Community

First Things First

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No matter whether you participated in First Things First Pre-Orientation, we invite FGLI students from all class years to come together for the First Things First: Next Steps series!

Our next session, Fresh Start, is TODAY, MONDAY (February 14th) from 4:30-5:30pm in The Resource Center! Did Fall term not unfold as gracefully as you hoped? Are you hoping to “get on track” for Spring? We will reflect on how to carry forward lessons from last semester, and how to build on these in ways that serve us and show ourselves care in the months ahead. We will review resources we vaguely remember hearing about once upon a time, and we will discuss how to move into 2022 with a sense of positive possibility. A fresh start.

Join us for conversation, reflection, information, and validation. And for snacks. There are always snacks.  Full series schedule below! Put them all in your calendar!

The Resource Center Spring Hours

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The Resource Center’s (website link, facebook link, instagram link) Spring 2022 hours begin on Monday, January 31st. 

Mon-Thurs (10:30am-9:30pm)

Fri (10:30am-6:30pm)

Sun (12:30pm-9:30pm)

We are located at 167 High Street (on the corner of Church and High Street across from 200 Church and Star and Crescent). The Resource Center (RC) was created to support, empower, and engage students with underrepresented identities at Wesleyan University.

The areas of focus for the center include promoting dialogue and coalition building around the intersections of race, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, disability, gender, sexuality, sustainability, spirituality, and social and political activism.  We have homey study spaces, an awesome computer lab with free printing, the best kitchen and pantry on campus with free coffee, tea, and ramen, and a dynamic group of student leaders who make the RC operate, live, and breathe- so please stop by and be part of the community!

Green flyer that lists Resource Center Hours (also included in text above flyer).

Rest and Reflect

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The holiday break this week provides a great opportunity to rest, relax and reflect on all you have accomplished this semester. I hope you get the chance to reflect on what you are grateful for and take some time to focus on what you have enjoyed so far at Wes. I am grateful for the interactions I’ve had with many of you.

I want to share some approaching opportunities in case you are interested:

  • Prospective Film Major Meeting: 11/29 at 8pm in the Goldsmith Family Cinema (flyer below)
  • College of Social Studies Info Session: 12/1 at 4:30pm in Russell House (350 High Street)
  • Ride Free with WesPass: All Wesleyan students can ride for free on Middletown Area Transit (MAT) and 9-Town Transit buses by showing your Wes ID. This is a great way to grab some classmates and explore Middletown. Routes can take you to many destinations including grocery stores, shopping and medical offices.

While you take a pause from classes this holiday break, be sure to rest up for when classes resume on Monday 11/29. Following this break you will have two more weeks of classes and then head into reading period and final exams. As we get closer to the conclusion of the semester, start thinking about where you want to spend your time studying. SciLi, a popular study spot, will be open from 8am to 2am to mirror the hours offered in Olin – the Exley FishBowl will remain open 24/7.

If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Sending my best to you and your loved ones during this holiday season. Take care,

Dean Dunn

Resources to Consider

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Good morning, Class of 2025!

I hope this communication finds you well. Some items that may be of interest to you:

  1. Employment. Interested in obtaining a part-time job? Be sure to utilize Handshake or visit the Gordon Career Center to learn about employment opportunities.
  1. 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.
  1. 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!

Dean Dunn

WesWorks: A Performance with Wesleyan Facilities Staff

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The Center for the Arts cordially invites you to WesWorks on Thursday Oct 14 through Saturday October 16th at 7pm on Andrus Field. Come sit under the stars with your classmates and with beautiful stage lighting and live music, help us gather as a community to honor and give thanks to the extraordinary facilities staff who have worked hard to keep our campus open and safe during COVID. 

Please join us October 14-16 on Andrus Field for WesWorks, a multi-site, celebratory, outdoor performance featuring the work, skills and stories of Wesleyan’s Physical Plant, Custodial Operations and Grounds Crew employees. Choreographed by Austin TX-based Forklift Danceworks, WesWorks connects students, staff, and faculty through a community-based dance-making process to cultivate awareness of and appreciation for the labor of our essential workers, improve relationships among employees and students, and encourage collective stewardship of our campus spaces.

Learn more at the WesWorks blog and reserve your free ticket today!

Happy Fall!

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Fall is here and though today’s weather is less than ideal, I look forward to cooler autumn days. I’ve seen many of you outside my office window, eating lunch or studying with peers; your conversations are filled with excitement and laughter – it’s such a delight to hear!

Your class schedule is in full swing so I imagine you are navigating ways to balance classes, course work, student clubs and orgs, perhaps even a part-time job or varsity sport. Don’t forget we have many resources on campus to help you with this balance – if you aren’t sure where to turn, reach out to me and I’ll point you in the right direction.

As always there is a lot happening on campus. WesNest has a great calendar of events to peruse if you’re looking for activities to participate in. Though not an exhaustive list, here are a few approaching events that caught my interest so I wanted to share with you.

  • Wesleyan Film Series featuring Beasts of the Southern Wilde on 9/24, Summer of Soul on 9/25 and Sherlock Junior on 9/26.
  • Various Wes Athletic competitions, including our first home football game tomorrow, Saturday 9/25 at 1pm on Andrus field
  • 2021 Dance Showcase: See Wesleyan’s student dance groups perform their choreography at the annual fall dance showcase on 9/25 at 8pm (Excley Science Center patio)
  • College of Film and the Moving Image Information Session: Tuesday at 8pm in the Goldsmith Family Cinema
  • First Year Workshop: How to Study On Campus presented by the Academic Peer Advisors on 9/30 at 12pm in Usdan 108.

Have a great weekend!

Dean Dunn