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Graduation came early this year for women’s lacrosse players. With the team competing in the NCAA championship game on Commencement Sunday, graduating students missed the regular ceremony. The graduating seniors received their degrees at a special ceremony at the Office of Admission, attended by President Roth, Provost Joyce Jacobsen, family, friends, and faculty on Wednesday, May 22. The seniors include Caitlin Wood, Emilie Ogden-Fung, Caroline Sgaglione, Amy Breitfeller, Abigail Horst, and Breanna Cavanaugh. In addition, Nelson Albino, assistant women’s basketball coach, husband of Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Kim Williams, received a Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) degree during…

Members of the Class of 2019 picked up their diplomas and theses May 24 at the Registrar's Office in North College. They also were greeted by the Wesleyan Cardinal and met with Alumni Relations staff. (Photos by Olivia Drake) (more…)

On May 25, in conjunction with Reunion & Commencement Weekend events, hundreds of Wesleyan alumni and their families participated in the annual Parade of Classes to the tune of a Dixieland band. (Photos by Tom Dzimian and Rich Marinelli) (more…)

On Feb. 21, 1969, black students, faculty, and staff staged a historic takeover of Fisk Hall, Wesleyan's main academic building at the time, to protest racism and advocate for increased administrative support for people of color at the University. Dubbed the "Vanguard Class" for their place at the forefront of that movement, several members of the Class of 1969 reconvened at Fisk Hall on Saturday, May 25, 2019, to reflect on what being a part of that momentous event 50 years earlier has meant for them and for Wesleyan since. Speaking to more than 100 attendees in a standing-room-only crowd,…

Wesleyan has awarded its prestigious Hamilton Prize for Creativity to three students whose creative written works best reflect the originality, artistry, and dynamism of Hamilton: An American Musical, created by Lin-Manuel Miranda ’02, Hon. ’15 and directed by Thomas Kail ’99. Anna Tjeltveit of William Allen High School in Allentown, Penn., was awarded the grand prize—a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to attend Wesleyan—for her one-act play titled “Five Steps.” In addition, this year for the first time, Wesleyan awarded two honorable mentions along with $5,000 stipends. These went to Cole Goco of Arlington, Va., (H-B Woodlawn High School) for his web…

On May 8, the Office of Student Affairs hosted a reception honoring students who received academic or leadership prizes, fellowships, and scholarships in 2018–19. More than 315 students and recent alumni received one of the University's 180 prizes. (View the list below or on the Student Affairs website.) Scholarships, fellowships, and leadership prizes are granted to students and student organizations based on criteria established for each prize or award. Certain University prizes are administered by the Student Affairs/Deans’ Office, while others are administered by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development (SALD). (more…)

Earlier this semester Visiting Assistant Professor of Film Studies Swapnil Rai invited Matt Sienkiewicz ’03 to be a guest lecturer in her class, FILM 328: Beyond the West. The course “examines the role that film…and other media play in shaping our sense of global, national, and local cultures and identities.” Sienkiewicz, associate professor of communication and chair of the department at Boston College, teaches courses in global media cultures and media theory. One of his eclectic areas of research looks at the West’s investment in Middle Eastern broadcasting initiatives. In 2011 he produced a peer-reviewed documentary film, Live: From Bethlehem,…

In this recurring feature in The Wesleyan Connection, we highlight some of the latest news stories about Wesleyan and our alumni. Wesleyan in the News Inside Higher Ed: "The Need for a Recovery of the Humanities" In this essay, President Michael S. Roth responds to the "flood of negativity" in public discourse about higher education, in general, and the humanities, in particular. He suggests that "in order to recover the trust of students and their families, we must overcome our cultivated insularity." 2. NBC News: "Carbon Dioxide Hits a Level Not Seen for 3 Million Years. Here's What That Means for…

In the third of this continuing series, Sara McCrea '21, a College of Letters major from Boulder, Colo., reviews alumni books and offers this selection for those in search of knowledge, insight, and inspiration. The volumes, sent to us by alumni, are forwarded to Olin Library as donations to the University's collection and made available to the Wesleyan community. Alex Kotlowitz ’77: An American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago (Penguin Random House, 2019) “Let me tell you what this book is,” Alex Kotlowitz ’77 writes. “It’s not a policy map or a critique. It’s not about what works or doesn’t…

On May 2, the Wesleyan Athletics Department honored 169 student-athletes for their excellence in athletic competition, combined with their outstanding work in the classroom. The seventh Annual Scholar-Athlete Dinner took place inside Beckham Hall at Fayerweather. The ceremony began with comments from Director of Athletics, Mike Whalen ’83, as well as President Michael Roth, and an invocation by Father Bill Wallace preceded dinner. Wesleyan honored men’s soccer alum Andrew Lacy ’89 with the Cardinal Award, which is chosen by the Athletic Advisory Council and presented annually to an individual with extraordinary contributions and dedication to the success of Wesleyan Athletics.…

Wesleyan students celebrated the end of the academic year during Spring Fling on May 9. Musical talent included New York-based rapper Jay Critch; hip-hop, punk rapper Rico Nasty; and soloist Japanese Breakfast. Students were treated to free kettle corn and Italian ice. Photos of the event are below: (Photos by Olivia Drake) (more…)

Shayna Beaumont ’19, an environmental studies and Hispanic literatures and cultures double major from New York, has been selected as a finalist in Map the System, a global competition that asks participants to research the ecosystem of an issue they care about. Her project, “Food Justice as a Platform for Environmental Equality in Harlem” tackles the issue of food deserts in the neighborhoods of East and Central Harlem in New York City. "All my life I’ve grown up in food deserts where the unhealthy fast food chains and liquor stores are advertised, instead of healthy eating," she said in a Coexistdaily blog.…

Members of Women’s LAX Team Graduate Early Due to NCAA Play

Seniors Pick Up Diplomas at Registrar’s Office

Alumni Walk in Annual Parade of Classes

The Vanguard Class of 1969 Offers Reflections After 50 Years

Wesleyan Awards 2019 Hamilton Prize for Creativity

Students Celebrate 2018-19 Leadership Prizes, Fellowships, Scholarships at Reception

Q&A: Sienkiewicz ’03 on Dual Interests: Comedy and Global Media Studies

Wesleyan in the News

“You Just Have to Read This…” 3 Books By Wesleyan Authors

Students Honored at 7th Annual Scholar-Athlete Dinner

Students Celebrate End of the Academic Year at Annual Spring Fling

Beaumont ’19 a Finalist in Global Eco Competition