Olivia DrakeAnti-racist activist Tim Wise will deliver the keynote address at Wesleyan's Celebration of the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 31. His talk begins at 3:15 p.m. in Memorial Chapel. A reception and book signing will follow in the Zelnick Pavilion. Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist writers and educators in the United States. Named one of “25 Visionaries Who are Changing Your World,” by Utne Reader, Wise has spoken in all 50 states, on over 800 college and high school campuses, and to community groups across the nation. Wise is the author of seven books,…
Ethnomusicologist Sumarsam, University Professor of Music, received a Henry Luce Fellowship grant worth $5,000 from the American Institute for Indonesian Studies (AIFIS) in January 2014 for his research on “Expressing and Contesting Java-Islam Encounters in the Performing Arts.” Since 2001 due to global geo-politics, issues of religion and culture have been highlighted, especially within Muslim cultures that were repositioning in non-normative ways. "This adjustment, the popular if historically flawed perception of Islam as 'against performing arts' has made for significant dialogue about performing arts," Sumarsam said. "Inserted in a taking its cue from global dialogue between wahabi Islam and westernized global…
The Center for the Arts received an unsolicited national grant award of $400,000 from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in November 2013. The CFA is one of five arts organizations that will receive a total of $3.5 million in funding to help further develop long-term capacity to respond to changing conditions in the performing arts sector and the world at large, including those related to demographics, audience behavior and the impact of technology. The grants were not open for application. Instead, an anonymous panel identified five organizations that have demonstrated a sustained appetite to innovate and experiment in ways that…
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…
Phi Beta Kappa, Wesleyan's honor society, welcomed 12 new members during an initiation ceremony Dec. 4 in the Office of Admission. These students have been elected to early decision PBK membership, and hold a GPA of 94.89 and above. "These new members’ accomplishments during their years at Wesleyan should be a source of pride to themselves and to their families," said Anna Shusterman, vice president of the Connecticut Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and assistant professor of psychology. To be elected, a student must first have been nominated by the department of his or her major. He or she…
In this issue of The Wesleyan Connection, we speak with Jacqueline "Jackie" Soro from the Class of 2014. Q: Jackie, where are you from and what brought you to Wesleyan? A: I'm from Oak Park, Illinois, just outside of Chicago — one of the few Midwesterners on campus (I think there are more international students than Midwesterners, so I'm a rare bird)! I came to Wesleyan because I knew I wanted to attend a small, community-centered school somewhere other than the Midwest, and also because I decided that I didn't want to go to art school. I wanted a place where…
More than 20 teams from Wesleyan are participating in the 10-week Cardinal Fit Challenge, sponsored by the Office of Human Resources and the Cardinal Fit Committee. The goal of the challenge is to encourage Wesleyan employees to develop or enhance their exercise and healthy eating habits. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams. Teams earn points by completing various milestones. Bonus points are awarded for unique challenges, such as skating at Freeman Athletic Center in November. "The program has been very successful and participants should look forward to more challenges in the future," said Pat Melley, director of Human…
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On Nov. 9, Wesleyan's informal science education class in conjunction with the Wesleyan Science Outreach Club presented Science Saturday, a semi-annual fun afternoon of hands-on science for the whole family. Activities took place inside the Exley Science Center. Wesleyan students taught science lessons that they have been working on this semester, with experiments involving dissections of biological specimens, roller coaster models, and an explosions demo. More than 50 local children and their parents attended. Andrea Roberts, visiting assistant professor of chemistry; Manju Hingorani, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry; and students from the CHEM 241 Informal Science Education course coordinated…
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No snow yet this season, but campus saw a stretch of foggy days Dec. 3-5. (more…)
For more information on the Wesleyan Orchestra, visit the organization's website.