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Voices of Liberal Learning: WESeminars
Voices of Liberal Learning is Wesleyan University ’s series of compelling
educational programs for alumni, parents, students, and friends. Wesleyan
brings together leaders and visionaries in a variety of forums, creating
opportunities for you to engage the world and the issues that shape our universe. Join us for presentations by activists, innovators, entrepreneurs,
artists, writers, and scientists —the voices of liberal learning.
WESEMINARS
WESeminars are among the most popular and well-attended programs in Wesleyan ’s
Voices Of Liberal Learning series. Interactive and inspiring,
WESeminars are opportunities to revisit the classroom and reexperience
first-hand the academic excellence that is the essence of Wesleyan, presented by
scholars, pundits, and other experts in their fields. Rekindle your connection
to Wesleyan and the outstanding scholarship and teaching that take place every
day on campus by attending one or more WESeminars during Reunion and
Commencement 2006.
Thursday, May 25
Thursday, 3 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 1
Forensic Geology: “It’s Elementary”
In spring 2004, Timothy Ku offered a new course, “Forensic Geology,” which he
believed would tap into the growing interest of students in crime scene
investigations, and, at the same time, introduce proper methods of analyzing
geologic materials. Interest in the course was strong from the beginning, with
the first offering producing a wait list of 292 students. Course work includes
reviewing actual criminal cases and considering geologic subjects and techniques
from a forensic point of view. Students analyze everything from sand, soil,
limestone, and fossils, to cat hair, cotton fibers, asbestos, and explosives;
they make visual inspections and learn to use more high tech methods that
include polarized light miscroscopy and x-ray defraction. The course ends with
hypothetical criminal cases, real “whodunits?” that allow students to
demonstrate mastery of analytical methods. Roll up your sleeves, dust off your
magnifying glasses, and join Professor Ku for an introduction to forensic
geology.
Presenter: Timothy Ku, assistant professor of earth and environmental
sciences
Location: Kerr Lecture Hall, Hall-Atwater, Church Street (formerly
Shanklin 107)
Friday, May 26
Friday, 10 a.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 2
Alzheimer’s Disease: Genetics,
Models, Mechanisms, and Therapeutics
For more than four decades, Dr. Donald Price has investigated a variety of human
illnesses, particularly neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease
(AD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Taking
advantage of advances in genetics, molecular biology, and techniques to produce
genetically engineered animal models of these diseases, he and his colleagues at
Johns Hopkins University have clarified disease mechanisms, identified
therapeutic targets, and tested novel therapies in animal models of AD, PD, ALS,
and other human illnesses. He will describe his research on Alzheimer’s Disease,
the most common cause of memory loss and dementia in late life, which affects
approximately 4.5 million people in the United States.
Presenter: Donald Price ’56, professor of pathology, neurology and
neuroscience, Departments of Pathology, Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine
Location: Room 116, Judd Hall,
207 High Street
Friday, 11 a.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 3
Never Do Anything You Love For Money
Classmates Andy Glantz and Miguel Gomez-Ibanez both changed careers in
their 40s to become professional furniture makers. They did not know each other
at Wesleyan, but reconnected in 2004 when they found themselves serving together
on the Board of Trustees of The Furniture Society, an international association
of furniture artists, designers, gallery owners, and collectors. Glantz and
Gomez-Ibanez will show their work and discuss their respective transitions from
careers they trained for and successfully pursued for many years, to a new focus
that gave them enjoyment, meaning, and, at least, a modest income.
Presenters: Andrew Glantz ’71, MA ’72, former teacher, and now a
contemporary furniture designer and maker; Miguel Gomez-Ibanez ’71 P’00,
licensed architect and former president of his own design firm, who now designs
and builds traditionally inspired furniture
Location: Room 002, Public Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church Street
Friday, 12:15 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 4
Connecticut River Expedition -
THIS PROGRAM IS FULLY SUBSCRIBED AND WE CAN NO LONGER
ACCEPT RESERVATIONS
Rain or shine, board the RiverQuest, specially reserved for our four-hour
Connecticut River excursion exploring one of the “Seven Sisters,” a hill formed
by metamorphosed sediments deposited in an ocean which has long since
disappeared. Follow a beautiful creek bordered by wetlands. Osprey may fly
overhead, but watch out for Swancilla. Dock and discover Selden Island, which is
composed of rocks 600 million years old, which formed offshore Antarctica and
drifted north. The trip takes approximately four hours, including travel to and
from the boat launch, which will be provided. Space is limited and advance
reservations are required. The trip will depart from campus on Friday, May 26, at 12:15 p.m.
