Reunion and commencement 2023

In his Commencement Address to the Class of 2023, President Michael S. Roth ’78 spoke about the power of education in fostering civic engagement, building community, and beating back the tides of fear and division. “By exploring the complexities of the world, students and teachers practice making connections that are intellectual and emotional,” Roth said. “And today, when crude parochialism is encouraged under the guise of group solidarity, it is more important than ever for schools like Wesleyan to promote citizenship by helping students increase their powers of aversive thinking, critical feeling, and the sympathetic imagination.” Roth made the following…

In speaking to the Class of 2023, Larry McHugh, who was named an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at Wesleyan’s 191st Commencement Ceremony, celebrated the longstanding connections—educational, economic, and social—between the University and the greater Middletown community. “Wesleyan is not only an outstanding educational institution but also an economic powerhouse, not only in generating jobs, but by using many of our businesses for products and services in our region which really creates more jobs and taxes for our city,” McHugh told the audience. McHugh was president of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce for 39 years before retiring in 2022,…

Annette Gordon-Reed, who was named an Honorary Doctor of Letters at Wesleyan’s 191st Commencement Ceremony, lauded the University’s Class of 2023 as part of a generation of young people who are realizing their political potential—and in this fragile moment in history, she challenged them to go further. "Your activities have provoked responses. Lean into that," Gordon-Reed said. "And I don't just mean by voting, which I definitely think you should do, of course. But think about the other ways citizens participate. Maybe even run for office." Gordon-Reed is a writer, speaker, and the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard,…

Donna S. Morea ’76, P’06, who was named an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at Wesleyan’s 191st Commencement Ceremony, found her calling in the tech industry. But, as she told the Class of 2023, it’s okay if the path to the right career isn’t clear at first. “Don’t despair if you don’t know what you're going to do with your life this very moment. And don't ever be afraid to explore and discover. So often, our failures lead to our successes.” Morea is an internationally recognized executive in the IT services and software communities. She is currently the CEO of…

Benjamin D. Levin ’23, the Class of 2023 Commencement Speaker at Wesleyan’s 191st Commencement Ceremony, shared the lessons from his University experience: in an environment where people are free to be themselves without fear of judgment, they are empowered to shed their insecurities and embrace their interests. “This sort of open, honest, kind, passionate student body is what allows each of us to actually figure out who we are,” Levin said. “Because when you’re constantly worrying about what other people think, you can’t take risks and actually leave your comfort zone. It’s the passion and openness of the other students…

Jennifer Finney Boylan ’80, who was named an Honorary Doctor of Letters at Wesleyan’s 191st Commencement Ceremony, implored the Class of 2023 to face a world constantly in flux with a spirit of compassion. “What I learned is that greeting the world with love doesn’t mean sitting around with a dopey smile on your face while the world burns around you,” Boylan said. “For love to prevail it is necessary to greet the world with fierceness, to push back against injustice with both relentlessness and joy, wisdom, and ferocity.” Boylan is a writer, teacher, and activist, who has fused her…

Wesleyan’s past, present, and future came together on campus for a weekend of parties, seminars, and performances during the University’s annual Reunion and Commencement weekend, taking place May 25 through 28. Over 2,300 alumni from the Classes of the ’3s and ’8s mingled with families and seniors about to complete their Wesleyan experience, sharing stories of their undergraduate exploits and recalling treasured Wesleyan memories. “I’m here to see my friends and revisit campus. It’s nice to be back here,” said Alana Rodriguez ’13 as she lined up for the annual Parade of Classes. Her classmate, Genelle Faulkner ’13 saw it…

With an eye towards a bright future, the graduates of Wesleyan University’s Class of 2023 took their first steps out into the world on Sunday. At its 191st Commencement, held on Sunday, May 28, Wesleyan University conferred 756 Bachelor of Arts degrees, 11 Doctor of Philosophy degrees, 39 Masters of Arts, one Master of Philosophy in Liberal Arts, 13 Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies, and four Bachelors of Liberal Studies. The University also recognized four inspiring leaders with honorary degrees—Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed, who delivered the Commencement address; Jennifer Finney Boylan ’80, award-winning author, professor, and transgender activist; Larry McHugh,…

Before Ben Levin ’23 was a Wesleyan student, he visited a friend on campus. They ventured into a classroom together to find a student working through a math problem on a chalkboard while blasting punk rock through his headphones. The student then took off his headphones and passionately explained what he was working on. “It felt like I was in a movie scene,” Levin, chosen to speak at Commencement on May 28, said. “I was excited because it was really the first time where I thought ‘this is the kind of person I really want to surround myself with,’ even…

Paul Quach ’26 felt that immersing himself in the work of the Wesleyan Student Assembly was a great way to make an impact and to find his place at Wesleyan. Eliana Bloomfield ’25 found echoes of her family in her contribution to the Middletown community. Jackson Rane ’26 used his family’s background in mental health and their sense of humor to inspire his art. By following her passions, Olivia Adams ’23 set an example for the entire University. These students are just a few examples of the dozens of deserving prize and award recipients announced by Wesleyan University over the…

For many of the faculty members retiring from Wesleyan this year, representing over two centuries of academic experience, the joy of their time at the University comes down to their work with students. Amy B. Bloom '75, Shapiro-Silverberg Professor of Creative Writing; Stephen Henri Devoto, professor of biology; Fred M. Ellis, professor of physics; Janice R. Naegele, Alan M. Dachs Professor of Science; Stewart E. Novick, Joshua Boger University Professor of the Sciences and Mathematics; Irina M. Russu, E. B. Nye Professor of Chemistry; and Peter Gordon Solomon, adjunct professor of physical education announced their retirements and will receive emeritus…

President Michael S. Roth ’78: Effective Teachers Empower Students to Become Better Citizens

Larry McHugh: “Wesleyan Makes Middletown a Better Place to Live and Work”

Annette Gordon-Reed: “Navigating the Road Ahead”

Donna S. Morea ’76, P’06: “Your career is a journey, not a destination”

Ben Levin ’23: “Pushed and challenged by passionate people”

Jennifer Finney Boylan ’80: “A Day of Change”

Alumni Gather for Reunion and Commencement Weekend 2023

Wesleyan University Celebrates 191st Commencement May 28

Student Speaker Levin ’23 Will Miss People at Wesleyan

Wesleyan Announces 2023 Student Prize Winners

Seven Faculty Members Announce Retirements