Campus News & Events

Wesleyan faculty frequently publish articles based on their scholarship in The Conversation US, a nonprofit news organization with the tagline, “Academic rigor, journalistic flair.” In a new article, Elizabeth McAlister, professor of religion, writes about a lesser-known factor contributing to the abuse of children uncovered in the Catholic Church: In some strands of Catholic thought, priests who abuse children have succumbed to temptation by demons. McAlister is also chair and professor of African American studies, director of the Center for African American Studies, professor of American studies, professor of feminist, gender, and sexuality studies, professor of Latin American studies. For some…

It was a typical graduation on Aug. 1, 2018: tasseled mortarboards and academic gowns, faculty in academic regalia, proud family members, the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance,” speeches—some recalling challenges; others looking toward further success—diplomas, handshakes, smiles for the cameras, and bear hugs of congratulations. It was a graduation like none other: held in Cheshire Correctional Institution, it was the first time 18 incarcerated students in the maximum security prison received associate's degrees through an innovative collaboration between Wesleyan University's Center for Prison Education and Middlesex Community College. A week earlier, a similar graduation had taken place in York Correctional Institution,…

This year’s Shasha Seminar for Human Concerns, "Suicide and Resilience: Finding the Words,” will be held Sept. 14–15. It will begin with opening remarks by Leslie Shasha ’82, PhD, in Memorial Chapel at 4 p.m., followed by the keynote address by author and suicide loss survivor Eric Marcus on “Resilience in the Aftermath of Suicide.” The Shasha Seminar, an annual educational forum for Wesleyan alumni, parents, and friends, explores issues of global concern in a small seminar environment. Endowed by James Shasha '50, P'82, the Shasha Seminar for Human Concerns supports lifelong learning and encourages participants to expand their knowledge…

In this recurring feature in The Wesleyan Connection, we highlight some of the latest news stories about Wesleyan and our alumni. Recent Wesleyan News The New York Times: Defending Conservatism, and Seeking Converts President Michael Roth '78 reviews Roger Scruton's new book on Conservatism, which he writes provides an "enlightening" background on a variety of important conservative thinkers, but stoops to scapegoating Muslims to "rally the troops." 2. Hartford Courant: First Group of Students Graduates from Wesleyan's Prison Education Program The first-ever Wesleyan Center for Prison Education Program graduation ceremonies, held in partnership with Middlesex Community College at York and Cheshire correctional institutions on…

Peter Kilby, professor of economics, emeritus, died Aug. 2, 2018, at the age of 83. Kilby received his BA from Harvard University, his MA from Johns Hopkins University, and his DPhil from the University of Oxford. He worked with USAID as an Industrial Economist in Nigeria for two years before arriving at Wesleyan in 1965. He was an economist whose work focused on economic development, particularly in Africa. Over his career, Kilby held appointments as a Fulbright Fellow, a Ford Foundation Foreign Area Fellow, a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, and a Guggenheim Fellow. He was a Senior Advisor of the ILO…

Wesleyan faculty frequently publish articles based on their scholarship in The Conversation US, a nonprofit news organization with the tagline, “Academic rigor, journalistic flair.” In a new article, Peter Gottschalk, professor of religion, discusses "Who are Pakistan's Ahmadis and Why Haven't They Voted in 30 Years?" Gottschalk also is professor of science in society, director of the Office of Faculty Career Development, and coordinator of Muslim studies. Who are Pakistan’s Ahmadis and why haven’t they voted in 30 years? Pakistani cricket star-turned-politician Imran Khan, is all set to be the country’s new prime minister. His party emerged the single largest…

This summer, three Wesleyan students and one faculty member attended a field workshop in Basilicata, Italy, where they presented research, collected data, and visited an extinct volcano containing two bubbling crater lakes. The International Summer Meeting on Volcanic Lakes, hosted by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior, took place June 25–29 and focused on the theme “Different perspectives and approaches to studying a volcanic lake." Basilicata is home to the 3,350-foot-high Mount Vulture (pronounced "Vool-tor-eh"), which last erupted 40,000 years ago. The Wesleyan attendees included Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (E&ES) graduate students Christina…

