employees

John Driscoll '62, who oversaw Wesleyan's alumni relations programs for more than three decades, died after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease on June 12. He was 82 years old. A resident of Cromwell, Conn. and a former longtime resident of Middletown, Driscoll was the older son of the late James Douglas Driscoll and Loretta (Haggerty) Driscoll. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 4, 1940, he was raised in Westchester County, though he spent many summers with his Fitzgerald cousins in Marblehead, Massachusetts. A graduate of Pleasantville High School, John earned his BA from Wesleyan as a member of…

For 19 years, Joyce Topshe took on the role of managing Wesleyan's construction services, environmental services, rental properties, and Physical Plant-Facilities. Now in her 20th year of working at Wesleyan, the associate vice president for facilities is powering through "the most challenging year of my career," she said. "As we approach the end of the fall semester during a raging pandemic, I am feeling like we almost won the World Series. My entire team has worked exhaustively to make our campus safe during the pandemic, and I am so grateful to every member of my team for staying the course…

Brooke Rich, a former employee of Wesleyan’s food service provider Bon Appétit Management Co., was honored posthumously with Wesleyan's 2020 Morgenstern-Clarren Social Justice Employee Prize. The award was created in 2009 in memory of Peter Morgenstern-Clarren ‘03, who pursued social justice while a student at Wesleyan. Morgenstern-Clarren’s activism included securing benefits for Wesleyan custodial staff, participating in the United Student and Labor Action Committee, and contributing his leadership to the campus chapter of Amnesty International. (more…)

(By Ann Bertini) Gemma Fontanella Ebstein is leaving her role as Wesleyan’s Associate Vice President for Advancement at the end of December, following a 30-year career at the University. During her tenure, Fontanella Ebstein has helped the Office of Advancement expand and foster lifelong alumni and parent loyalty and support for Wesleyan. An important part of this work has come through facilitating local and global events, and overseeing the merging of Reunion and Commencement weekends (2000) and Homecoming with Family Weekend (1995). Fontanella Ebstein also led University Communications and the Gordon Career Center through leadership transitions, and has helped cultivate…

Renell Wynn has been hired as Wesleyan's new vice president for communications, President Michael Roth '78 announced in a campus email on Sept. 27. She will start on Oct. 21. Roth shared Wynn's "deep experience in higher education communications and marketing," with leadership positions at the University of Denver, George Mason University, and The College of William & Mary, among others. "In these positions, she has led efforts to elevate institutional reputation, played a critical role in successful fundraising campaigns, and served as a trusted senior advisor. Renell is skilled at developing productive working relationships with diverse populations and using…

Amin Abdul-Malik Gonzalez ’96 has been hired as Wesleyan’s new vice president and dean of admission and financial aid, President Michael Roth announced in an email to campus on July 17. He will begin in August. Gonzalez, who was a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow and earned his bachelor’s degree in history at Wesleyan, previously worked in the University’s Office of Admission as an associate dean in the late 1990s and 2000s. In this role, he selected, trained, and supervised the senior interviewers; coordinated the University’s fall Ambassador Program and supported spring yield efforts; served on the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship…

Alison Williams ’81 has been hired as Wesleyan’s new vice president for equity and inclusion/Title IX Officer, President Michael Roth announced in a campus email on March 26. Williams, who earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Wes and later served as an alumni-elected trustee in the 1990s, will begin on July 22. She is currently the associate provost for diversity and intercultural education at Denison University. There, she is responsible for directing and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives across all sectors of the University, with a focus on faculty recruitment and retention and inclusive pedagogies. She also supports…

The following employees received Cardinal Achievement Awards in September 2018 through February 2019. These employees demonstrate 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 recipients are: Hrissi Haldezos, associate director of student accounts, Student Accounts Office Gina Driscoll, associate director of alumni and parent relations, University Relations Noreen Angeletti, associate director, Student Accounts Office Robert Mirabal, director of student accounts, Student Accounts Office Penney Jade Beaubrun, assistant director for alumni and parent relations, University Relations Mary Kelly,…

Frantz Williams Jr. ’99 has been named the successor to Vice President for University Relations Barbara-Jan Wilson, who has announced her upcoming retirement at the end of December 2018. A government major as an undergraduate, Williams joined the University Relations team right after his graduation and has continued to serve the University, most recently as assistant vice president for development. “We’re fortunate that Frantz will lead University Relations,” said President Michael S. Roth ’78. “He is eminently well prepared to continue Barbara-Jan’s legacy of immensely successful fund-raising and friend-raising, and I am grateful that he will be at the helm…

Barbara-Jan Wilson, vice president for University Relations, recently announced that she will retire in December, ending a Wesleyan career that began in 1982 and included leadership of two major capital campaigns. Wilson assumed her present role in 1999, but she is also well known to generations of alumni through her prior leadership of Admission and before that, Career Resources – the position she took when she was hired by President Emeritus Colin G. Campbell Hon. ’89. Her efforts as Wesleyan’s energetic and highly successful fundraiser spanned two presidents and four Board chairs. She worked with President Emeritus Douglas J. Bennet…

In this Q&A, we speak with Amy Bello, administrative assistant for the Center for African American Studies and newly elected mayor of the Town of Wethersfield. Q: How long have you been at Wesleyan? A: Five years. I started in November 2012 as a temp at the Wasch Center for Retired Faculty. Q: What do you do here now? A: I work as an administrative assistant for the Center for African American Studies (CAAS), the African American Studies Program (AFAM) and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUF). I have a beautiful office on High Street and am lucky to be…

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Driscoll ’62 Remembered for His Extraordinary Service to Wesleyan

Employees Recognized for Years of Service to Wesleyan

Rich Honored Posthumously with the 2020 Morgenstern-Clarren Social Justice Employee Prize

Fontanella Ebstein Reflects on 30 Years at Wesleyan

Wynn Named Vice President for Communications

Gonzalez ’96 Named Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid

Williams ’81 Named Vice President for Equity & Inclusion

Faculty, Staff Earn Cardinal Achievement Awards

Williams ’99 Tapped as Incoming VP, University Relations

Vice President Barbara-Jan Wilson to Retire in December

Bello Balances CAAS Support and Mayoral Responsibilities

Basinger Speaks to Staff about Film Studies, Musicals