kmdunn

WesPass/Xtra Mile

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Students ride XtraMile and local buses for FREE!

Dear Students,

Getting around Middletown can be tricky, but WesPass makes travel affordable and easy. WesPass allows students to ride River Valley Transit (RVT) buses and RVT’s XtraMile on-demand shuttle service for FREE just by showing your Wesleyan ID.  

River Valley Transit is expanding its popular XtraMile shuttle service starting August 30! XtraMile lets you travel around downtown Middletown and to and from 17 additional stops. including CVS, Aldi, Price Chopper, Chipotle, and Main Street. Links to downtown the XtraMile app and a current map of stops are available at rivervalleytransit.com/xtramile-middletown/. XtraMile Middletown operates during the Wesleyan fall and spring semesters, Monday – Wednesday 12 – 8 PM and Thursday – Saturday 12 – 10 PM. 

Want to get out of the XtraMile service area or need to travel when XtraMile isn’t running? You can pick up a River Valley Transit (RVT) bus in front of Usdan or at the corner of William and High Streets. Buses arrive on campus approximately 3-4 minutes after the hour Monday – Friday 6 AM to 11 PM, Saturday 8 AM to 11 PM and Sunday 8 AM to 5 PM. Popular destinations include Washington Street, Walmart, Meriden Train Station, and Rich Farm Ice Cream. To view all RVT schedules, go to rivervalleytransit.com/schedules/. Want to see buses in real time and view upcoming schedules? Download the Transit app at rivervalleytransit.com/real-time-bus-tracking/. 

More information on XtraMile, buses, and other transportation options is available at bit.ly/wesleyantransport.  

Want to try out riding the bus? Join the Sustainability Office on two guided bus trips leaving from Usdan (CFA side of the street):

  • Saturday, September 7 (12:30-3:15 PM) – Walmart 
  • Friday, September 13 (1-3 PM) – Rich Farm Ice Cream – the first 10 students get free ice cream on the Sustainability Office!

Still have questions? Stop by our information table on Friday, September 13 (11:30 AM – 1 PM) at Usdan table 4 or email sustainability@wesleyan.edu.  

Sincerely,

Jen Kleindienst, Sustainability Director

Scott Rohde, Director of Public Safety

December 2024 Completer Info

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PLEASE NOTE THIS MESSAGE IS FOR MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2025 WHO WILL COMPLETE THEIR STUDIES IN DECEMBER 2024. Though this information will be helpful to those completing studies in Spring 2025, the deadlines below do not apply to those completing in Spring 2025.

If you can believe it, you are about to embark on your final semester of undergraduate study at Wesleyan; I am so excited for you! 

I recognize this news may arrive with lots of emotions for you and the folks in your support network who have championed you along the way. You have accomplished so much! I hope you are very proud and plan to set an intention to reflect and relish in this final semester. It will go by quick, so be purposeful with how you spend it. 

Prior to the start of drop/add on 8/26, you need to confirm (or be working towards confirming) that you have everything you need to finish your final semester successfully. Some important tasks require you to:

  • Review and understand the Senior Packet. If you have questions, schedule an appt with me immediately. 
  • Confirm now both how and where you will move to as of noon on Sunday, 12/15/24 (when housing closes). Once graduated, students are not permitted to reside in university housing. 
  • Certify your Major Certification Form(s). You will submit a form for every declared major, minor and certificate. Note: you can submit your form(s) starting 7 days after Drop/Add ends (around 9/20).
  • Make note of Spring 2025 Commencement ceremony information. Share this website with the friends and family you plan to invite to the celebration. More details about graduation will be shared as the Reunion & Commencement committee plans the weekend’s events.   

Early planning now will save you a lot of stress come the end of your final semester. Though you will complete your degree requirements this December, you will not graduate and receive your diploma until May 2025 (since Wesleyan only hosts one graduation ceremony per year). If you need proof of degree completion prior to the May 25 graduation date, please be in touch directly with the Registrar’s Office.  

There are many on-campus supports that may have guided you on your path to this moment; Wesleyan supports will be here for you as well in your final semester. Do not hesitate to reach out to me or your faculty advisor if you have any questions or concerns about your ability to complete your studies this December. If you do not believe you will complete your studies this December, schedule an zoom appt with me immediately: calendly.com/deankellydunn.

You are so close – sending you so many well wishes this semester as you close out your Wesleyan undergraduate experience.

Dean Dunn

Class of 2025 – Summer Send Off

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Greetings, Class of 2025 – 

Welcome to the last summer of your undergraduate career! I’m confident this statement conjures many emotions – maybe even some of the same emotions you experienced when you first arrived at Wes. 