Professor of History and Letters Ethan Kleinberg is the recipient of the Reinhart Koselleck Visiting Professorship at the University of Bielefeld in Germany, a high honor accorded to world-renowned historians whose work is “of outstanding significance” for theoretical reflection and further development. Kleinberg will spend the summer term of 2019 at Bielefeld with the intention of beginning work on a project titled “Temporal Anarchy in History.” Candidates for the professorship do not apply for the honor; the Centre for Theories in Historical Research at Bielefeld selects recipients based on the example set by Reinhart Koselleck, one of the most renowned…

Four girls squint one eye and with the other eye gaze intently into a microscope. One says she sees caterpillars or string or pink spaghetti. Another says she sees small frogs. "You're actually looking at tissue that's been smashed," says Ruth Johnson, associate professor of biology. "Do you see those dark spots? Those are chromosomes." Johnson, a developmental biologist who studies how tissues and organs are shaped during development, is one of five Wesleyan faculty who taught workshops during the fifth annual Girls in Science Summer Camp, Aug. 6–10. The camp is open to all girls in grades 4, 5, and…

This summer, three Wesleyan students are helping local children prepare for a successful transition into kindergarten. Through the five-week Kindergarten Kickstart program, Cara Bendich ’19, Amy Breitfeller ’19, and Emma Distler ’19 are working with area youth at four locations to improve their school readiness skills through the research-based, high-impact, low-cost innovative and nurturing preschool program. Associate Professor of Psychology Anna Shusterman and three of her students first launched Kindergarten Kickstart in summer 2012. For the summer 2018 session, students are hosting the Kickstart program at Middletown’s Bright and Early Children's Learning Center, Town and Country Early Learning Center, and the Middlesex…

In this recurring feature in The Wesleyan Connection, we highlight some of the latest news stories about Wesleyan and our alumni. Recent Wesleyan News The Forward: Jewish Student is Youngest Woman Ever to Finish 'American Ninja Warrior' Course Casey Rothschild '20 is interviewed about her path to become, at 20, the youngest woman ever to complete the course in the popular sports competition TV show. Rothschild is also a track star, pole vaulter, circus artist, and dedicated student. 2. TIME: The 25 Moments From American History That Matter Right Now In this compendium of important moments in American history, Courtney Fullilove, associate professor…

More than 135 undergraduate research fellows shared their summer-long research during a poster session on July 26 in Exley Science Center. Students from the Psychology Department, College of the Environment, Biology Department, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Chemistry Department, Physics Department, Astronomy Department, Math and Computer Science Department, Quantitative Analysis Center, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Department, and Astronomy Department presented posters. Posters often contain text, graphics, and images that illustrate the students’ research results on a single board. Poster session attendees can view the posters and interact with the authors. The summer research program is hosted by the College of Integrative Sciences.…

McAlister in The Conversation: For Some Catholics, It Is Demons That Taunt Priests with Sexual Desire

Center for Prison Education Hosts First Graduation for Incarcerated Students

Shasha Seminar 2018: Suicide and Resilience: Finding the Words

Wesleyan in the News

Kilby Remembered for His Dedication to the College of Social Studies

Gottschalk in The Conversation: Who are Pakistan’s Ahmadis and Why Haven’t They Voted in 30 Years?

Wesleyan Group Attends Field Workshop, Gathers Volcano Samples in Italy

Kleinberg to Study Anarchy in History as Visiting Professor in Germany

Wesleyan Faculty, Students Teach Local Girls about Science

Wesleyan Students Help Area Kids Get a Kickstart on Kindergarten

Wesleyan in the News

Students Share Summer Research Projects at Poster Session