Campus Life – Page 14

Jeremy Zwelling, associate professor of religion, emeritus, passed away on May 8 at the age of 81. Zwelling received bachelor’s degrees from Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and his MA and PhD from Brandeis University. He arrived at Wesleyan in 1967, where he taught for 43 years until his retirement in 2010. He was instrumental in the creation of Jewish Studies at Wesleyan, and he created and directed an Israel Studies program in Jerusalem. Zwelling was named the inaugural Silverberg-Shapiro Professor of Jewish Studies in 2003, and when he retired in 2010 this chair was renamed the…

Political upheaval. A national reckoning on matters of race. A global pandemic. Any one of these major world happenings would leave an impact on a student’s college experience. But for the Wesleyan University Class of 2022, the totality of events has been, to dredge up an overused expression, unprecedented. As Reunion and Commencement Weekend 2022 approaches, Wesleyan reflects on and celebrates a class that has shown courage, creativity, and resiliency in the face of a complicated and fraught world. “There were difficulties aplenty, but also tremendous fortitude and endless examples of sacrifice for the greater good,” said Michael Whaley, vice…

The Vietnam War, the murders of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, the civil rights movement, the Student Strike of 1970 – to hear the graduates of the Classes of 1970 and 1971 talk, it was as if this all happened yesterday. Most of them can still remember their draft number. “These were combustible years of high drama in every setting,” Steve Ingraham ’70 said to a collection of his classmates at Memorial Chapel at an assembly last Friday morning. The 50th reunion took place April 28 through May 1. For alumni, it was a makeup for a…

Every year, as Wesleyan students empty their rooms at the end of the Spring semester, they fill dumpsters with usable items – everything from clothing and room décor to small appliances. “There was still more waste generated than we like,” said Hayley Berliner, temporary sustainability director. “We want to divert as much as we can.” Debbra Goh ’24 and Annie Volker ’24, both eco-facilitators for Wesleyan Sustainability, have come up with an idea on how to lessen the waste. The duo will launch WesThrift at 284 High next fall, a free store for clothing and dorm essentials located in the…

By Maia Dawson '24 TEDxWesleyanU returned to campus April 23 with authors, entrepreneurs, and other accomplished professionals sharing stories of revivification and curiosity. Organized by students and held in Beckham Hall, the TEDxWesleyanU gathering was the first live event since 2019. The brochure pictured a martini glass overflowing with a string of pearls, in line with the theme "Re-roaring Twenties." Ritu Chhawal ’88 and Raquel Graham ’90 spoke to the audience about resilience emerging from illness. Chhawal introduced her vegan startup as an effort to spur a food revolution, and Graham described her success on Shark Tank and finding her…

For "all 22 years of [her] life," Elim Lee's been writing a story, and it wasn't until April 14— the deadline to submit a senior honors thesis—that her narrative finally was published. Lee '22, an English major who is minoring in IDEAS and data analysis, ended up completing an original children's book as part of an art studio thesis called Needle and the Too Big World. "I told my advisors that I wanted to write a children’s book and build it," Lee said. And Lee did just that. Inspired by a library exhibit in her hometown of Columbus, Georgia that commemorates…

Ori Cantwell '22 has been looking forward to this moment since his freshman year at Wesleyan. On April 14, he joined dozens of his classmates on the steps of Olin Library to celebrate the completion of their senior honors theses—at a ceremony that included a champagne toast and accolades from friends and faculty advisors. During this traditional festivity known as "Thesis Day," the thesis-writers take turns popping bottles of champagne while their friends and faculty advisors congratulate them on their efforts. This year, 254 seniors pursued honors this year. "The champagne toast was a blast," Cantwell said. "And I learned…

Connor Matteson ’23 was one of many students who took a gap year as a result of the global pandemic. “I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with this time, but I knew that I didn’t necessarily want to be stuck in a dorm room taking online classes the whole time,” he said. While away from Wesleyan for a year, Matteson certainly took a different path from many of his peers – he went out and wrote a book. That book, titled The World As You’ll Live It, will be published by New Degree Press in September…

Several student groups shared their interests with Class of 2026 admitted students during WesFest activities on April 8.

Neighborhood Preschool held an outdoor picnic lunch for children and their families on April 8. Wesleyan University has begun the process of constructing a new home for NPS, located at 60 Long Lane near the softball fields. (Photos by Olivia Drake)

Krithi De Souza knew five years ago she wanted to apply to Wesleyan. While in eighth grade, she toured several colleges with her sister, and Wesleyan was among them. "I wasn't really paying that much attention, but I do remember really liking the vibe of Wesleyan. We were having lunch in the dining hall and I was listening to the kids laugh and mingle, and I noticed how it was more diverse than the other schools. So Wesleyan stuck out to me and I knew I was going to apply here." De Souza, a senior at Berkley High School in…

At its meeting on Feb. 25, the Wesleyan Board of Trustees voted to increase tuition by 3.7% for the upcoming 2022-23 academic year. Tuition and fees will be $64,022 (plus a $300 matriculation fee for first-time students). The Residential Comprehensive Fee (RCF) for first-year students and sophomores will be $18,180 and for juniors and seniors will be $18,906. The higher RCF for juniors and seniors reflects the higher cost of student life options. The total direct expense for first-year students and sophomores will be $82,202. The total direct expense for juniors and seniors will be $82,928. Wesleyan continues to recognize…

Zwelling Remembered for Teaching Jewish Studies at Wesleyan for 43 Years

Class of 2022 Known for Creativity and Resiliency

Groovy Wesleyan: Fifty Years Later

New Campus Free Store Planned for Fall Semester

TEDxWesleyanU Breaks its Covid Hiatus with Stories of Innovation and Creativity

Lee ’22 Creates ‘Living Book’ Exhibit for Senior Honors Thesis Project

Seniors Celebrate “Thesis Day” at Olin with Champagne Toast (With Video, Photo Gallery)

Matteson ’23 Takes on the Future In New Book

Involvement Fair for Admitted Students

Neighborhood Preschoolers Enjoy Family Day Lunch

Admitted Students Explore All-Things Wesleyan at WesFest

Tuition to Increase 3.7% in 2022-23