Campus News & Events

On the weekend of April 15-16, the CFA theater was home to the spring faculty dance concert, Storied Places. In addition to the dance, which was choreographed and directed by Chair and Associate Professor of Dance, Associate Professor of African American Studies, and Environmental Studies Nicole Stanton, the performance also featured original compositions and musical direction by Adjunct Professor of Music and African American Studies Jay Hoggard ’76. Adding a further layer of texture was narrative text, written and performed by Chair and Class of 1958 Distinguished Professor of African American Studies, Professor of English and Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and…

This month, Wesleyan is celebrating its progress toward a sustainable campus and is about to embark on an exciting new project – the creation of a solar farm that will supply 1.2 million kilowatt hours of clean renewable energy each year and expand the university’s use of solar energy by six-fold. “The solar farm will be a highly visible sign of our progress, but our commitment to sustainability is embedded in everything we do,” said Jennifer Kleindienst, sustainability director at Wesleyan. Energy use has the greatest impact on Wesleyan’s carbon footprint, and efficiency and conservation programs, as well as expansion…

During Earth Month Wesleyan is celebrating its progress toward a sustainable campus. “From planning to composting, from university-wide utilities to low-flow showerheads, we are reducing our carbon footprint and creating a culture of sustainability," said Jennifer Kleindienst, sustainability director at Wesleyan. With leadership from Kleindienst, Wesleyan has developed a Sustainability Action Plan – a broad commitment to sustainability that is the result of more than a year of effort from over 130 students, faculty and staff. The plan is intended to guide the university’s efforts in this area over the next five years. “Wesleyan as a whole can contribute to…

During the academic year, Wesleyan's Green Team is researching, communicating and implementing effective strategies that increase sustainability within their own departments and the university. Since 2014, the team has started sharing a "Green Minute" at Administrative Assistant meetings; purchased utensils to distribute to staff at annual meetings; installed a water cooler in Woodhead Lounge; encourages staff to bring their own cup or mug to meetings; received funding to install cabinets to house dishes in Woodhead Lounge to be used for key events; and encouraged the placement of houseplants in office spaces. They're currently focusing their efforts on managing waste sustainability, making sustainable purchases, reducing energy in their departments…

“There is no single ‘right way’ to be an environmentalist.” This is the philosophy of the Wesleyan Green Fund, which since 2010 has provided financial support to a wide range of sustainability projects on campus. Overseen by six to eight students, and advised by Sustainability Director Jennifer Kleindienst, the Green Fund has received 50 proposals for grants from over 30 organizations and individuals this year alone, and distributed close to $100,000 in funding. The money distributed by the Green Fund comes from a $15 per semester opt-out fee paid by students along with tuition. About 90 percent of students participate,…

In a story about the spread of microgrids in Connecticut, The Hartford Courant points to Wesleyan as a leader. Wesleyan's microgrid was the first project to come online under the inaugural round of Connecticut's first-in-the-nation statewide microgrid pilot program. According to the Courant, the $23 million state program to create a network of mini power generation plants across Connecticut was prompted by Tropical Storm Irene and Hurricane Sandy, which caused widespread power outages, flooding and other problems. In the case of a widespread power outage, microgrids can continue providing power to water treatment plants, emergency shelters, hospitals, police and fire stations. The Courant interviewed Alan Rubacha, director of Wesleyan's…

In her latest essay on The Huffington Post, Professor of Anthropology Gina Athena Ulysse takes on the matter of U.S. foreign food aid policy vis-a-vis Haiti, which she writes is undermining farmers in the Caribbean nation. She focuses on mamba, the Kreyòl word for peanut butter, which she fondly recalls being made by locals when she was growing up in Haiti. "To me, mamba is as quintessentially Haitian as basketball is (North) American. Now, it faces risks as another charitable gift of food aid undermines Haitian autonomy by threatening to bench local farmers’ peanuts production, our cultural practices, and even our tastes," she writes. "This is not…

During WesFest, April 13-15, the Office of Admission invited all Class of 2020 admitted students and their families to visit Wesleyan and experience university life first-hand. The three-day celebration allowed admitted students to explore the diverse opportunities that a Wesleyan education has to offer. Activities included campus tours, an all-campus barbecue, student band performances, a Student Activities Fair, department open houses, daily fitness classes, student-to-student and parent-to-parent panels, an a cappella concert, opportunities to attend classes and academic department open houses, and much more! Alumni Keynote Speaker, Bozoma Saint John '99, head of global consumer marketing for Apple Music and…

Lisa Dierker, professor of psychology, director of pilot programs for the Center for Pedagogical Innovation, and Ishita Mukerji, the Fisk Professor of Natural Science, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry, professor of integrative sciences, were both honored at the 12th annual Women of Innovation Awards. Presented by the Connecticut Technology Council, the awards celebrate the energy, creativity and success of women and students from Connecticut's science and technology community. Both professors were honored in the category of Academic Innovation and Leadership. The celebration was held April 6 in Plantsville, Conn. Dierker was honored for her work developing a curriculum to introduce students to…

Registration for Wesleyan’s Reunion & Commencement Weekend is open! (Register online here prior to May 6.) From May 19-22, alumni, parents, students and families can participate in reunion gatherings, a festival on Foss Hill, WesSeminars, THIS IS WHY campaign dedications and celebrations, stargazing, a conversation with President Michael Roth ’78, a parade of classes, an all-campus college sing and campus party, the 184th Commencement Ceremony and much more. View the entire schedule of events online here. Classes celebrating their reunions are those ending in a "1" or "6," and the weekend celebrates the graduating class of 2016. All alumni planning to attend…

As a 2016 recipient of the Keasbey Scholarship, Claire Wright ’16 will continue her education at Oxford University after graduating from Wesleyan this May. While at Oxford, she will pursue an MPhil in Comparative Social Policy. “Throughout my time at Wesleyan I have become increasingly passionate both about international development efforts and gender equality initiatives," she said. Wright's senior thesis focused on medical, social and political implications of using PTSD-focused aid for survivors of sexual violence in postcolonial nations. "I wanted a course of study that would allow me to translate these theoretical, intellectual insights regarding responses to violence against women…

The 74th annual Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) conference in Chicago April 7-10 was attended by several Wesleyan faculty members, students and recent alumni. The conference, held every April, is one of the largest political science conferences with more than 5,000 presenters from throughout the United States and around the world. It is traditionally held in Chicago's historic Palmer House Hilton. Assistant Professor of Government Erika Franklin Fowler, Assistant Professor of Government Logan Dancey, and Assistant Professor of Government Yamil Velez all presented research at the conference. They were accompanied by Joli Holmes '17, John Murchison '16, Grace Wong '18,…

Stanton, Hoggard, Brown: ‘Storied Places’ Unites Dance, Music, Text of Collaborative Cluster

New Solar Farm, Panels Help Generate Electricity on Campus

Wesleyan Launches Sustainability Action Plan during Earth Month

Wesleyan’s Green Team Raises Awareness of Sustainability Efforts on Campus

Wesleyan Green Fund Financially Supports Campus Sustainability Projects

Wesleyan Leading the Way in Connecticut With Its Microgrid

Ulysse’s Essay Says U.S. Foreign Food Aid Policy Undermines Farmers in Haiti

Class of 2020 Explores Wesleyan during 3-Day WesFest Celebration

Dierker, Mukerji Honored as Women of Innovation

Register for Reunion & Commencement Weekend May 19-22

Wright ’16 Recipient of Keasbey Scholarship

Faculty, Students, Alumni Attend Political Science Conference