Major Declaration Opens 2/9/23

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Greetings, Class of 2025!

I write to share that major declaration will open next week on Thursday 2/9/23. You must declare your major anytime between 2/9/23 and 3/24/23. Please review below a handful of helpful resources that are important for you to utilize at this stage in your Wesleyan degree:

  • Major Declaration Website: this website is a great resource for information about major declaration timelines, strategies, and FAQs. If you have not reviewed this website yet, please do so. Though this website shares lots of information about the process, you will utilize the Major/Minor/Certificate Declaration form on WesPortal to officially declare. Once you declare a major, the academic department of your major will assign you to a faculty advisor. 
  • General Education Report: this report (found in WesPortal) will display 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.
  • Major/Minor/Certificate Certification: this form (found in WesPortal) will display 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 (found in WesPortal) allows you to monitor your progress towards meeting graduation requirements. A handy guide about how to read the Credit Analysis Report can be found here. 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to chat with your faculty advisor, meet with one of our Academic Peer Advisors, or schedule a meeting with me.

WesWis Event – 2/10/23

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Wesleyan Women in Science (WesWIS) is holding our  annual student-faculty tea in person this spring on Friday, February 10th from 4:30-5:30pm in the Van Vleck Observatory Library. There will be STEM faculty from all NSM departments and this event is a way for students to chat with professors in a more informal setting. Please remember people of all genders and majors are welcome at WesWIS events. 

Government Dept – Pizza with a Professor

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Please join us for Pizza with a Professor on Thursdays in February at 12 noon.

Come to learn more about a faculty member’s research, teaching philosophies, and journey to become a professor at Wesleyan University. Pizza with a Professor is a wonderful way to get to know faculty outside the classroom over pizza.

February 2, Prof. Peck, Boger Hall 115

February 16, Prof. Dolan, Usdan 108

February 23, Prof Gallarotti, Usdan 108

RSVP Pizza with a Professor

Wesleyan Summer Grants Applications Open! (1/30)

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The Wesleyan Summer Grants 2023 application will open Monday, January 30th and close on Tuesday, February 28th. Wesleyan Summer Grants provide up to $5,000 to fund summer opportunities such as internships, faculty-mentored research, language study, volunteer work, field study, creative projects, or an academic program related to your career interests and aspirations. To learn how to apply and find more information, head to the WSG website.

Website Link: https://careercenter.wesleyan.edu/channels/wesleyan-summer-grants/ 

Contact Info: wsg@wesleyan.edu

Udall Scholarship

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The Udall Scholarship is open to sophomores and juniors planning careers in Native American tribal policy and Native health care (Native American applicants only) as well as the environment (U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents only). The Udall Foundation was created to honor the legacies of Congressman Morris Udall and Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall, whose careers significantly impacted Native American self-governance, health care, and the stewardship of public lands and natural resources. The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues in one of the three categories: (1) Native American tribal policy, (2) Native health care, or (3) the environment. The Udall scholarships provides access to the Udall Alumni network, a five-day scholar orientation, and a financial award of up to $7,000 per year for eligible undergraduate academic expenses, such as tuition, fees, books and supplies, and room and board. Sophomores who are awarded a Udall Scholarship will receive up to $7,000 in each of their junior and senior years. Juniors who are awarded a Udall Scholarship will receive up to $7,000 in their senior year.

The Udall Scholarship emphasizes not only on academics but also advocacy and leadership on the topic a student is applying under—things that may not be so obvious from your Wesleyan transcript but come from your other experiences, outside the classroom. Contact fellowships@wesleyan.edu asap if you are interested in applying to find out what’s needed for the campus deadline. The campus deadline is February 9 at 5pm, so reach out in advance of the start of the semester if you wish to be considered.

Questions? The Office of Fellowships at Wesleyan’s Fries Center for Global Studies will be holding open office hours for students to drop in with questions bout the Udall Scholarship on Wednesday January 25 at 1-1:45pm in Fisk Hall 201C and on Tuesday January 31 at 4-4:40pm on Zoom.

Eligibility details: Sophomores and juniors (who are US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents) can apply in one of three categories (1) environment, (2) tribal public policy, and (3) Native health care. The final two categories are open to Native American students only, defined as follows:

  • An enrolled member of a state or federally recognized Indian tribe or band, including any tribe or band terminated since 1940;
  • A descendant in first or second degree of an enrolled member of a state or federally recognized Indian tribe or band, who can demonstrate affiliation with the tribal community, according to criteria set by the Udall Foundation;
  • Considered by the Secretary of the Interior to be an Indian for any purpose;
  • An Eskimo, Aleut, or other Alaska Native;
  • A permanent U.S. resident who is a member of the First Nations of Canada.

MUSC 297 Music of Central Asia: From Throat-Singing to Heavy Metal

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The music of the Hu was chosen as the soundtrack to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order because it sounded otherworldly to Western audiences. In fact, the Hu draw on ancient musical traditions from Central Asia, one of the most culturally and musically diverse areas of the world. This course introduces students to a wide range of music practices, genres, and styles in historically nomadic and sedentary regions of Central Asia: throat-singing, sounds of shamanic and Sufi Islamic rituals, epic performance, narrative instrumental playing, oral poetry competitions, folk and art singing, Western-influenced classical and popular music genres (Central Asian repertoires of opera and symphony, Azerbaijani jazz, Uzbek estrada, Kazakh Q-pop and crossover music, Mongolian heavy metal and hip-hop). The roles and meanings of music and the status of musicians are discussed in relation to wider aspects of cultural and social life, the impact of Soviet culture policies, post-Soviet national revival and globalization. The course draws on extensive audiovisual materials and is open to students of all levels. No background in music or Central Asia is required.

The course audio/video resources are available here: https://www.musicofcentralasia.org/Tracks

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Ready for a change this year? Join WesWell on Zoom on Tuesday, January 17, from 1:30-2pm EST for a workshop where we chat a bit about intentions, goals, and habits, and go through a habit and goal setting exercise together. Access the workshop here.