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Wesleyan University finalized the purchase of 55 High Street, located in Middletown, from Liberty Bank on February 18. The university purchased the 44,315 sq.-ft. building for $3.1 million. The building, most recently served as one of Liberty Bank’s corporate office locations, was originally constructed in 1961 by Wesleyan University to house the “Weekly Reader” publication. The two-story structure sits on a 2.99-acre parcel of land with 132 parking spaces. “Wesleyan University is pleased to work with our colleagues at Liberty Bank on this purchase. Fifty-five High Street is having a homecoming of sorts. Wesleyan owned the building through 1988 and…

For the third year in a row, Wesleyan University was named a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Top Producing Institution for the 2021-2022 academic year. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program currently awards approximately 2,000 grants annually in all fields of study and operates in more than 140 countries worldwide. In 2021-22, 28 Wesleyan students and recent alumni applied for the fellowship. Of those, Ji Yoon Park '21 and Lupita Sanchez '20,…

Eight faculty members were conferred tenure by the Board of Trustees at its most recent meeting. Their promotions will be effective July 1, 2022. These faculty include Claire Grace, associate professor of art history; Han Li, associate professor of mathematics; John Murillo, associate professor of English; Paula Park, associate professor of Spanish; Ying Jia Tan, associate professor of history; Jesse Torgerson, associate professor of letters; Danielle Vogel, associate professor of English, creative writing' and Joseph Weiss, associate professor of anthropology. Brief descriptions of their areas of research and teaching appear below: Claire Grace is a scholar of American and contemporary art with…

Wesleyan’s intellectually dynamic faculty, students, alumni, staff, and parents frequently serve as expert sources for national media. Others are noted for recent achievements and accolades. Due to the recent Russia-Ukraine crisis, this media roundup will mention related content first: In Meduza, Victoria Smolkin, associate professor of history, discusses the historical claims Putin made in his speech before invading Ukraine. "Fantasy is not history, and it’s not politics. One can lament—as Putin does—that Soviet politics was not 'cleansed' of the 'odious' and 'utopian' fancies 'inspired by the revolution,' which, in part, made possible the existence of contemporary Ukraine." (Feb. 24) And…

Men’s Basketball defeated Williams 78-75, in overtime, winning its second NESCAC Championship in program history. In a matchup that had all the makings of an instant classic heading in, the thousand-plus on-hand were gifted a game for the ages as these two storied rivals battled for 45 minutes in a back-and-forth contest that featured 20 lead changes and 16 ties, all of which culminated on center court with the Wesleyan men's basketball team celebrating as NESCAC Champions. The top-seeded Cardinals (24-3), playing in front of packed Silloway Gymnasium for the second straight day, locked horns with the Williams College Ephs…

Since Wesleyan Athletics relies on donations to account for more than 80 percent of its annual operational costs, fundraising is an important must-have to keep the Cardinals moving forward. During Wesleyan's seventh-annual Wesleyan Athletics Giving Day (WAGD) on Feb. 16, 2,153 donors made gifts to respective teams, which amounted to $411,944. The top three fundraising women's teams were golf, volleyball, and softball, and the top three men's teams were basketball, soccer, and wrestling. "While these teams have earned all-important bragging rights and supplemental budget for their most critical needs, our entire Wesleyan Athletics family are winners thanks to your support…

In this continuing series, Annie Roach ’22 and Madi Mehta ’24 review alumni books and offer a 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. Lawrence Jackson ’90, Shelter: A Black Tale of Homeland, Baltimore (Graywolf Press, 2021) After accepting a teaching job at Johns Hopkins, professor of English and history Lawrence Jackson found himself doing something that many people experience in their adult life—returning home. But Jackson, who grew up in Baltimore,…

The panelists at Friday’s talk at Fisk Hall about the war in Ukraine were in so many ways just regular college students, studying public administration or politics, seeking ways to improve their communities and live their lives. Given recent events, no matter how much they yearn for peace, they may all end up being soldiers. “The people who are defending us are putting up a hell of a fight,” said Daria Bila, a college student speaking from Ukraine. The students joined a discussion via Zoom hosted by the Fries Center for Global Studies called "Ukraine-Russia Crisis: A Series of International…

Between the first and fourth century CE, ancient Egyptians believed frogs symbolized fertility, rebirth, and the renewal of life. After a hibernation period, frogs would come "back to life" near the rising Nile River, which provided water and nutrients to the barren landscape in early spring. During this period, the frog not only became a metaphor for a renaissance, but it also became a popular icon. It could be seen in Egyptian artwork and sculptures, it manifested in the frog-headed goddess Heqet, and it could even be found on everyday oil lamps. These kidney-shaped "frog lamps," as they later became…

President Michael Roth '78 announces that Wesleyan University will recognize three extraordinary individuals during the 190th Commencement on Sunday, May 22, 2022. The honorary degree recipients will be Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who will also deliver the Commencement address; Joseph J. Fins ’82, physician and professor of medical ethics and professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College; and Gloria Steinem, a trailblazing leader of the American feminist movement in the late 1960s, award-winning journalist, and political activist. Unfortunately, Rita Moreno, who was previously announced as a recipient of an honorary degree,…

The men’s basketball team is in the midst of a prodigious season, having just matched the single-season wins record of 22. Currently, the team is just one win away from setting a single-season record, and for the first time ever, Wesleyan is the number 1 seed in the NESCAC Tournament. Silloway Gymnasium will be the host site of the upcoming NESCAC Championship weekend, with the Semifinals set for Saturday, Feb. 26 followed by the title game on Sunday, Feb. 27. “This season has been amazing so far—it exceeded my expectations personally and team-wise,” Nicky Johnson ’25 said. “I enjoy every…

By Maia Dawson '24 Ivanie Cedeño '22, a lauded entrepreneur, remembers a metal container her grandmother, Eurania, used to have. Cedeño recalls how she would watch her sew. “When she would put clothes away they were all pressed and everything had its spot, everything fit perfectly,” Cedeño said. She is cautious about the precision of the memory, though. Perhaps her love for her grandmother has idealized her recollection. Cedeño’s startup, Sol Blossom Crochet, honors these memories. The company won first place at a presentation to Middletown’s Board of Commissioners, the final stage for a Startup Incubator class she took this…

Wesleyan Purchases Former Weekly Reader Building at 55 High Street

Wesleyan Recognized as a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Students

Board of Trustees Confers Tenure on 8 Faculty

Wesleyan in the News

Men’s Basketball Wins NESCAC Championship in Overtime

Donors Reflect on Why They Support Wesleyan Athletics

“You Just Have to Read This…” Books by Wesleyan Authors Jackson ’90, Carter ’88

Ukrainian Students Share Their Stories in New Fries Center Series

Medieval Art History Class Researches, Creates Lights of Late Antiquity Exhibit

Wesleyan Announces Commencement Speaker, Honorary Degree Recipients

Men’s Basketball Team Shoots For Record-Breaking Season

Solarpunk, Operation Bootstrap, and Cedeño’s ’22 Sol Blossom Crochet