Academic Resources

MMUF/McNair Info Session

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MMUF/McNair Info Session | Monday 10/10 | 5:30 – 6:30pm in Boger 114

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program (link) and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (link) are national programs supporting underrepresented students as they work toward applying to graduate school. Both programs serve 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.

First-years and sophomores are invited to join us for this session to learn about eligibility, the application process, and additional details about program benefits!

Major Open House Schedule (10/3 – 10/14)

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Happy Friday, Class of 2025 – 

As promised, I’m sending along the most up to date Open House schedule for the next two weeks. To see the full schedule, please visit the Major Open House website here.

Even if you have the slightest interest in a department, I encourage you to attend. Some Open Houses offer refreshments/lunch and it’s a great way to get to know other community members at Wes. I look forward to seeing you at some of these Open Houses.

DepartmentDateStartEndLocationNotes
Romance Studies10/5/202212:00 PM1:00 PM300 High Street MiddletownFood/refreshments
Feminist, Gender, & Sexuality Studies10/6/202212:00 PM1:00 PMAllbritton 311
College of Integrative Sciences10/7/20222:30 PM3:30 PMLabyrinth TentIce cream sundaes
College of Letters10/10/202212:15 PM1:15 PMBoger 114
Psychology10/10/202212:20 PM1:10 PMJudd Hall Rm. 116
Philosophy10/10/202212:00 PM1:00 PMLabyrinth TentPizza
Latin American Studies10/12/202212:10 PM1:00 PMRomance Languages 300 High St.Pizza
Religion10/12/20224:30 PM5:30 PMWoodhead LoungeCider/donuts/fall treats
American Studies10/12/202212:00 PM1:00 PMAmerican Studies  255 High StreetRefreshments
Physics10/13/202211:50 AM1:10 PMExley 058Lunch
History10/13/202212:00 PM1:00 PMLabyrinth TentPizza
Data Analysis10/13/202212:00 PM1:00 PMAllbritton 103Refreshments
Molecular Biology & Biochemistry10/13/202212:00 PM1:00 PMWoodhead LoungeLunch
History10/13/202212:00 PM1:00 PMLabyrinth Tent

Choosing Majors and Careers for F-1 Visa Holders

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Intended Audience: Classes of 2025 and 2026 F-1 visa holders

Join us for this session to learn about important factors (personal interests, career prospects, immigration-related benefits/regulations) to consider when choosing a major as an F-1 visa holder. Class Deans from the Office of Academic Advancement and staff members from the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) and Gordon Career Center will lead this informational workshop, which will include an overview of the major selection process, post-completion employment as an F-1 visa holder, and STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) Extension-eligible programs of study at Wesleyan. You will also have the opportunity to hear from upper class international students who will share their own academic major and career decision making experiences.

Co-sponsored by the Office of Academic Advancement, Office of International Student Affairs and the Gordon Career Center

Grading Mode Deadline (9/30)

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This is a reminder that the Grade Mode Change deadline is Friday, Sept. 30. Here is an overview of the policies and key terminology to help with any questions.

The Grade Mode Change deadline is Sept. 30 at 5:00 pm EST. The deadline is firm, so please ask well before the deadline if you have questions. Not all courses are student option. You may view and select your grading mode for student option courses on your class schedule in WesPortal. 

The Grade mode change regulation refers to the “student option” grading option available in some classes. Classes may have one of three grading modes, Graded (A-F), credit/unsatisfactory (CR/U), or Student Option. Student Option-graded courses allow students to choose the A-F or CR/U grading mode, with the default being A-F. Please review your class schedule and the course description for more information.  Please refer to your intended major’s webpage for more information and meet with your liberal arts advisor or me if you have any questions. 

Lastly, once you have reviewed your class schedule and confirmed your classes and grading mode, please click the “Schedule is Correct” button.

Key terminology: 

Student Option: Allows students to choose their grading mode. Students choose either A-F or CR/U. The deadline to select your grading mode is firm, so please be mindful of the deadline each semester.

Graded:  Allows letter grade A-F only, there is not an option to take the class CR/U.

A-F: Classes using letter grades are calculated into your GPA and are evaluated as follows: A, excellent; B, good; C, fair; D, passing but unsatisfactory; E, failure; and F, bad failure. These letter grades (with the exception of the grade of F) may be modified by the use of plus and minus signs. Please click here for more information.  

CR/U:  Credit/Unsatisfactory grading mode is not calculated into your GPA and credit is earned with a passing grade. A “CR” will appear on your transcript as the grade. If a class is not passed, a “U” will be listed as the grade. There is no GPA penalty for receiving a “U”, but an unsatisfactory grade may impact your academic standing.  

Accessibility Q&A

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This event is for anyone who is curious about learning about a resource that can potentially help with your journey at Wesleyan! 

