New England Division III Women's Indoor Track Championships at Southern Maine, Sierra Livious '14 set a Wesleyan record in the shot put with a…