Academic Resources

Wesleyan McNair Program Application

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The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (link) is a national program supporting underrepresented students as they work toward applying to graduate school. This program serves juniors and seniors, providing summer and academic year funding, mentorship and training, as well as a community of students of similar backgrounds who are all striving toward the same goals.

Students are eligible to apply to these programs during their sophomore year. Applications are due 3/10/23. To learn more, visit our website here.

Major Declaration Opens 2/9/23

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Greetings, Class of 2025!

I write to share that major declaration will open next week on Thursday 2/9/23. You must declare your major anytime between 2/9/23 and 3/24/23. Please review below a handful of helpful resources that are important for you to utilize at this stage in your Wesleyan degree:

  • Major Declaration Website: this website is a great resource for information about major declaration timelines, strategies, and FAQs. If you have not reviewed this website yet, please do so. Though this website shares lots of information about the process, you will utilize the Major/Minor/Certificate Declaration form on WesPortal to officially declare. Once you declare a major, the academic department of your major will assign you to a faculty advisor. 
  • General Education Report: this report (found in WesPortal) will display the courses you’ve completed to satisfy general education expectations. General education expectations vary by academic department; you can review academic department websites to confirm if general education expectations are required as part of your major. Completion of general education expectations is a requirement for those who wish to pursue University Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, honors in general, and honors in certain departments and for those who wish to pursue more than two majors, minors and/or certificates.
  • Major/Minor/Certificate Certification: this form (found in WesPortal) will display your progression through a declared major. Though you won’t officially certify your major until the final semester of your senior year, you should use this form as soon as you declare to ensure you are on track to complete the major. More details about this form can be found here. 
  • Credit Analysis: this report (found in WesPortal) allows you to monitor your progress towards meeting graduation requirements. A handy guide about how to read the Credit Analysis Report can be found here. 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to chat with your faculty advisor, meet with one of our Academic Peer Advisors, or schedule a meeting with me.

WesWis Event – 2/10/23

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Wesleyan Women in Science (WesWIS) is holding our  annual student-faculty tea in person this spring on Friday, February 10th from 4:30-5:30pm in the Van Vleck Observatory Library. There will be STEM faculty from all NSM departments and this event is a way for students to chat with professors in a more informal setting. Please remember people of all genders and majors are welcome at WesWIS events. 

Government Dept – Pizza with a Professor

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Please join us for Pizza with a Professor on Thursdays in February at 12 noon.

Come to learn more about a faculty member’s research, teaching philosophies, and journey to become a professor at Wesleyan University. Pizza with a Professor is a wonderful way to get to know faculty outside the classroom over pizza.

February 2, Prof. Peck, Boger Hall 115

February 16, Prof. Dolan, Usdan 108

February 23, Prof Gallarotti, Usdan 108

RSVP Pizza with a Professor

MELLON MAYS UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

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The MMUF is a national program supporting underrepresented students as they work toward applying to graduate school in a range of fields in the humanities and social sciences. 

The program provides summer and academic year funding, mentorship, and a community of students of similar backgrounds who are all striving toward the same goals of earning a Ph.D.

To learn more…

  • Check out the slides from our October info session (link)
  • Read more details the MMUF national website (link)
  • Connect with MMUF Faculty Coordinator, Prof. Tushar Irani (tirani@wesleyan.edu) 
  • Connect with MMUF Administrative Coordinator, Dean April Ruiz (aruiz01@wesleyan.edu)

Applications include:

  • An application form (link below)
  • A statement (no more than 1000 words) describing your academic and research interests:
    • How have you selected your major, and which courses or academic activities have served as a foundation for your interests?
    • Which topic(s) or question(s) might you want to pursue through a research project? And what early ideas do you have about how you might develop your research plan? (You do not need to have a fully formed research proposal!)
    • Please also share something about your future goals for graduate study and an academic career.
  • One letter of recommendation from a faculty member who can speak to your academic work and interests, and your possible pathway to graduate school. (Additional letters are not required.)
  • An interview. (Students will be invited to interview after the application deadline.)

APPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DUE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH

Goldwater Scholarship

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The Goldwater Scholarship grants scholarships to undergraduates who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering (the full list of disciplines is available at the bottom of the Goldwater Scholarship’s eligibility guidelines). Both sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply, though in most cases juniors are most competitive. All applicants must be actively engaged in research in addition to their courseworkto be considered for this scholarship. The Goldwater Scholarship does have a monetary component ($7500 in the senior year those those who apply as a junior or $7500 in the junior year and again in the senior year for those that receive the award as a sophomore). But even more importantly, winning the Goldwater serves as a marker of early academic promise that can help students secure future fellowships, admission to graduate school, and other important forms of recognition and access that will be an asset to building a career in research.

The Office of Fellowships will hold an info session and Q&A with Goldwater Scholar Anna Fehr (’23) on Thursday, November 3 in Fisk Hall Room 209 at 4:30pm. Join us there to learn more! Freshman, sophomores, and juniors are welcome. (Come listen, even if you might apply in a future year, rather than right now!)

Those interested in applying this year should complete the pre-application (available on the Goldwater Scholarship website) by November 18, 2022 at the very latest. Reach out to fellowships@wesleyan.edu with any questions.