Centered around National First Generation College Celebration Day on Nov. 8th, this week of events is co-sponsored by the FGLI Advisory Board, Gordon Career Center, Office for Equity and Inclusion, and The Resource Center to help support and celebrate Wesleyan’s fgli student community. If you identify as fgli and/or an ally of the fgli community, come celebrate with us at the following events! Check out all the great events Wes offers this week to celebrate national first generation day on 11/8!
I hope you had a chance to rest and reboot during fall break. As we enter the second half of the fall semester, continue to utilize resources on campus that can support your success. This includes but is not limited to speaking directly with faculty, meeting with teaching and course assistants and utilizing student academic resources. If you haven’t used any of these resources yet and want assistance figuring out where to begin, schedule an appointment with me to chat or stop by my office hours in North College 202 (listed below).
You are also likely aware that spring course registration has started. Be sure to meet with your faculty advisor to discuss what courses you hope to take in the spring. Your faculty advisor, as well as our Academic Peer Advisors (APAs), can help you map out your course schedule.
Additionally, our APAs will host drop-in hours to assist with course registration on Thursday 11/11 from 4 – 6pm at the Exley tables in front of the fishbowl. If these drop-in hours do not work with your schedule, email the APAs directly at peeradvisors@wesleyan.edu.
Monday, November 8th is National First Generation College Celebration Day (commonly shortened to First Gen Day). Wesleyan will honor and celebrate what it means to be a first generation college student with a festive and informal gathering for all members of the Wesleyan community who identify as first gen.
Please join us on Monday, 11/8 from 4:30-6:00pm in the Labyrinth Tent (behind 287 High Street and the World Music Hall). Stop by when you can, and leave when you must. There will be brief remarks at 5:00pm.
Don’t miss Fresh Check Day TOMORROW, Oct 27th from 11AM-2PM at Usdan.
Check in on your mental health at this fun fair-like event! Featuring snacks, t-shirts, games, interactive booths and activities, great prizes, and more! It’s a fun way to check in on your mental health! You can connect with peers and resources that will be at Fresh Check Day!
Fall Break is so close! What a great chance to take a pause and reflect on how much you have accomplished this semester. A few updates to consider as you round out the next few weeks:
Winter Session Aid Applications are now open. If you are thinking about taking a Winter Session course, please apply for aid now. Applying for aid does not obligate you to enroll in a class. Applications due 11/3/21.
Flu clinics: Wesleyan mandates that all students receive a flu shot by the start of the Spring 2022 semester. Wesleyan offers flu clinics for a limited number of students to schedule an appointment to receive a flu vaccine. If you aren’t able to schedule an appointment on campus, utilize local pharmacies or consider getting a vaccine if you go home for fall break.
Don’t forget to reach out to me if you need support navigating any part of your Wesleyan experience. If we haven’t met yet, please feel free to send me an email or stop by my office to say hi. I’d love to hear about your journey so far and chat about the future ahead.
I hope this communication finds you well. Some items that may be of interest to you:
Employment. Interested in obtaining a part-time job? Be sure to utilize Handshake or visit the Gordon Career Center to learn about employment opportunities.
SHAPE: The Office of Support, Healing, Activism, and Prevention Education (SHAPE) has created a series of events in October to raise awareness about dating violence in our community and beyond. See their blog to learn more.
Department Open Houses: Though you will not declare your major until second semester of your sophomore year, some of you may already have an idea of what you want to study. Visiting a department open house can provide a lot of insight into various majors. See the schedule for department open houses that run in October and November here.
I’ve enjoyed meeting with many of you over the past couple of weeks. Don’t forget to check out your class photo. As a reminder, those who visit my office and show me where they are in the photo will get a small takeaway for stopping by. Get that Wes swag!
Would you like to receive course credit for working with other students, advisors and mentors to refine and build toward your academic and professional goals? CSPL 405/406: Ideals into Practice is a program that allows you to make connections between your academic curriculum and the practical experience you gain through campus employment, off campus internships, community service and extracurricular activities. You will be assigned to a cohort of like-minded students, receive one-on-one career advising and gain access to an online portfolio to document what you are learning both inside and outside the classroom. By allowing you to engage in deep reflection about the skills you are gaining throughout your time at Wesleyan, you will be better able to understand and explain to others how your education prepares you for life after college. Note: If you are already taking Career Decisions: From Insight to Impact on Coursera, you are ahead of the game, as it is also a requirement for CSPL 405/406! For more information, please see the Ideals into Practice website. Past participants have described this course as “fun,” “flexible,” and “a must take for anyone”!
Student Involvement (formerly known as Student Activities and Leadership Development) is your one stop shop to learn about how to enhance your out-of-classroom experience at Wes! We encourage you to visit WesNest, our online platform about student groups and campus events. Learn more about WesNest by watching this short video.
“WesWOW” – Wesleyan Week of Welcome, will immediately follow Orientation and will take place September 6 – 11th. Be sure to check your orientation schedule and WesNest for a full listing of events. In addition to the Student Involvement Fair, traditional events include the Study Abroad Fair, Student Employment Fair, as well as multiple social events providing opportunities to connect and make new friends!
Wesleyan is very diverse when it comes to religious and spiritual identities. In order to better understand and support students from 2025, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (ORSL) requests that you fill out the Religious and Spiritual Life survey in WesPortal which will take less than 30 seconds. For more info: https://www.wesleyan.edu/orsl/index.html.
International students can enroll in Academia, Culture and Campus Life: What to Expect at Wes starting on July 1st. This five-week course will be offered for free on Coursera. It introduces you to people that work with and resources for international students, shows you around campus, talks about academic life at Wesleyan, and gives you an opportunity to meet each other. You can find more information about the course on the OISA Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/WesleyanOISA
