Class of 2025

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

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)

Center for the Humanities – Call for Student Fellowship Applications – Due 3/28 at Noon

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Center for the Humanities – Call for Student Fellowship Applications – Due March 31st at Noon

All members of the junior class are invited to apply for a semester-long Student Fellowship at the Center for the Humanities and to attend an Open House on Thursday, February 29th at noon-1pm (95 Pearl Street, lounge) where those interested in applying can learn more about the Student Fellowship Program.  Come meet current student Fellows and learn about their projects and experiences at the Center while enjoying a pizza lunch! 

A total of eight Student Fellowships are awarded each year by the Center’s Advisory Board (four Student Fellows for each semester).  Student Fellows share an office at the Center and take part in Center events and activities. Among these events are the Center’s Monday Night Lecture series; colloquia discussions on Tuesdays, 10:30am-1:00pm; and occasional Center conferences. One course credit is awarded for the Student Fellow’s participation in the Center’s activities.

Applicants for a Student Fellowship must be planning to do a senior project (usually an Honors Thesis) on a topic relating to the Center theme for the semester or year.  The Fall 2024 theme is “Dead Reckonings” and the Spring 2025 theme is “Energy and Exhaustion”; for full theme descriptions click here. The project need not be underway at the time of the application. Student Fellows have the opportunity to work closely with Faculty Fellows, Post-Doctoral Fellows, and Visiting Research Fellows in residence at the Center. The Center also provides up to $500 in travel funding to Student Fellows for travel to archives, libraries, museums, conferences, performances and other sites necessary to the completion of their senior projects.

Applications for student fellowships are due by noon on Thursday, March 28th.  Applicants will be informed of the Center Advisory Board’s decision by Friday, April 5th, 2024. 

If you have any questions, please email Jess Fowler at jmfowler@wesleyan.edu.

For further information, see: http://wesleyan.edu/humanities/fellowships/students.html

CSB Leadership Position

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Leadership positions will be available for The Community Standards Board for the Fall 2024 through the 2026 academic year.

CSB applications for a 1-year term (class of 2025) or a 2-year appointment (class of 2026) are due by Friday, March 1, 5 PM.

If you are interested in helping to uphold academic integrity & community standards at Wesleyan, access the application by using this link.

All applicants must be in good academic and non-academic standing. One letter of recommendation from a faculty member, staff member, or administrator is required and should be forwarded to ksiciliano@wesleyan.edu  with your application.  For information about the standards of conduct, policies, procedures,  and membership, please visit here.

For any questions, please contact Assistant Dean/Director of Community Standards: Kevin Butler at kbutler@wesleyan.edu.

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

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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 funding, mentorship, 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

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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 Honors, Phi 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.