My hope is you’ve created a plan this summer that sets you up for success post-Wesleyan. Summers often provide students time to earn money for school, update their resume and cover letter, or catch up with family and friends. Some of you may participate in internships, research, or thesis preparation while others may travel or volunteer. Regardless of what you do this summer, please take some time to reflect on your Wesleyan experience. I’ve written to you before about how reflection is an important part of any journey. I share some questions below that may help you consider your experience. There are no right or wrong answers; however, take note of your feelings as you navigate these questions:

  1. What experiences have brought you the most joy at Wesleyan? 
  2. Where have you grown intellectually?
  3. What academic, professional or cocurricular experiences do you wish to explore in the final year of your undergraduate studies? 
  4. If you met up with a hometown classmate or professor, how would you explain Wesleyan’s role in shaping you into the person you are today? 
  5. If you could give one piece of advice to an incoming student, what would it be? Is that advice applicable for you to consider your senior year or for your life post-Wesleyan? 
  6. Who are your favorite faculty and/or staff members? Do those folks know how much you appreciate them? If not, consider how you will communicate this to your support team in your final year. Don’t forget to identify faculty who may be willing to write you a recommendation or serve as a reference in the future. Asking this favor at the beginning of the academic year will pay dividends in the long run.  
  7. What are your plans after graduation? Will you work? Go to grad school? Volunteer? Take care of family? Where and with whom will you live? 
  8. Senior year classes tend to be the most rigorous as you’re nearing the completion of your major(s)? Are you aware of the many resources on campus to support you through your studies? 

These are just a handful of reflection questions and there are so many more to consider. 

Your senior year will go by quick; it will feel even faster for those who finish their studies in December. If we have not yet had a chance to meet one on one, I encourage you to come in and chat. I’ve enjoyed getting to know and work with your class these past few years. I too am feeling many of the same emotions of those in your class; I’m very excited, a bit sad, and overwhelmingly curious about what comes next for you. This has been quite a journey we’ve gone on together – I’m so grateful to be a part of the Class of 2025 and I can’t wait to see what great things come from you in this next year. 

Before I close, I want to share a video that our Academic Peer Advisors created titled ‘What I Wish I Knew Before Senior Year.’ 

Sending you lots of well wishes for a restful summer. I’m here if you need anything!

Take care, 

Dean Dunn

Session on Consulting Careers

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The Consulting Pathways Club is hosting a virtual information session “What is Consulting?” this Friday May 3rd at noon. The event will be led by our alumni at McKinsey Catherine Cheng ’22 and Eunes Harun ’20 and will provide a great opportunity for students to network and learn more about the industry and recruiting.

Watson Fellowship: Info session and Virtual Visit

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Watson Fellowship: Info session and Virtual Visit from Jocelyn Velasquez Baez ’23, Watson Fellow
12:15-1:15pm Thursday April 18, Fisk 201 or Zoom

At this event, we will introduce the Watson Fellowship and hear directly from Jocelyn Velasquez Baez ’23, who will be Zooming in from her world travels as a Watson Fellow. Her project, “Ethical Understandings of Traditional Medicine” focuses on how traditional medicine perceived within indigenous and ethnic communities. Engaging with traditional medicine practitioners, knowledge keepers, and community members around the world, Jocelyn is spending a year exploring their understandings of traditional medicine, and its future in the wider healthcare system.

Hybrid event: in person in Fisk 201, the Fries Center for Global Studies, or join remotely via Zoom. Pizza & salad will be served.
Register through WesNest if you’re coming in person, or if you want to attend online register here for the Zoom link.

The Thomas J. Watson Fellowship is open to all Wesleyan students; the deadline comes in the fall of senior year and candidates work on the application over the summer. Students of all class years are welcome to attend this event to learn about the Watson Fellowship (it’s never too early to learn!).

WESLEYAN STUDENT OMBUDS

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WESLEYAN STUDENT OMBUDS
2024-2025 Academic Year

** This is a paid student job open to all students regardless of work study eligibility **
Basic Position Overview 

The Wesleyan Student Ombuds Program (link) was informed and inspired by student voices and began in Fall 2021.

The Student Ombuds serve as neutral and confidential* resources and thought partners for students who are considering their options for addressing an issue, especially in situations where there are power and positionality differences. The Ombuds can support students who are experiencing or observing unfair treatment, communication breakdown, microaggressions, or other challenging interpersonal matters, particularly when the other party is in a position of power in relation to the student (e.g., a professor, coach, or supervisor). Although separate from the University’s Ombudsperson (link) for staff and faculty, these Student Ombuds use similar conflict resolution and restorative justice practices. Student Ombuds provide information about resources, offer perspective, and advise students as they explore and navigate their options for resolving concerns.

Each cohort of Student Ombuds is selected to represent various academic areas of the institution (i.e., each academic division and Athletics), and to represent a range of perspectives, connections, and lived experiences.

Each Student Ombud earns $17/hour for their work, with between 2 and 5 hours of work each week. As 2024-2025 will be the fourth year of this program, the next cohort of Student Ombuds will play a role in continuing to shape the program and its future. 

