Olivia DrakeAnna Swartz '13 delivered the following remarks during the Senior Class Welcome on May 26: Right before I left for Wesleyan for the first time, Ruth, my ninety-year-old neighbor warned me “Make the most of it, college is the best time of your life.” I took her advice to heart, it seemed smart to trust a woman who had done so much living, and I arrived at Wesleyan filled with the loftiest dreams, the highest expectations, ready for my life to be changed. What I didn’t realize at the time is that college isn’t just about what Wesleyan could give…
Bill FisherWesleyan alumni reunited with classmates, attended WESeminars, toured campus, visited with former professors, and congratulated the Class of 2013 during Reunion & Commencement Weekend May 23-26. On May 26,Wesleyan awarded 785 bachelor degrees; 30 master of arts degrees; 30 master of arts in liberal studies degrees; and 21 doctor of philosophy degrees: [youtube width="640" height="420"]http://youtu.be/cMrnr00WF5c[/youtube] Award-winning writer, director, and producer Joss Whedon '87 delivered the Commencement Address during the 181st Commencement Ceremony: [youtube width="640" height="420"]http://youtu.be/Wn866ryQ5RY[/youtube]
Hannah Norman '16Students, faculty, alumni, families and campus guests gathered for the traditional All-College Sing in Memorial Chapel on May 25. (Photos by Hannah Norman '16):
Reunite with classmates, attend WESeminars, tour campus, visit with former professors, and congratulate the Class of 2013 during Reunion & Commencement Weekend May 23-26. "Reunion & Commencement is such a fun and celebratory time for the entire Wesleyan community," said Deana Hutson, director of events for University Relations. "There really is something for everyone. We have more than 150 events planned over the course of three days." In addition to another incredible array of WESeminars, Hutson recommends attending the traditional Friday and Saturday night parties, reunion class gatherings, academic department open houses and the Festival on Foss Hill. On Friday…
Lauren RubensteinThe world is changing at a dizzying pace and uncertainty is rising, but luckily, “Wesleyan has prepared you to live and thrive in this unpredictable world,” U.S. Senator Michael Bennet ’87 told the Class of 2012 in his Commencement Address. “This is a school that rewards curiosity. It challenges you to test [your] assumptions. It encourages flexibility—of mind, of approach, even of body, if you took that class in acrobatic yoga. Wesleyan has taught you that having a plan counts for less—a lot less—than having your bearings when that plan falls apart.” An honorary doctor of laws was conferred upon…
Kennedy Odede '12 delivered the Senior Class Welcome during the 180th Commencement Ceremony May 27: Today, I stand before you as the first person from Africa’s largest slum to graduate from an American university. For most of my life, I never imagined that one day I would be standing here. For me, Wesleyan is HOPE. You, the class of 2012, and my time at Wesleyan have changed me forever. I grew up in Kibera, the largest slum in Africa, where more than a million people live in an area the size of Central Park—without sewage systems, roads, running water, or…
Three Wesleyan faculty received The Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching during the 2012 Commencement on May 27. The Binswanger Prize was inaugurated in 1993 as an institutional recognition of outstanding faculty members. The award is made possible by gifts from the family of the late Frank G. Binswanger Sr., HON '85 The standards and criteria for the annual prizes shall be excellence in teaching, as exemplified by commitment to the classroom and student accomplishment, intellectual demands placed on students, lucidity, and passion. Recommendations may be based on any of the types of teaching that are done at the university…
Bill HolderSenator Michael F. Bennet '87 presented the Commencement Address on May 27: Thank you, Board of Trustees… President Roth… proud parents and families…the entire Wesleyan community, and of course, once again, the brilliant graduates of 2012. Brilliant, yes—but, as Kennedy said, no matter how brilliant, not one of you got here by yourself. So, in the most important moment of this day, let’s hear you say thank you. A round of applause for everybody who got you here. A quarter of a century ago (and by the way, it was about 20 degrees hotter), I looked up at this podium…
David PesciPresident Michael S. Roth’s remarks: Members of the board of trustees, members of the faculty and staff, distinguished guests, new recipients of graduate degrees and the mighty Class of 2012, I am honored to present some brief remarks on the occasion of this commencement. When most of you began your Wesleyan education in the fall of 2008, the world was in a precarious state. It was an odd time to be investing in the future. But that’s what education is, as Kennedy said: a hopeful investment in the future. When you began here, America was waging two distant wars, the…
During the 2012 Commencement Ceremony on May 27, Wesleyan President Michael Roth awarded U.S. Senator Michael Bennet ’87, Glenn Ligon ’82, and Cecile Richards P’13 with honorary degrees. Michael F. Bennet ’87 Michael F. Bennet was elected to his first full term as U.S. Senator for Colorado in November 2010. He is a pragmatic and independent thinker who embodies the values of the western state he represents, and whose work has contributed to good in the world, in the best of the Wesleyan tradition. As the father of three little girls, he is driven by a deep-seated obligation to create more opportunity…
Members of the Donor Associates, trustees, and emeriti trustees and friends celebrated the Bennet family legacy during a dedication of Bennet Hall on May 25. Bennet Hall is named in honor of Wesleyan President Emeritus Douglas Bennet ’59, P’87, P’94, Midge Bowen Bennet, and the Bennet family. The hall is located inside the Fauver Residence complex. (more…)
The Office of Parent Programs and the proud parents of the Class of 2012 hosted a gathering on May 26 for graduating seniors and their grandparents. Photos of the event are below: (more…)