Class of 2025

Girls who grow up in the patriarchal Massai community in Kenya are often impoverished, voiceless, and undermined by men. Although Kenya offers free public education, less than 5 percent of Kenyan women end up attending college. Diana Naiyanoi Kimojino '25, however, was determined to continue her education, even if it meant going against her family's wishes and her cultural norms. Now an economics major at Wesleyan, she's feels "an immense call of duty" to bring awareness to her Kenyan community about the benefits of college access for women. "Growing up, my education is always a point of contention with my…

Malik Booker '25 isn't the average first-year student. At age 26, the potential computer science and College of East Asian Studies major has already served four years with the U.S. Navy as a petty officer third class officer in San Diego, Calif. and the island of Guam. As a former hull technician, he's a trained welder, pipefitter, and carpenter, and has experience firefighting, repairing boats, maintaining marine plumbing, operating ballast control systems, and inspecting nuclear-level materials. But honing these skills wasn't enough for an ideal post-military career. "I didn't want to be trapped into [working in the] trades forever," Booker…

As students settle into a fully-residential fall semester with more than 95 percent of the student body vaccinated for COVID-19, the University continues to mandate the wearing of masks inside all university buildings. Wearing masks outdoors is optional. "Because of your hard work and diligence thus far, we have taken important steps towards creating a healthy campus environment," said Wesleyan Medical Director Dr. Tom McLarney in a recent campus-wide health update. "We will continue to monitor our situation and adjust accordingly." View the latest updates and campus guidelines on Wesleyan's Keep Wes Safe website. Photos of student activities during the…

Richard Bennet Morales '24 is what you'd call a "third culture kid." By definition, the term refers to a child who grows up in a culture different from the one in which his or her parents grew up. And Bennet Morales fits the description. Born in Puerto Rico to Spanish and American parents, he moved to Paris at the age of 3, and to Barcelona 11 years later. After graduating from a French-speaking high school, he resided in Madrid, briefly, with his family. And now, he's among 392 international students studying at Wesleyan this fall. "I was really interested in…

Through a series of skits performed by new student orientation leaders, the Class of 2025 campus newcomers learned how they may experience power, privilege, and difference as they navigate different communities at Wesleyan. Titled "I, You, (We)s," the Sept. 2 performance, held during New Student Orientation, presented frequent challenges in community engagement and offered suggestions for engaging authentically, thoughtfully, and collaboratively. "The goal of this program was to introduce new students to the topics and conversations that would be relevant during their time at Wesleyan," explained Esme Maria Ng '22, who co-wrote the scripts with fellow student playwright and "I,…

Wet weather couldn’t dampen the feelings of excitement, anticipation and, above all, hope that abounded on Wesleyan University’s new student Arrival Day. Over 900 students in the Class of 2025 - the second largest in Wesleyan’s history - as well as transfer students and students who deferred admission, moved in Wednesday morning. Many of this diverse group of young people from across the country and the globe navigated their entire application process through the complications of a global pandemic, demonstrating resilience in addition to intellectual and social acumen. On this rainy morning, harnessing and shaping all of that nascent energy…

Each spring the University projects its total expenses for the coming year and adjusts its tuition and student fees accordingly. In light of projected expenses, the Wesleyan Board of Trustees recently voted to increase tuition for the 2021–22 academic year by 4%. Tuition and fees for the 2021–22 year will be $61,749 (plus a $300 matriculation fee for first-time students.) The Residential Comprehensive Fee will be $17,531 for first-years and sophomores and $18,905 for juniors and seniors. The different RCF rates are traditional and based upon the higher cost of student life options. Over the next few years, however, Wesleyan…

For the fifth consecutive year, Wesleyan University 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. Audrey Nelson ’25 of Bainbridge Island, Washington, was awarded the grand prize—a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to attend Wesleyan. Nelson was recognized for her work of prose titled “Complications.” “Audrey’s ‘Complications’ was delightful and surprising at every turn: in structure, in subject matter, in its evocative language,” Miranda said. “I wanted to read more from this writer…

As part of Wesleyan's Admitted Student Events, the Office of Admission hosted its 2021 WesFest in a virtual platform April 7-9. Class of 2025 admitted students and their families were able to log into 121 events and informational sessions on topics such as financial aid, academic resources, student activities, studying abroad, student technology, residential life, and religious life. Of the 13,145 applications received for a spot in the Class of 2025, 2,544 were admitted. View the full Class of 2025 profile online here. During WesFest, more than 890 of the admitted students attended at least one session. In addition to…

3 Students to Conduct “Projects for Peace” in Africa

Posse Veteran Scholars Program Bring Diverse Backgrounds to Campus

Students Continue to Wear Masks Indoors, Keep Wes Safe

New International Students Hail from 26 Countries

Performance Helps New Students Navigate Human Differences, Social Positionality

New Students Arrive at Wesleyan Full of Hope (with Video, Photos)

Tuition to Increase 4% for the 2021-22 Academic Year

Wesleyan Awards the 2021 Hamilton Prize for Creativity

Admitted Students Explore Wesleyan during Virtual WesFest