David LowIn this issue of The Wesleyan Connection, we ask “5 Questions” of Lisa Cohen, assistant professor of English and faculty fellow in the Center for the Humanities. Cohen is the author of All We Know: Three Lives, an engrossing biographical triptych about three complicated, glamorous, independent, and influential women of the last century (published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in July 2012). In a review of her new book in Businessweek, Craig Seligman writes: “ ‘All We Know’ is really much more about reflecting on lives … than about chronicling them. Experimental biography, if such a genre can be said to exist,…
Brian KattenWesleyan's Athletics Hall of Fame will induct its sixth class Friday, Oct. 19 as part of the university’s Homecoming/Family Weekend. This year’s inductions will include an outstanding coach, administrator and leader and the championship wrestling team he coached in 1983–84. The coach and team will join the 30 individuals and five teams currently in the Hall. Being honored and inducted is recently retired and long-time athletics director John Biddiscombe and the New England Championship Wrestling Team he coached in 1983–84, Wesleyan’s last New England wrestling champion until this year’s 2011-12 title squad. (more…)
Bill HolderWesleyan submitted its final version of a self-study to the university's accrediting agency on Aug. 15. The agency, The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), accredits approximately 240 institutions in the six-state New England area, and universities are accredited every 10 years. A team representing NEASC will visit campus Sept. 30-Oct. 3 and conduct a comprehensive evaluation. In an all-campus e-mail on Aug. 22, Provost Rob Rosenthal wrote, "We look forward to their constructive criticism and to showing them what an extraordinary institution we are! The self-study is the product…
Olivia DrakeBy looking at high-resolution images captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists are able to see gullies, which are argued to be geologically recent. Because they are most likely formed by water, it is believed that they can answer the question of whether or not there is still "active" water on Mars. As a summer Wesleyan McNair scholar, astronomy major Lavontria Aaron '14 used a hyperspectral instrument to determine if the gullies contained minerals (salts) which would be left behind by water brines. "By examining the spectrum of the brines, we'll be able to learn more about Mars' history and…
This fall, Wesleyan's Institute for Lifelong Learning will offer courses on 20th-Century Photography, the paintings of Paul Cezanne, ethical eating practices, Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear, promoting healthy psychology, Scandinavian culture and more. The third year of courses begins Sept. 6 and most take place at the Susan B. and William Wasch Center for Retired Faculty at 51 Lawn Ave. in Middletown. "Our objective is to use the talents of retired faculty members and current members of the Wesleyan faculty, plus others in our community who are similarly qualified, to present a set of short, intellectually stimulating and lively courses to area residents,"…
Sixty-four international students hailing from Algeria to Zimbabwe joined the Class of 2016. International Student Orientation began Aug. 26. The program is designed to introduce international students to campus life at Wesleyan and ease their transition to the United States. Students took campus tours, went shopping, learned about writing programs, health matters, counseling and psychological services, performed a skit, and attended a workshop on managing U.S. academic and Wesleyan culture. The international students transitioned into New Student Orientation on Aug. 30. Photos of International Student Orientation are below: (more…)
As part of New Student Orientation, the Class of 2016 gathered for a group photo on Aug. 29. (more…)
More than 60 new graduate students and Ph.D. candidates attended orientation and a picnic on Aug. 28. Photos of the event are below: (more…)
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Q: Jennifer, you started working as Wesleyan's sustainability coordinator on July 2. Please define "sustainability" and explain the purpose of this new position. A: I think of sustainability as people living such that current and future generations of humans and animals, as well as the Earth itself, can thrive. Sustainability doesn’t just have to do with the environment; it’s about people, too. As the sustainability coordinator, my job is to turn these ideas into tangible actions that help the campus to operate more sustainably and show how others how to change behaviors to live in a way that’s in harmony…
Q: Ed, when did you join the Events and Scheduling office as the facility and event manager for the Memorial Chapel and the '92 Theater? A: I came to Wesleyan in October 2003. Q: As a facility manager, what is your role? A: I make sure that the buildings and equipment are in working order for each event. I manage events within the spaces. I work with presenters so that they are ready for their event, manage the student House Staff who are there for the safety and comfort of patrons. The House Staff consists of 40-60 students who work the events in the…
Robert Weber, an electrician in the Physical Plant-Facilities department, received a Cardinal Achievement Award in July. Weber was honored for demonstrating extraordinary initiative or providing outstanding service with regard to specific tasks in his department. This special honor comes with a $150 award and reflects the university’s gratitude for those extra efforts. The award recipients are nominated by department chairs and supervisors. Nominations can be made anytime throughout the year. For more information or to nominate a staff member for the award, visit the Human Resources website and scroll down to Cardinal Achievement Award under “Forms.” Recipients will continue to be recognized in The…