Campus News & Events

When he came to Wesleyan in the 1970s in pursuit of a science education, Michael Greenberg ’76, P’14, Hon.’24 thought he’d discovered a counterpoint to the large public high school he’d attended in Brooklyn. “That was one of the things that drew me to a small college: that I might get a little more attention,” he said to an audience in Woodhead Lounge at Exley Science Center.” His hunch was correct: with the support of a department that “felt like a family,” Greenberg’s time at Wesleyan set in motion what became his career as one of the world’s most distinguished…

Alumni from near and far came to Wesleyan for Reunion + Commencement Weekend 2024 to re-connect with friends and foster new relationships. All sorts of fun programming and events gave attendees ample time to rub elbows and engage with their alma maters. Here are some of the best photos from the Reunion celebration. All images by Meka Wilson:

In his Commencement Address to the Class of 2024, President Michael S. Roth ’78 spoke about the connections between higher education and civic engagement, the lasting importance of free inquiry and expression, and standing up for these foundational values on the eve of a consequential election season. "In the din of our contemporary politics, when shouting, it’s not easy to practice authentic listening; when people are shouting slogans, it’s a challenge to hear diverse points of view. But we must try," Roth said. "If we are to strengthen our democracy and the educational institutions that depend on it, we must…

Members of the Class of 2024 persevered through years of COVID-19 restrictions and global uncertainty to emerge stronger and better prepared for life after graduation. Wesleyan University celebrated their achievements during the 192nd Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 26. Beneath blue skies, students walked across the stage to receive their diplomas to the resounding cheers of friends and family. Here is a selection of photographs from the special day:

With the symbolic – and celebratory – tossing of their graduation caps, Wesleyan University’s Class of 2024 cemented the closing of one chapter of their lives and the opening of another during the University’s 192nd Commencement ceremony Sunday. It was the perfect punctuation to a day steeped in history and uniquely Wesleyan customs. As so many Wesleyans had done before them, the graduates and recipients of advanced degrees assembled on the University’s iconic Foss Hill for the procession to Andrus Field, where the main order of the day, the conferral degrees, would take place. Under sunny skies, they gathered in…

Michael Greenberg ’76, P’14, who was named an Honorary Doctor of Science at Wesleyan's 192nd Commencement ceremony, recalled how his journey toward unraveling the scientific mysteries of human memory illustrates the possibilities available to the graduating Class of 2024. "What can a Wesleyan graduate of almost 50 years ago who studies memory offer to you as you set forth in the world? There are countless paths that you might take in your lives that will offer you fulfillment," Greenberg said. "In my own life the following has proved to be important: choosing a career that was challenging intellectually, where new…

Renowned economist Raj Chetty was named an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at Wesleyan’s 192nd Commencement ceremony. In his speech to the Class of 2024, he cited his research into opportunity disparity’s effect on social mobility, praising Wesleyan for being a leader in expanding access to higher education. “When a child moves to a neighborhood with better schools or gets a chance to attend a high-quality college, we see their lives transformed relative to other comparable kids who didn’t get the same chances,” Chetty said. "Opportunity matters. And education is one of the keys that opens the doors of opportunity.”…

Ruby Clarke '24, the Class of 2024 Commencement Speaker at Wesleyan's 192nd Commencement ceremony, reflected on student protests at Wesleyan throughout the University's history to demonstrate how student activism can be a radical act of love through resistance. Clarke also called for students to express love through learning, being curious, and listening to others."We fight because we care, because Wesleyan matters to us. Wesleyan is not perfect, but that is what love and collective action is for: it bridges the gap between the imperfect nature of institutions and our current needs." Clarke, a College of Social Studies and American studies…

Imani Perry, a 2023 MacArthur Fellow and distinguished Harvard University professor, delivered the Commencement address at Wesleyan University’s 192nd Commencement ceremony on May 26. "You have a great deal to contribute, and I want you to make that contribution at the highest level. Do not be overly concerned about the size of your impact, whether it’s splashy or widely recognized. Rather focus on the depth of your integrity and the sincerity of your efforts,” she said. Perry is the Henry A. Morss, Jr. and Elisabeth W. Morss Professor of Studies of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies and African American Studies…

Journalists have always played a vital role in defending democracy, educating the public while holding those in power accountable for their actions. Few journalists have challenged Americans to reimagine who we are as a nation as much as Nikole Hannah-Jones. On April 25, the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life co-sponsored an event with Wesleyan’s Democracy 2024 initiative to host Hannah-Jones, a New York Times correspondent, Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University, and the Pulitzer Prize–winning creator of the 1619 Project. Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies Tracy Heather Strain sat down with Hannah-Jones to discuss…

At Wesleyan, there’s celebration in difference. And during his WesFest welcome address, President Michael S. Roth ’78 encouraged students to listen to other perspectives to learn as much as possible so they can benefit from those differences. “You're not going to learn much from other people—faculty or other students—who share all your views or your experiences,” Roth said. “When we talk about the value of diversity, we don't just mean demographics—that's part of it, of course, life experience, that's part of it—we want you to encounter people whose views are different from your own.” At WesFest, admitted, and some committed,…

Wesleyan’s seniors gathered on the steps of Olin Memorial Library on April 17 for a champagne toast to celebrate the submission of their theses—a culmination of hundreds of hours of research and effort. Here are a selection of images from the event:

Sciences at Wesleyan: An Evolution a Half-Century in the Making

Gallery: Reunion Celebration 2024

President Michael S. Roth ’78: “We Must Learn to Practice Freedom, Better”

Gallery: Wesleyan’s 192nd Commencement

Wesleyan University Celebrated its 192nd Commencement, Sunday

Michael Greenberg ’76, P’14: There Are Countless Paths Toward Fulfillment

Raj Chetty: “Education is the Surest Pathway to a Better Life”

Ruby Clarke ’24: “We Fight Because We Care, Because Wesleyan Matters to Us”

Imani Perry: Graduates Have “A Great Deal to Contribute”

No Democracy Without Slavery: A Revolutionary Conversation with Nikole Hannah-Jones

At WesFest, Admitted Students Share Opinions on Diversity of Thought, Open Curriculum

Gallery: Wesleyan Senior Celebrate Theses Submissions