student achievements

In December, the students of IDEAS 170: Introduction to Design and Engineering presented inventions of their own design. These final group projects are possibly the next new life hacks everyone will crave: a projector that doesn't rely on electricity (great for watching movies when the power is out), a chair that folds flat (packs easily and saves space), or a dorm room light that mimics the sun (helps set your sleep/wake cycle naturally). Additionally, one group of Wesleyan students collaborated with students from Renbrook School in West Hartford. Betsy Flynn, Lower School Learning Specialist at Renbrook, explained: "The Renbrook students…

For four Wesleyan students, creating a mobile platform–based business that helps people with financial literacy just made sense. Their business pitch for "MakingCent$: Creating [in]Dependence" landed them the grand prize the Entrepreneurship Foundation's Best Online Submission competition. The Entrepreneurship Foundation is a Connecticut-based organization that provides resources to help both educators and entrepreneurs. Eunes Harun '20, Sanya Bery '21, Joey Ellis '19, and Marcia Saetang '19 created the app during their GOVT 326: Political Consulting for International Business course last spring. "We found that financial illiteracy is, unsurprisingly, rampant in underdeveloped areas; however, what astounded us is that it's even common within developed communities as…

Eight Wesleyan students presented papers during the inaugural CTW (Connecticut College, Trinity College, Wesleyan University) Undergraduate Symposium in the Arts and Humanities on Nov. 10. This symposium, hosted at Trinity, provided undergraduate students from the three partner institutions, as well as other institutions in the region, an opportunity to present their original scholarly work in a professional setting. Topics included languages and literatures, philosophy, theater and dance, art history, women’s studies, cultural studies, ethnic studies, religious studies, film studies, and more. Paper submissions were accepted by a committee of faculty members. During a panel on The Construction of Spaces, Teresa…

While 94 percent of children from wealthy Filipino households attend high school, only 69 percent from poor households continue to get a high school education after graduating from grade school (UNESCO). Through a nonprofit venture called SALIN Ed., Frederick Corpuz '20 is working to create an inexpensive, sustainable alternative to classroom learning that enables 10- to 12-year-olds in the Philippines to become independent, successful learners through an online program. To advance his social entrepreneurial skills and better his venture, Corpuz applied to participate in the 11th annual Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) conference, held Oct. 19–21 in Chicago, Ill. (more…)

A magnified image of a fruit fly's eye took first place in the third annual Wesleyan Scientific Imaging Contest in August. The Wesleyan Scientific Imaging Contest recognizes student-submitted images—from experiments or simulations done with a Wesleyan faculty member—that are scientifically intriguing, as well as aesthetically pleasing. This year, 21 images were submitted from eight departments. The contest is organized by the College of Integrative Sciences as part of the summer research program. The entries were judged based on the quality of the image and the explanation of the underlying science. The judges, a panel of four faculty members, were Brian Northrop,…

Senior Katherine Paterson's passion for theater and environmental studies has grown over the past two months while she constructed a greenhouse for an honors thesis that explores and links together urban farming, communal activity, and theater. On Earth Day, April 22, Paterson presented (at)tend, a durational performance of song, poetry, and spoken word, which unfolded over the course of the spring semester. The project involved the collective construction, seeding, and tending of a greenhouse by students and community members, and culminated with a spring harvest. "The goal of the project was to serve as an experiment in creative place-making—in creating a space that the larger…

Seventy students from six universities participated in the annual DataFest April 6-8 at Wesleyan. Under the auspices of the American Statistical Association, the event is organized by Wesleyan's Quantitative Analysis Center. During the event, teams from Wesleyan, Trinity College, Connecticut College, the University of Connecticut, Yale University, and Bentley University were presented with a large, complex data set and worked over the weekend—and around the clock—to explore, analyze, and present their findings to a panel of judges. Judges included Agbon Edomwonyi '16, data scientist for the City of Newark, N.J.; Rich Anziano, global head of statistics for Pfizer; Melissa Mischell '17,…

On April 3, the Center for Jewish Studies honored Talia Cohen '19 with the Best Student Paper in Jewish Studies award. Cohen’s paper, which she wrote for her Romantic Poetry class during the fall semester, examines a work by Jewish composer Isaac Nathan as a powerful response to anti-Semitism. Specifically, she considers his decision to set Byron's “She Walks in Beauty” to a Sephardic Portuguese tune for Solomon ha-Levi Alkabez’s 16th-century mystical Sabbath poem, “Lecha Dodi.” According to the abstract, "While Hebrew Melodies (1815), the songbook to which the musicalized version of Lord Byron’s 'She Walks in Beauty' belongs, was widely…

Chemistry and environmental studies major Kate Sundberg ’20, one of 20 students nationwide who are part of the Friends Committee on National Legislation Advocacy Corps, attended the Spring Lobby Weekend on March 17–20 advocating for immigration policy with Congress. The Advocacy Corps is a yearlong program where young adults between the ages of 19–30 organize their local communities around federal legislation. As an organizer, Sundberg connects local activists and leaders with Congress to affect meaningful, bipartisan climate action. (more…)

Dreams are coming true for AJ Wilson ’18, founder of the non-profit organization Dream Chasers. During the 10th annual Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) Conference in Boston Oct. 13-15, Dream Chasers won a Crowdrise fundraising competition and set the record for most money raised ($18,025) by any single group. For his efforts, Wilson was congratulated by Chelsea Clinton, Congressman Joe Kennedy III and former president Bill Clinton. Wilson, who grew up in Kennesaw, Georgia, created Dream Chasers to close the academic and opportunity gaps in the South and Midwest through a collection of different programs and initiatives. In five years, the team has impacted the…

This summer, three students from Wesleyan’s Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) attended the International Young Leaders Assembly (IYLA) Global Leadership Summit as partners of the conference. (more…)

Students who received academic prizes, fellowships and scholarships were honored at a reception May 10 in Daniel Family Commons. Among the awardees were Mira Klein ’17, who received the White Fellowship for government and the Robert Schumann Distinguished Student Award for demonstrating academic accomplishment and excellence in environmental stewardship; Page Nelson '17, who received the Alumni Prize in the History of Art; Eric Meyreles '18, who received a Miller Summer Internship Grant to pursue an internship related to a potential business career; Ainsley Eakins '18, who received the university's Social Activist Award; Sofi Goode '17, who is the recipient of the Wilde Prize…

The Next New Things: Presenting Final Projects in IDEAS 170

Students Win Entrepreneurship Foundation Business Pitch Competition

8 Undergraduates Make Presentations at Arts and Humanities Symposium

5 Students Attend Clinton Global Initiative University Conference in Chicago

3rd Annual Scientific Imaging Contest Winners Announced

Paterson’s Senior Thesis Explores Urban Farming, Communal Activity, Performance

Wesleyan Team Wins Prize for “Best User Insight” at DataFest

Paper by Cohen ’19 Honored by Center for Jewish Studies

Sundberg ’20 Lobbies for Immigration Policy as National Legislation Advocacy Corps Organizer

Wilson ’18 Wins Fundraising Competition at Clinton Global Initiative University Conference

Muslim Students’ Association Attends Global Leadership Summit

Students Honored with Academic Prizes, Fellowships, Scholarships