Curious about accessibility services? Want to learn about the accommodation process? Do you want to learn how to support your peers? 

Come learn about the accessibility and accommodation process with the Student Accessibility Interns on September 29th at 4:30-5:30 pm at Usdan 136. A peer advisor and peer technology specialist will be at the event if you have questions about accessibility that they can help with. This event is for the purpose of helping understand the accommodation process and is open to anyone who is interested in learning. Come learn for yourself, learn to support a friend or a classmate, learn to advocate for fair accommodations, or just meet us! There will be resources available at the event to grab. Feel free to come and go at any time! SNACKS PROVIDED!

Upcoming CAPS Workshops & Groups

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Lots of opportunities to connect with the supportive team at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)!

  • Making Connections: Thursdays (9/15, 9/22, 9/29); 12pm – 1:30pm; Resource Center
  • Attuned Eating: Tuesdays (starting 9/27 for 4 weeks); 4:15pm – 4:45pm; CAPS Solarium
  • Healing Connections: Wednesdays; 12-1pm; WesWell 2nd Floor
  • Rewrite Your Narrative: Mondays (10/3, 10/10, 10/17); 5:15pm – 6:30pm; Downey Room 100
  • Slow Stitch: Mondays (9/26 – 11/14); 12:15-pm; WesWell 2nd Floor
  • Sleep 101: Thursday 10/20; 4:15-5:00pm; Usdan 114
  • Understanding Self and Others for Gender Diverse Folx: Wednesdays at 5pm; CAPS Solarium
  • Understanding Self and Others for Women: Thursdays at 5:30pm; Downey House 100
  • Understanding Self and Others for Men: Thursdays at 4:30pm; Downey House 100

Class of 2025 – First Week of Classes

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Greetings, Members of the Class of 2025!

My hope is that your first week of classes has been enjoyable and you are excited for the remainder of the semester. As many of you recall from last year, I often send emails with information I believe you will find important (similar to the email I sent last week welcoming you back to campus).

Last year I sent weekly communications; however, during your sophomore year, I will send less frequent emails. You have completed at least one semester navigating Wesleyan and/or the college experience, so I do not want to crowd your inbox with the same type of content shared last year. This is not to say you won’t still need assistance from me or others on campus. In fact, the sophomore year may create even more questions than you’ve asked before; however, I imagine your questions will be more focused on your academic and personal goals. For these types of questions, please schedule a meeting with me or your liberal arts advisor. Additionally, our Academic Peer Advisors are a great resource for conversation.

I want to share with you the link to our university’s academic calendar which outlines important dates for you to mark down (e.g.: drop/add ends 9/16; grading mode deadline closes 9/30, etc.). The Student Academic Resources office created a nicely organized calendar you can download here. You can also access an electronic version you can import into your google calendar here (select ‘add the dates to your Google Calendar’ on the bottom right side of the webpage). If you wish to pick up a physical copy of this calendar, please stop by my office.

Sending you lots of luck as you get settled into the routines of this semester.

Take care! Dean Dunn

August Reflection

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Happy First Day of August, members of the Class of 2025!

My hope is that you are enjoying summer and getting excited to return to campus this fall. I’ve conversed recently with some of your peers about major declaration and career trajectory. If you are a student who knows exactly what you want to major in and what you want to do for a career when you graduate, that’s great! If you are a student who has no idea what you want to major in or what you want to do for a career, that’s great too! Wesleyan’s open-curriculum encourages you to explore courses in many disciplines; this course exploration can often lead students to their passion.

Reflection is an important part of any journey, so I share some questions below you may want to consider now before the hustle and bustle of the fall semester. These questions are intended to evoke personal reflection as you progress through Wesleyan. There are no right or wrong answers; however, take stock of your feelings as you navigate these questions.

Sophomore year can be both exciting and overwhelming as you approach major declaration. I encourage you to share your thoughts with those in available support networks – this may include me, your pre-major liberal arts advisor, a faculty mentor, one of our Academic Peer Advisors, your friends and/or your family.

  1. In what ways have you grown intellectually over the last 12 months?
  2. What are your academic strengths?
  3. Which classes have been most challenging, and how did you handle those challenges?
  4. Are you comfortable sharing your thoughts and ideas with peers in class?
  5. Have you taken advantage of opportunities to learn outside the classroom? What are some examples of this?
  6. Is there a topic on which you might like to do research? How did you become interested in this topic?
  7. What campus resources can you use to navigate the topics addressed in these reflection questions?

If you’d like to chat about these questions with me, I welcome it! Please schedule a zoom meeting with me here to chat more.

Sending you good vibes as we close out the summer – take care! Dean Dunn

Questions borrowed from NACADA, the global community for academic advising.