Staff – Page 6

The 2017-18 Middlesex United Way Wesleyan Employee Campaign brought in more than $100,000 in contributions, pushing Wesleyan's donations to more than $2 million since 2001. "This milestone—made possible by your generosity and the efforts of many volunteers across campus—is one we should all be proud of," said Clifton Watson, director of the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships and United Way campaign coordinator. "Our collective support will help ensure that the remarkably effective programs of the United Way will continue to provide critical services to residents across the region." This year, 360 Wesleyan employees, retired faculty, and authorized vendors (including 31 “Leadership Givers”…

This year, the Sustainability Office is partnering with Commute with Enterprise to offer vanpooling opportunities to employees. A vanpool is a group of 7–15 people traveling to work together in a minivan or a 12–15 passenger van. Vanpool groups usually meet each day at a prearranged location, such as a park-and-ride lot. Commuters pay a monthly fee that covers the van, insurance, and fuel costs. In addition, users enjoy: Reduced personal vehicle maintenance expenses Emergency ride home service Roadside assistance Eligibility for commuter rewards Reduced stress (a recent study indicates that vanpoolers experience a 21 percent lower rate of self-reported stress than…

Parlez vous français? Hablas español? Bạn có nói được tiếng Việt không? According to Wesleyan's Language Proficiency Database, more than 80 languages, other than English, are spoken, read, or written on campus. The database, which was created in November 2018, is free and available to the entire Wesleyan campus. Speakers of a language other than English (at any level) are encouraged to go to WesPortal / My Information / Language Proficiency, to add one or more languages and levels of proficiency. This year, the Fries Center for Global Studies (FCGS) is promoting the use of languages other than English in…

To listen to Cliff Thornton speak with prospective students and parents is to feel included, even if you’re eavesdropping. Thornton is associate dean of admission at Wesleyan, covering a wide geographic and socioeconomic range: the South Central U.S. from Kentucky to Louisiana, Manhattan, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Caribbean. Having served these communities—and Wesleyan—now for more than 30 years, it makes sense that he would demonstrate an ease and fluency in his relations with so many different people from such different backgrounds. He’s had a lot of practice. But something unique about Thornton, which by many accounts…

Wesleyan Public Safety and Greek Life hosted a Stuff a Cruiser event Dec. 3–7 at Usdan's Huss Courtyard and Dec. 8 at Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore. The University partnered with the Middletown Fire Department by collecting donations to benefit local children in need during the holidays and throughout the year. Several members of Psi Upsilon also helped staff the event and Bon Appétit Management Co. provided free coffee vouchers for anyone who made a donation. “The Wesleyan community has been so generous during our Stuff a Cruiser event,” said Sgt. Kathy Burdick. “We've collected many toys and cash donations, and…

Children from Wesleyan's Neighborhood Preschool (NPS) trick-or-treated on Wesleyan's campus Oct. 31. The children, accompanied by their families and teachers, stopped at Exley Science Center, Olin Library, South College, and North College to trick-or-treat, sing songs, and show off their Halloween costumes. Many trick-or-treaters are the children of Wesleyan faculty and staff. Wesleyan President Michael Roth and staff from University Communications offered candy to the children during the campus parade. Photos of the NPS parade are below: (Photos by Olivia Drake) (more…)

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Wesleyan faculty and staff volunteers are needed for the 2018–2019 Connections Mentoring Program. This is an informal program that connects first-year students (Class of 2022) with Wesleyan staff and faculty to form casual networks of support. Although most mentors meet infrequently with their student mentees throughout the year, some mentoring pairs establish friendships and meet more frequently over coffee or lunch. Many mentors and students have characterized their experiences with the program as fun and inspirational. In addition, anyone interested in mentoring students who are the first in their families to attend college can indicate that preference on the registration…

The Office of Human Resources announces the following hires, transitions, and departures for May through July 2018: HIRES Nicole Potestivo, administrative assistant in Feminist, Gender & Sexuality Studies, on May 7 Lucas Fernandez, postdoctoral research associate in physics, on May 22 Alex Kavvos, postdoctoral research associate in mathematics, on May 29 Miya Tokumitsu, curator at Davison Art Center, on June 14 Lilibeth Soto, public safety dispatcher, on June 18 Edward Morehouse, postdoctoral research associate in mathematics, on July 1 Zeyad Abdulkareem, desktop support specialist in ITS User Services, on July 2 Andrew White, Caleb T. Winchester University Librarian, on July…

(By Christine Foster) Imagine being chosen to oversee a vast treasure trove, including more than a million items ranging from art and music to government documents and—oh, yes, books. Such is the job set before Andrew White, who was chosen in April to be the University’s next Caleb T. Winchester Librarian. Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Joyce Jacobsen wrote in a campus-wide email announcing White’s appointment that the search committee was drawn to his experience working collaboratively with different groups of people. The previous librarian, Dan Cherubin, died suddenly last September, after having made an outsized impact…

The following employees received Cardinal Achievement Awards during the past few months for demonstrating extraordinary initiative in performing a specific task associated with their work at Wesleyan University. This special honor comes with a $250 award and reflects the university’s gratitude for their extra efforts. The awardees include: Benjamin Michael, WESU general manager, WESU Radio Geralyn Russo, administrative assistant IV, University Relations Kathleen Logsdon, library assistant V/binding supervisor, Olin Library Kate Lynch, assistant director, the Wesleyan Fund, University Relations Miroslaw Koziol, senior electronics technician, Scientific Support Services View all Cardinal Achievement Award winners here.

Wesleyan’s United Way Campaign Surpasses $2M Mark

Commute to Work with New Vanpooling Option

Fries Center for Global Studies Creates Language Proficiency Database

Thornton Leaving Legacy of Student of Color Recruitment at Wesleyan

Public Safety, Greek Life Stuff a Cruiser to Benefit Local Children in Need

Bloom ’75 Speaks on the Importance of Research in Storytelling, Character Development

Neighborhood Preschoolers Trick-or-Treat on Campus

Directors from 18 Institutions Participate in Administrative Computing Conference at Wesleyan

Mentor a New Student through the Connections Mentoring Program

Employees on the Move

Staff Spotlight: Andrew White Takes on Library’s Top Job

5 Employees Honored with Cardinal Achievement Awards