Student Ombuds report to Dr. April Ruiz, Dean for Academic Equity, Inclusion, & Success 


Duties include: 

  • Serve as a confidential*, neutral thought partner for students considering their options for resolving an issue, especially when the other party is in a position of power in relation to the student (for example, a professor, coach, or supervisor)
  • Hold a safe and supportive conversational space, simply listening and serving as an impartial sounding board
  • Provide insight on managing challenging conversations
  • Share information about campus resources
  • Explain institutional policies and processes, including those regarding how to make a formal complaint to the University
  • Communicate any patterns of concern to university leadership

*The Student Ombuds stand with survivors of sexual misconduct, though they do not serve as a confidential resource for these matters.

FOR DETAILS ABOUT THE POSITION AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS, VISIT THIS LINK.

*** DEADLINE: SUNDAY, APRIL 28TH ***

Please direct any questions to 

Fulbright for Teaching English Abroad – Info Session & Alumni Insights, Wednesday April 3 12:15-1:15pm, Fisk 201

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Learn about the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Program with special guest Margalit Katz ’22 (they/them). Margalit will Zoom in from Mexico to talk about their experience teaching English there. We will also cover the basics of the Fulbright program and how to apply to Fulbright through Wesleyan.

What is Fulbright? Fulbright U.S. Student Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad. in one of 140+ countries. During their grants, Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. US citizens and nationals eligible to apply for the Fulbright US Student program beginning in junior spring.

Students from all majors and all class years are welcome to attend. Lunch will be served so please RSVP via WesNest to help us with the head count.

Can’t make it to this session in person? Email fellowships@wesleyan.edu to be connected to future Fulbright alumni events and additional resources on applying.

Class of 2025 Graduation – 424 days to go!

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Greetings, Class of 2025

If you can believe it, you will soon select courses for your senior fall semester! Fall 2024 course registration begins 4/2.

For some of you, the fall is your last semester at Wes; for others, you have two more semesters to go. Regardless of your graduation date, you must complete Wesleyan’s graduation requirements to earn your degree. To ensure you will complete graduation requirements, you must be familiar with your major certification form(s) and your credit analysis report – both found on WesPortal. 

The credit analysis report will outline your progress towards completion of Wesleyan’s four graduation requirements, which are as follows:

  • Completion of a major (managed through your major certification form)
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 74.00
  • Minimum number of semesters in residence (six semesters for most students, four or five if a junior or sophomore transfer)
  • 32 earned credits without oversubscription

What is oversubscription? Though Wesleyan has few graduation requirements, one requires students to earn 32 useable credits. Some credits earned are unusable if they do not fall within Wesleyan’s academic regulations, resulting in what is called oversubscription. Your credit analysis will tell you if you are oversubscribed in any category. 

I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to know and understand these regulations. You are responsible for ensuring you complete all graduation requirements prior to your graduation date. Prior to course registration next week, you should look at your major certification form(s) and credit analysis report to ensure 1) you are taking the correct courses to complete your major(s) and 2) you are enrolling in credits that will count towards your degree (and not enrolling in credits that will violate oversubscription rules). 

If you have any questions or concerns about this email or anything related to your academic career at Wesleyan, please talk directly with your faculty advisor or schedule an appointment with me as soon as possible. 

I am so excited to see you folks walk across the stage at graduation next year – you are so close. Keep up the amazing work!

Wesleyan Summer Grants

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Wesleyan Summer Grants provide up to $5,000 to fund summer opportunities such as internships, faculty-mentored research, entrepreneurial ventures, volunteer work, field study, creative projects, or an academic program related to your career interests and aspirations.

The first 2024 application window is open from Thursday, February 1st until Thursday, March 28th. This window is only open for studentson need-based financial aid.

The second 2024 application window will be open from Monday, April 1st until Friday, April 26th. This window will be open for all Wesleyan students.

To apply for the 2024 Wesleyan Summer Grant, you must have an approved resume on Handshake and a confirmed summer experience. If you don’t have a summer experience by the end of the first window, you are still eligible to apply in the second window. Applications not selected for funding in the first window will be considered in the second application window (you cannot reapply.)

For complete program information, including eligibility, application components, and timelines, visit the WSG webpage.

Wesleyan Black Alumni Council Memorial Prize Summer Stipend

Important to note that this grant is part of the Wesleyan Summer Grants Program and NOT additional funds. 
If a student would like to be considered, they will select this grant on the application and upload their essay. 

Essay: The Wesleyan Black Alumni Council (WBAC) honors the memory and spirit of alumni Bruce D. Hall ’77, James “Donnie” Rochester ’74, and Dwight L. Greene ’70 through a summer experience grant to support projects or research pertaining to the African American experience. Please share how your proposal aligns with this intention. (750 words maximum)