Olivia Drake – Page 112

This fall, the German Studies Department and German Embassy in Washington, D.C. are sponsoring a three-part commemoration of "25 Years of German Unity" at Wesleyan. The series, which features discussions with a German filmmaker, a scholar from Connecticut College, and four Wesleyan faculty is made possible by a $3,000 grant from the German Embassy. The first talk, “Gorbachev, Bush, and the Unification of Germany” on Sept. 22 featured Peter Rutland, the Colin and Nancy Campbell Professor in Global Issues and Democratic Thought, professor of government, and Douglas Foyle, associate professor of government, who spoke on the important role that Russia, Mikhail Gorbachev,…

On Sept. 11, the Center for the Arts celebrated the student music scene at The MASH. Inspired by Fete de la Musique, also known as World Music Day, this fourth annual festival highlights Wesleyan's student musicians. The event took place inside Usdan University Center, Patricelli '92 Theater and Crowell Concert Hall. More than 15 bands performed including Locus, described as “one man with psychedelic textures and experimental beats;” Mom, a funky band full of post-pubescent mystery rock; Quasimodal, Wesleyan's oldest co-ed A cappella group; Veeblefetzer, Wesleyan's finest Klezmer ensemble; Lo-Qi, a rap duo “here to denounce corporate oppression;” Sleep Kid,…

The Office of Human Resources reports the following new hires, transitions and departures: Newly hired Kathleen Smith was hired as associate director of fellowships, internships and exchanges in the Center for Global Studies on Aug. 3. Joy Zelikovsky was hired as post-doctoral clinical/counseling psychologist in the Counseling Center on Aug. 3. Kaiser Aslam was hired as University Muslim Chaplain in the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life on Aug. 17. (more…)

After a long summer drought, Middletown received a much-needed rain shower Sept. 10. Students, sporting umbrellas and rain jackets, walked to class and Usdan University Center in the wet weather. (more…)

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Bethany Berger '90, professor at the University of Connecticut Law School, will lead Wesleyan's annual Constitution Day Lecture on Sept. 17. The topic is "Birthright Citizenship on Trial — Immigration and Indigeneity." Egged on by Donald Trump, the majority of Republican candidates have supported ending birthright citizenship. This talk looks at this 14th amendment right, its constitutional origins, and the different things it meant for American Indians and immigrants. Berger is the Thomas F. Gallivan, Jr. Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law. She graduated from Wesleyan in 1990 with a major in government, and from Yale Law…

An essay by Ethan Kleinberg, professor of history, professor of letters, is the featured reading material for the H-France network's fall 2015 webinar on “Modern Intellectual History." H-France’s mission is to promote scholarly work and discussion on the history and culture of the Francophone world through digital form. Kleinberg also is director of the Center for the Humanities and executive editor of History and Theory. The H-France webinar will take place at 3 p.m. Sept. 18. Designed particularly for graduate students, H-France webinars are open to anyone. Participants are expected to read Kleinberg's essay prior to the seminar and consider related questions. (more…)

President Michael Roth spoke to families in Memorial Chapel on Arrival Day, Sept. 2. He urged students to explore parts of the curriculum beyond their comfort zone and to discover what they love to do, get better at it, and share it with others. "It’s an extraordinarily exciting time to be starting at Wesleyan,” he said. “There are tremendous resources across this place; there are people with extraordinary ideas.… Students should find the people from whom they can learn most deeply." Watch his remarks, which appeared on The Huffington Post homepage, below:

In this Q&A we speak with Kathleen Smith from the Center for Global Studies. Smith helps identify and cultivate a global perspective that is meaningful to students, alumni, and faculty across the university. Q: Welcome to Wesleyan! When did you start? A: My first day was Aug. 3, so I am still learning my way around campus! Q: As the associate director of fellowships, internships and exchanges for the Center for Global Studies (located in Fisk Hall), what is your mission when working with students? A: The role is a little bit of everything – fellowships, internships and exchanges – so I see myself as a resource…

Professors Lisa Dierker and Jennifer Rose, along with Jalen Alexander BA/MA ’14,'15, are the co-authors of an article titled “It Is Complicated: Sexual Partner Characteristic Profiles and Sexually Transmitted Infection Rates within a Predominantly African American Population in Mississippi,” published in the May 2015 issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Vol. 42, No. 5. Dierker is professor of psychology, director of pilot programs for the Center for Pedagogical Innovation. Rose is professor of the practice and research professor of psychology for the Center for Pedagogical Innovation and director of the Institutional Review Board for Academic Affairs. Alexander is co-chair of the…

Wesleyan’s student-run performance group Prometheus performed the art of fire-spinning and object manipulation during New Student Orientation activities this month. (Photos by Jonas Powell ’18/ The Wesleyan Argus) (more…)

This fall, Wesleyan welcomes Assistant Professor Joseph Coolon to the Department of Biology. Coolon comes to Wesleyan from the University of Michigan where he worked as an assistant research scientist and a postdoctoral fellow for the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Coolon has a BS in biology and PhD in biology from Kansas State University. His dissertation was titled “Ecological Genomics of Nematode Responses to Different Bacteria.” At Wesleyan, Coolon plans to have two primary research projects. The first project is aimed at understanding the major sources of variation in gene expression including changes in DNA sequence, responses to…

“25 Years of German Unity” Discussed at Talks, Film Screening

Student Music Scene Celebrated at the 4th Annual MASH

Staff on the Move August 2015

Rainy Summer Afternoon at Wesleyan

Recycle Small Electronics, Bulbs, Disks at New Center

Immigration and Indigeneity Topic of Constitution Day Lecture Sept. 17

Kleinberg’s Essay the Featured Reading Material for Modern Intellectual History Webinar

President Roth Speaks to Families, Students on Arrival Day

Smith is New Associate Director of Fellowships, Internships, Exchanges

Dierker, Rose, Alexander BA/MA ’14, ’15 Co-Author Article on Sexually Transmitted Infection Rates in Mississippi

Fire-Spinning Students Perform during New Student Orientation

Biology’s Coolon Studies Variation in Gene Expression