Presenter: Jelle deBoer, Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Sciences
Emeritus; Joel LaBella, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Location: Meet in the front
lobby, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street
Friday, 1 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 5
Wes Press: Then and Now
In 2007, Wesleyan University Press will celebrate its 50th birthday. A lot has
happened in those 50 years. The Press has published more than 1,000 books, and
won four Pulitzer Prizes and three National Book Awards, while its poetry list
was recently hailed by The New York Times as “remarkable for its
longevity and reputation of excellence.” Join the Press’s founding director and
current director to discover the history of this remarkable institution. Browse
the shelves in the Press’s library, meet the staff, and hear how recent trends
in technology are influencing the mission and practice of academic publishing,
and how a small press continues to publish great books.
Presenters: Willard A. Lockwood ’46 P’78, founding director, Wesleyan
University Press; Suzanna L. Tamminen, ’90, MALS ’96, director, Wesleyan
University Press
Location: Wesleyan University Press, 215 Long Lane
Friday, 1:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 6
Reflections of World War II Veterans
Join alumni veterans of World War II for a roundtable conversation about the
mood of the country and on the Wesleyan campus during the tumultuous war years.
Hear firsthand stories about when these alumni enlisted, how long they served,
where they were stationed, and how the war affected them at the time and in the
years that fol-lowed.
Presenters: Henry B. Anderson ’40, MA’48; George Morrill ’42, MA’57
Location: Kerr Lecture Hall, Hall-Atwater, Church Street (formerly
Shanklin 107)
Friday, 2 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 7
The Senior Thesis—A Showcase for Academic Excellence
The senior thesis is a year-long, in-depth project that provides students with a
unique opportunity to explore fresh ideas and produce new knowledge. In this
session, we highlight several senior theses representing a cross section of
student research and creative output from the natural sciences, social sciences,
and arts and humanities. Students will share their work and discuss the
processes that guided their investigations.
Moderator: David Phillips, dean for the Class of ’06
Presenters:: Students to be announced after completion of senior theses
in spring 2006.
Location: Room 116, Judd Hall, 207 High Street
Friday, 2:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 8
In Pursuit of Highway Safety
We’re a nation that loves cars and the mobility they afford us. But this
mobility has always been balanced against the number of serious injuries and
deaths associated with our highways. In trying to improve safety, many changes
have been made in vehicle design, and much new legislation has been passed. Most
vehicles now have air bags, and new drivers are awarded driving privileges
incrementally in many states. Laws have also been passed requiring seat belt use
and deterring alcohol-impaired driving. Join this international authority on
highway safety for his assessment of the progress we’ve made and the most
challenging issues we face to-day.
Presenter: Allan Williams ’61, P’89, former senior vice president and
chief scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Dr. Williams is a
social psychologist whose research helped form the basis for child restraint
laws, seat belt law enforcement programs, minimum drinking age legislation, and
graduated licensing for beginning drivers.
Location: Room 58, Exley
Science Center, 265 Church Street
Friday, 3 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 9
Lost—and Found—Wesleyan
Wesleyan, like any institution, is constantly changing. From architecture to
student customs, many aspects of Wesleyan have been lost or changed over years.
At the same time, new evidence of the past is found, new buildings are built,
and new customs are forged. Join university archivists for an in-depth look at
artifacts and images of a Wesleyan that is now lost or changed, and see newly
discovered materials related to Wesleyan’s past. This program is limited to 20
participants.
