Wesleyan Summer Grants


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)

Internship & Career Opportunities

Greetings, Class of 2025!

I hope you are well and enjoying the first few days of the Spring semester. I write to share a few programs and initiatives that may be of interest to you:

  • WesConnect (online): Looking to connect with Alumni? Register for Wesleyan’s updated alumni directory WesConnect today! The updated directory allows you to find Wesleyan alumni who are actively engaging with the Wesleyan community. Use this tool to contact alumni and schedule connections.  
  • Cover Letter Competition(Friday 1/2): According to Forbes, 83% of hiring managers say cover letters impact hiring decisions. Whether you’re applying for an internship or a full-time job, writing a good cover letter strengthens your application
  • Research-a-Palooza (Saturday 1/3): Research-a-Palooza is an annual student-run event sponsored by the College of Integrative Sciences. Any and all students interested in getting started with scientific research at Wesleyan, including through the CIS Research in Sciences Summer Program and affiliated research programs (COE, QAC, McNair, etc.), are encouraged to attend.

A couple academic reminders:

Have questions? Please feel free to schedule an appointment with me: calendly.com/deankellydunn.

Take care,

Dean Dunn

$$ & mentorship in the humanities + social sciences: MMUF application now open!

Sophomores and juniors! The MMUF application is now open! Due February 4!
 

MELLON MAYS UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The MMUF is designed to increase the presence of historically underrepresented perspectives and groups in institutions of higher education. MMUF achieves this by supporting students who are working toward applying to graduate school in a range of fields in the humanities and social sciences. The program provides summer and academic year fundingmentorship, and a community of students all exploring the possibility of earning a Ph.D.

To learn more…

  • Check out the slides from our October info session (link)
  • Read more details on 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:

  1. An application form (link below, this is where you’ll upload the statements described in #2 and #3, and respond to item #4)
  2. Please write a statement (no more than 1000 words) describing your academic and
    research interests. In this statement, please address the following:
    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.
  3. A central goal of the MMUF’s mission is to uplift perspectives, voices, experiences, and histories that have been underrepresented in academia. In a statement of no more than 500 words, please describe what this goal means to you personally or as an emerging scholar.
  4. As you can see in the program expectations (see link to info session slides here), Fellows are expected to spend a significant part of each summer engaged in an activity that supports their academic growth or the progress of their project. Activities might include attending a MMUF summer institute at another university (e.g., at UCLA or UChicago), taking coursework relevant to their field of study, or pursuing independent work.
    Fellows receive $4500 to support their costs for the summer, and Fellows with project/program costs higher than this are encouraged to explore the Wesleyan Summer Grants (link, deadline for proposals typically in February).
    Applicants do not need to confirm their plans at time of application, but they will be asked to confirm their commitment to spending the summer in this way and to share their early ideas about the sort of activity they might wish to pursue.
  5. 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.)
  6. An interview. (Students will be invited to interview after the application deadline.)

A note about eligibility:
The MMUF program is a national program sponsored by The Mellon Foundation, and there are eligibility considerations around citizenship. International students who are studying in the USA on a visa are not eligible.
If you have questions about whether this limitation applies to you, or if you’d like information about scholarships and opportunities without this limitation, please email Dean April Ruiz (aruiz01@wesleyan.edu).
 

APPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DUE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH

  • The student application form can be found here: link 
  • The recommender form can be found here: link

Degree Audit Tools

Spring 2024 course registration opens on 10/31. Now is a good time to jump into your degree audit tools to ensure you are on track to complete your major and undergraduate degree.

  • Major/Minor/Certificate Certification: this form displays 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 monitors your progress towards completing graduation requirements. A handy guide about how to read the Credit Analysis Report can be found here
  • General Education Report: this report displays 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 HonorsPhi 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.

You can review any of these tools on your own, with your faculty advisor, with an Academic Peer Advisor, and/or by scheduling a meeting with me.

End of Summer Considerations

Happy August, Class of 2025 – 

I hope you have enjoyed summer so far – in only a few weeks, classes will resume, and we will be back into the swing of the academic semester.  

In preparation for the start of the academic year, I want to remind you of a few resources:

  1. Reflection. If you haven’t had a chance to review the summer reflection I sent you, please be sure to check it out. You’ll benefit from this reflection prior to the start of your next semester. 
  1. Major Certification Form (on WesPortal). This form displays your progression through a declared credential. Though you won’t officially certify your major until the final semester of your senior year, you should use this form now to make sure you are on track to complete your major(s)/minors(s)/certificate(s). More details about this form can be found on the registrar’s website
  1. Credit Analysis (on WesPortal): This report allows you to monitor your progress towards meeting graduation requirements. Please review this guide to learn how to read the Credit Analysis Report.
  1. General Education Report (on WesPortal): This report displays 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 HonorsPhi 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.
  1. Fellowships. Attend this webinar offered by Dr. Kowsz from the Office of Fellowships to hear about fellowship opportunities for juniors at Wesleyan. 

If you have questions about any of this, please talk with your faculty advisor, schedule an appointment with an Academic Peer Advisor, or reach out to me

I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks (if not before). Until then, take care!

Dean Dunn 

Fellowships Info Session Class of 2025

Wednesday, August 23 at 5-6pm on Zoom (Register here to receive the Zoom link)

Join Dr. Kowsz from the Office of Fellowships to hear about fellowship opportunities for juniors at Wesleyan. We’ll talk about the role fellowships can play in helping you achieve your goals, deadlines to be aware of during the junior year, and postgraduate opportunities you can start exploring as a junior. We will discuss opportunities open to all disciplines, but those interested in STEM, public service, environmental studies, and education are especially encouraged to attend because of the junior-year deadlines that are relevant to these fields specifically. Open to all Wesleyan students graduating with the Class of 2025.

The Final Cram: An Experimental Study Space

Have a bit more studying to do, or a paper to finish? Join us at WesWell on 5/16 from 2-4pm for a curated study space experience.

We’ll break the time up using the Pomodoro method (25 mins of working, 5 min break) and do restorative activities together for the breaks. We’ll have snacks and drinks, and you can even get a sticker as a little reward when you finish a task. Need to be talked up? Motivational speeches will be available on demand to keep you going. Let WesWell support your final efforts this semester — come to 287 High from 2-4pm and get it done 👏