Editorial Staff

By Sarah Parke The votes for the 2024 alumni-elected trustee election are in, and the University will add three new members to its Board of Trustees as three current members complete their terms. Joining Wesleyan’s Board of Trustees for a three-year term, effective July 1, are Livia Wong McCarthy ’81, Jayvan (“Jay”) Mitchell ’11, and Aaron Veerasuntharam ’14. Each year, Wesleyan alumni, including graduates from the senior class, elect three of their peers to serve on the Board. McCarthy, Mitchell, and Veerasuntharam will join a 36-member board that is responsible for ensuring the University fulfills its mission, sustains its values,…

President Michael S. Roth ’78 sent the following message to the Wesleyan campus community on June 22, 2024: I am saddened to report the death of President Emeritus Colin G. Campbell, MA ’71, Hon. ’89 on Friday at the age of 88. Colin guided Wesleyan through an exceedingly challenging time with great skill and fortitude. When he became president in 1970 at the age of 34, Wesleyan was adapting to profound social changes at the very moment when financial instability threatened to jeopardize the University’s future. He had the unenviable task of managing retrenchment in order to align Wesleyan’s high…

It is with great pleasure that the University announces the promotions of 22 faculty members, effective July 1, 2024: The following faculty were conferred tenure by the Board of Trustees: Katie Brewer Ball, Associate Professor of Theater Joan Cho, Associate Professor of East Asian Studies Anthony Ravindra Cummings, Philip ’71 and Lynn Rauch Professor of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Environmental Management Iddrisu Saaka, Associate Professor of Dance Roberto Saba, Associate Professor of American Studies Daniel Smyth, Associate Professor of Letters Tracy Heather Strain, Professor of Film Studies In addition, 15 faculty members are being promoted: Charles Barber, Professor of the Practice in…

Alumni from near and far came to Wesleyan for Reunion + Commencement Weekend 2024 to re-connect with friends and foster new relationships. All sorts of fun programming and events gave attendees ample time to rub elbows and engage with their alma maters. Here are some of the best photos from the Reunion celebration. All images by Meka Wilson:

In his Commencement Address to the Class of 2024, President Michael S. Roth ’78 spoke about the connections between higher education and civic engagement, the lasting importance of free inquiry and expression, and standing up for these foundational values on the eve of a consequential election season. "In the din of our contemporary politics, when shouting, it’s not easy to practice authentic listening; when people are shouting slogans, it’s a challenge to hear diverse points of view. But we must try," Roth said. "If we are to strengthen our democracy and the educational institutions that depend on it, we must…

Members of the Class of 2024 persevered through years of COVID-19 restrictions and global uncertainty to emerge stronger and better prepared for life after graduation. Wesleyan University celebrated their achievements during the 192nd Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 26. Beneath blue skies, students walked across the stage to receive their diplomas to the resounding cheers of friends and family. Here is a selection of photographs from the special day:

Michael Greenberg ’76, P’14, who was named an Honorary Doctor of Science at Wesleyan's 192nd Commencement ceremony, recalled how his journey toward unraveling the scientific mysteries of human memory illustrates the possibilities available to the graduating Class of 2024. "What can a Wesleyan graduate of almost 50 years ago who studies memory offer to you as you set forth in the world? There are countless paths that you might take in your lives that will offer you fulfillment," Greenberg said. "In my own life the following has proved to be important: choosing a career that was challenging intellectually, where new…

Renowned economist Raj Chetty was named an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at Wesleyan’s 192nd Commencement ceremony. In his speech to the Class of 2024, he cited his research into opportunity disparity’s effect on social mobility, praising Wesleyan for being a leader in expanding access to higher education. “When a child moves to a neighborhood with better schools or gets a chance to attend a high-quality college, we see their lives transformed relative to other comparable kids who didn’t get the same chances,” Chetty said. "Opportunity matters. And education is one of the keys that opens the doors of opportunity.”…

Ruby Clarke '24, the Class of 2024 Commencement Speaker at Wesleyan's 192nd Commencement ceremony, reflected on student protests at Wesleyan throughout the University's history to demonstrate how student activism can be a radical act of love through resistance. Clarke also called for students to express love through learning, being curious, and listening to others."We fight because we care, because Wesleyan matters to us. Wesleyan is not perfect, but that is what love and collective action is for: it bridges the gap between the imperfect nature of institutions and our current needs." Clarke, a College of Social Studies and American studies…

Imani Perry, a 2023 MacArthur Fellow and distinguished Harvard University professor, delivered the Commencement address at Wesleyan University’s 192nd Commencement ceremony on May 26. "You have a great deal to contribute, and I want you to make that contribution at the highest level. Do not be overly concerned about the size of your impact, whether it’s splashy or widely recognized. Rather focus on the depth of your integrity and the sincerity of your efforts,” she said. Perry is the Henry A. Morss, Jr. and Elisabeth W. Morss Professor of Studies of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies and African American Studies…

By Maxx McNall The spring season brings many things—blooming flowers, temperatures fit for a Frisbee toss with a friend on Andrus Field, and, more recently, final exams. For five of Wesleyan’s athletic programs, it’s brought something else. Championships. And lots of them. Two programs—Women’s Tennis and Men’s Crew—have gone undefeated and are amid deep postseason runs. Three won NESCAC championships and five took home the Little Three Championship. 2024 was truly title time for Wesleyan’s spring programs. Women’s Tennis The University’s Women’s Tennis is undefeated for the second time in three seasons and on the way to its fifth consecutive…

As the 2023-2024 academic year wound down to a close, there were a bevy of on-campus student and faculty events that were quintessential Wesleyan. Here is a selection of photos from some of them. Psychology Department Poster Session Students and faculty gathered in Beckham Hall on April 25 for the annual Psychology Poster Session. The event, which was in-person for the first time in three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, featured 28 posters, with 54 presenters across 10 advisors. “We have a lot of students who are working in labs with faculty, and sometimes students present work that they…

Alumni Elect McCarthy, Mitchell, and Veerasuntharam to Board of Trustees

Remembering Wesleyan University President Emeritus Colin G. Campbell

Faculty Tenure and Promotions Announced

Gallery: Reunion Celebration 2024

President Michael S. Roth ’78: “We Must Learn to Practice Freedom, Better”

Gallery: Wesleyan’s 192nd Commencement

Michael Greenberg ’76, P’14: There Are Countless Paths Toward Fulfillment

Raj Chetty: “Education is the Surest Pathway to a Better Life”

Ruby Clarke ’24: “We Fight Because We Care, Because Wesleyan Matters to Us”

Imani Perry: Graduates Have “A Great Deal to Contribute”

Cardinals Soar in Spring Conference Competitions

Gallery: Semester Event Wrap-Up