Lauren Rubenstein

Honorary Degree Recipient Michael Price made the following remarks during the 183rd Commencement Ceremony May 24: My children would say this is an awesome moment. For me, being on this platform amongst such a distinguished assemblage is somewhere between exhilaration and terror. I now know how an actor feels on opening night, excited, honored and hoping not to fall off the stage. President Roth and the Wesleyan Community, thank you for this very special honor. To the class of 2015, I am thrilled and grateful to share this day with you, and to be in the company of Beverly Daniel…

Wesleyan President Michael Roth made the following remarks during the 183rd Commencement Ceremony May 24: Members of the board of trustees, members of the faculty and staff, distinguished guests, new recipients of graduate degrees and the mighty class of 2015, I am honored to present some brief remarks on the occasion of this commencement. On this Memorial Day Weekend, I begin by asking us all to take a moment to remember the men and women who have died while serving in the American armed forces. In recent years, military conflicts far from our own shores have cost the lives of…

Marissa Castrigno '15 made the following remarks during the 183rd Commencement Ceremony May 24: I feel immensely lucky to be able to stand here and see so many people that I love all in one place – so many people that love each other all in one place. My favorite college memory was on this very balcony two years ago when I sat with my best friend on its wide ledge and we spoke candidly for the first time about those private things that motivate and shape each of us. In that moment, among others during my first year here,…

During the 183rd Commencement ceremony, President Michael Roth awarded the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching to three faculty, and the Raymond E. Baldwin Medal to an alumnus. Three outstanding teachers are recognized annually with the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching. This year, President Michael Roth honored Michael Calter, David Schorr and Gina Athena Ulysse for their excellence in teaching. The prizes are made possible by gifts from the family of the late Frank G. Binswanger Sr., Hon. ’85, and underscore Wesleyan’s commitment to its scholar-teachers, who are responsible for the university’s distinctive approach to liberal arts education. (more…)

Jenna Starr '15, Jasmine Masand '15, and Camille Casareno '15 delivered "Senior Voices" speeches on May 23 in Memorial Chapel. Below are the texts of their speeches. Jenna Starr I am grateful to Wesleyan. After a turbulent year at a different school, Wesleyan was the second chance I urgently needed. When I first got here (literally the first day), I was scared. I was so scared that when my dad and aunt tried to leave, I secretly jumped in their car so they would take me home. (more…)

Adriane Tharp, who will be coming to Wesleyan in the fall as part of the Class of 2019, set her admission essay in the Forestdale, Ala. Domino's Pizza where she worked, writing about the "lineup of fellow misfits who were her colleagues." The New York Times featured Tharp's essay in its annual story on admission essays about working and money. The story quotes Wesleyan Associate Dean of Admission Chris Lanser, who was the first reader of Tharp's essay. He tells the Times how rare it is for applicants to write about money and work, and explains what stood out to him about Tharp's…

Wesleyan University’s Board of Trustees has elected Donna Morea ’76, P’06 as Chair of the Board for a two-year term beginning July 1, 2016. The election took place at the Board’s meeting on campus May 22. Morea will succeed Joshua Boger ’73, P’06, P’09, who will step down in June 2016 after 7 years as Chair. “The Board asked Joshua to continue his leadership through the conclusion of the capital campaign and he has graciously agreed,” said Shonni Silverberg ’76, chair of the Board’s Governance Committee. “He and his fellow Board members felt it would be advantageous to elect his…

In this video, the Wesleyan Beekeepers discuss what they've learned about bees and the threats posed to them by tending a hive at Long Lane Farm.

#THISISWHY In this issue of News @ Wesleyan, we speak with Matan Koplin-Green from the Class of 2015. Q: Matan, what is your major and what was the title of your thesis? A: I’m a neuroscience and behavior major. I wrote my thesis on “Application of Alpha Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.” Q: Let’s back up. How did your interest in neuroscience and behavior develop? A: I came to Wesleyan not knowing exactly what I wanted to study. I was interested in cognitive psychology and philosophy of mind, but also had a lifelong love of music. I took…

#THISISWHY In this News @ Wesleyan story, we speak with Sam Factor '14, a graduate student in astronomy. Q: Sam, congratulations on completing your master’s thesis in astronomy! We understand you took your first astronomy class in the fall of your senior year at Wesleyan. What was your undergraduate major and how did your late-developing interest in astronomy come about? A: Thank you very much! As an undergrad, I majored in physics and computer science. During the fall of my senior year I took Introductory Astronomy (ASTR 155). I signed up for the course mainly because I wanted an interesting and relatively easy…

The Hartford Courant profiled two-sport athlete Donnie Cimino '15, a member of the stellar Wesleyan baseball team that recently reached the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year. Cimino, center fielder and team captain for baseball, is also a defensive back and two-year captain on the football team. "It's emotional," Cimino, one of nine seniors on the team, told the Courant, "because everything comes to an end. It's been such a journey, four years, and we experienced a lot of success. When I got here, there wasn't a winning attitude or a winning culture. We [Class of 2015] wanted to change that as…

On May 7-9, the Office of Admission held its annual conference for educators and directors of community-based organizations (CBOs), bringing together high school guidance counselors and directors from about 20 groups nationwide. The conference was founded in 2003 as a way to build closer relationships between Wesleyan and CBOs at a time when the Supreme Court was considering the landmark Grutter v. Bollinger case on the University of Michigan Law School’s affirmative action policy and many in higher education were feeling uncertain about the future of affirmative action, explained Cliff Thornton, associate dean of admission and co-organizer of the conference. (more…)

Remarks for Honorary Degree Recipient Michael Price

President Roth Makes Remarks to the Class of 2015

Greetings for the Senior Class from Marissa Castrigno ’15

Calter, Schorr, Ulysse Honored with Binswanger Prizes; Dachs ’70 Receives Baldwin Medal

Starr, Masand, Casareno Deliver “Senior Voices” Addresses

New York Times Features Wesleyan Admission Essay

Donna Morea is Chair-elect of the Board of Trustees

Wesleyan Beekeepers Tend Hive at Long Lane Farm

Koplin-Green ’15 Studied Alpha Neurofeedback to Treat Anxiety

Graduate Student Factor Studies Planet Formation Around a Young Star

Cimino ’15, Baseball Team Featured in Courant

Wesleyan Hosts Conference of Community-Based Organizations