Students – Page 40

Eleven Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows delivered brief research proposal presentations July 23 in Fisk Hall. The fellows, six from Wesleyan and five from Queens College, City University of New York, spent the past two months developing their research projects with the assistance of their peers, Wesleyan faculty and Wesleyan librarians. The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program provides minority students and others with a demonstrated commitment to eradicating racial disparities, with support to pursue graduate degrees in the arts and sciences. Research topics range from deconstructing African feminism to the role of political theater for a post-combat audience to trauma in Japan caused by the Atomic Bomb.

Science in Society major Stacy Uchendu '17 is participating in Wesleyan's Ronald E. McNair Post Program, which assists students from under-represented groups in preparing for, entering and progressing successfully through post graduate education. Stacy is researching second generation biofuels as a McNair Scholar.

In this News @ Wesleyan story, we speak with Joli Holmes from the Class of 2017. She is one of 24 students in the Quantitative Analysis Center's Summer Apprenticeship Program. Q: Joli, what is your major and what’s your specific area of interest? A: I’m an economics major. I'm particularly interested in studying investment-related practices from an environmental and social perspective. Q: Have you worked in the Quantitative Analysis Center before this summer? A: I’ve taken a lot of classes through the QAC, including “Working with R,” “Excel with Visual Basic for Applications,” and “Python.” These are all classes on how to use…

In this News @ Wesleyan story, we speak with Gavin Pittore of the Class of 2016. This summer, Pittore played with the Bourne Braves of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL), the foremost of the dozen or so wooden-bat summer collegiate baseball leagues sanctioned by Major League Baseball. A second-team all-NESCAC pick in 2015, Pittore posted a 7-2 record with a 1.54 ERA and seven complete games over his 10 starts during Wesleyan's 30-11 baseball season. Pittore had 12 relief appearances for the Braves (22-20-2 overall, playoff semifinalist), throwing 17 innings while giving up a mere eight hits and no earned runs with…

Christine "Cj" Mathew '18 is taking two intensive science classes this summer that equate to an entire year's worth of credits. (Photos by Olivia Drake)

University Protestant Chaplain Tracy Mehr-Muska and Lydia Ottaviano '17 were interviewed on the WESU 88.1 FM show "Reasonably Catholic" about a new interfaith organization on campus that is working to build ties between the various faith traditions. Ottaviano is a member of the new interfaith council, which planned the first Faith Shadowing Week this spring. During the week of April 19, students attended regularly scheduled meetings of various religious and spiritual groups other than their own, including several Christian fellowship group meetings and bible studies, Shabbat services, Buddhist Faith Fellowship, Wesleyan Mindfulness Group, Quaker Meeting, Catholic Mass, Muslim Jumma Prayers and Vespers. The week concluded…

Wesleyan sponsored three Posse Veteran scholars to attend the Veteran’s Gala for Specialist Sean Pesce, an Army Ranger who was shot 13 times and paralyzed from the waist down during a mission in Afghanistan in fall 2012. Michael Smith ’18, Andrew Po ’18, and Bryan Stascavage ’18 attended the June 19 benefit to show support for a fellow veteran, and to learn more about a smaller non-profit organization that is helping those who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The charity that is helping Pesce, Homes For Our Troops, modifies or builds homes that allow wounded veterans to live independently.…

More than 185 Wesleyan students are employed in various campus departments over the summer. Of those, about 78 are work-study eligible. Students earn money that can be contributed to the cost of their education, while learning skills that will benefit them in the classroom and beyond. Employers benefit from students' skills, insight and enthusiasm. (more…)

An independent study project by Michael Greenwald ’16 was chosen as one of two winners of the 2015 SIT Study Abroad Undergraduate Research Award. The project, titled, “Cracks in the Pavement: The Street Boys of Kathmandu,” was one of more than 2,000 independent study projects (ISPs) completed over the past three semesters, and among 20 nominated for the award. SIT has additionally nominated Greenwald’s project for the prestigious Forum on Education Abroad’s 2015 Undergraduate Research Award. The winners, who will be announced in December, will be invited to present their research at the Forum’s annual conference in Atlanta in April 2016.

This summer, dozens of Wesleyan students are completing a semester-long course in only five weeks. Classes started on May 27 and conclude June 25. The intensive Summer Session is open to students who feel they have the academic qualifications and stamina to complete intellectually challenging courses in a compressed schedule. This summer, students are taking courses in drawing, writing creative nonfiction, financial accounting, legal thinking, principles of biology, introduction to programming and developmental psychology. Wesleyan faculty Anna Schusterman, James Lipton, Rosemarie Doris, Douglas Foyle, Marin Gosman, Anne Greene, Kate Ten Eyck, among others, are teaching the courses. (more…)

On May 29, pre-frosh Max Wimer ’19 swam laps for 60 minutes to raise money for children affected by the April 25 Nepal magnitude-7.8 earthquake that killed more than 8,000 people and injured an additional 23,000. The event, titled "Swim for Nepal," was part of the Save the Children Fund non-profit group that promotes children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries. More than $37,000 was donated, with Wimer as one of the fundraisers, collecting $2,175. This is not the first charity event for Wimer, who organized and swam in the 2013 "Swim for the Philippines" event. On Oct. 15, 2013,…

Alumni, students, their families, faculty and staff are invited to attend Wesleyan's Summer Sendoff gatherings, happening around the globe throughout the summer. Generously hosted by alumni and parents, these casual receptions are the perfect opportunity to welcome Wesleyan’s newest students and their families to the community. Sendoffs will be held in the following locations this summer: Washington, D.C., June 25; Denver, July 14; Chicago, July 19; San Francisco, July 19; Beijing, July 26; Mamaroneck, N.Y., July 30; Seattle, Aug. 1; Seoul, Aug. 1; West Hartford, Conn., Aug. 4; Boston, Aug. 6; Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 11; Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 13; New York City, Aug. 18; Philadelphia, Aug. 20; and Los Angeles, date to be determined. For more information, including registration, visit the Summer Sendoff website. Watch a video about Summer Sendoffs here,…

11 Mellon Mays Fellows Present Research Topics

Uchendu ’17 Researches Production of Biofuels as McNair Scholar

Holmes ’17 Studies Congressional Tweets in QAC Summer Apprenticeship

Gavin Pittore ’16 is Playing in the Prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League this Summer

Mathew ’18 Participates in Summer Session’s Biology Institute

Mehr-Muska, Ottaviano ’17 Discuss Interfaith Relations at Wesleyan

Wesleyan Posse Veterans Attend Benefit for Wounded Ranger

Students Gain Skills, Help Departments While Working on Campus this Summer

Greenwald ’16 Honored for Study of ‘Street Boys’ in Nepal

Students Take Intensive Courses During Summer Session

Wimer ’19 Raises $2,175 in “Swim for Nepal” Fundraising Event

Alumni, Parents Host Summer Sendoffs for Students Around the Globe