Presenters: Valerie Gillispie, assistant university archivist; Suzy
Taraba ‘77, university archivist and head of Special Collections
Location: Davison Rare Book Room, Olin Memorial Library
Friday, 3:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 10
Lost Battalions: The Great
War and Crisis of American Nationality
During the bloodiest days of World War I, no soldiers served more valiantly than
the African-American troops of the 369th Infantry—the fabled Harlem Hell
Fighters—and the legendary “lost battalion” composed of “undesirable” New York
City immigrants (largely Jews) drawn from the 77th Division, known as the Statue
of Liberty Division. Though these men had lived up to their side of the bargain
as loyal American soldiers, earning the right to first-class citizenship, the
country to which they returned chose to maintain and even extend Jim Crow and
other laws and patterns of social behavior that had stigmatized them. In his
latest book, Lost Battalions, Professor Richard Slotkin takes the pulse
of a nation struggling with social inequality during a decisive historical
moment. Join him for an interactive dis-cussion of the social history chronicled
in his book.
Presenter: Richard Slotkin, Olin Professor of English and professor of
American studies, and author of Abe: A Novel of the Young Lincoln;
Gunfighter Nation: The Myth of the Frontier in Twentieth-Century America;
and Lost Battalions: The Great War and Crisis of American Nationality.
Professor Slotkin is a 1999 recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in
Teaching.
Location: Memorial Chapel
Friday, 4:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 11
Hard Cider: Rediscovering a New England Classic
John Adams had a mug for breakfast every day; Robert Frost celebrated it in his
poetry. Hard cider, the fermented juice of selected blends of special cider
apples, used to be the vin du pays of New England, until Prohibition
drove it underground in the twentieth century. Now, though, thanks to Stephen
Wood and Louisa Spencer of Leba-non, New Hampshire, you can again taste
cider—hard cider—at its very best. Since 1987, this dedicated couple has been
cultivating dozens of classic apple varieties and exploring techniques of
fermentation, blending, and aging to create vintages that are clean, complex,
deliciously subtle, and uniquely reflective of the New England landscape. Join
them for a tasting of their ciders, and discover why they have garnered rave
reviews from critics at The New York Times, Saveur, Food and
Wine, and Martha Stewart Living.
Presenters: Suzanne O’Connell, associate professor of earth and
environmental sciences and her husband, garden writer Thomas Christopher, are
home cider “vintners” in Middletown. Stephen Wood and Louisa Spencer are the
owners of Farnum Hill Ciders in Lebanon, N.H.
Location: Kerr Lecture Hall, Hall-Atwater, Church Street (formerly
Shanklin 107)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 12
To Kitt Peak and Back
Astronomy is an experimental science, and the observatory is the astronomer’s
laboratory. One of the goals of Astronomy 211, a sophomore-level general
education course, is to bring part of the research experience to the classroom
by introducing students to astronomical instrumentation and observational
techniques. In spring 2005, it was the other way around: students went to Kitt
Peak National Observatory in Arizona to participate in their instructor’s
research. Meet the students who joined Professor Moran in Arizona; see their
pictures and learn firsthand about their research results, and the impact of the
trip on their future plans.
Presenters: Edward Moran, assistant professor of astronomy and a frequent
visitor to Kitt Peak since 1991; Raomej Caro ’07; Seth Cohen ’07; Christopher
Dieck ’07; Matthew Johnson ’07 (three of whom are now majoring in astronomy)
Location: Hansel Lecture Hall,
Public Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church Street (formerly PAC 001)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 13
Protocols of Zion
Despite all the evidence to the contrary, many people around the world continue
to blame the Jews for the tragedy of 9/11. This belief is a modern-day
incarnation of the infamous forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,
a hundred-year-old book falsely believed to contain the Jews’ master plan to
rule the world. In the documentary film, Protocols of Zion, veteran
filmmaker Marc Levin ’73 challenges this persistent and insidious conspiracy
theory and explores its resurgence of popularity in modern times. Join us for a
screening of the film followed by a discussion with Levin and co-producer
Jennifer Tuft ’01.
Introduction: Jeanine Basinger, Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies,
curator of the Cinema Archives, Chair of the Film Studies Department, and a 1996
recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence.
Presenters: Marc Levin ’73, P’05, award-winning filmmaker, whose film
SLAM won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize in 1998 and the Camera D’Or at the
Cannes Film Festival; Jennifer Tuft ’01, independent film producer.
Location: The Goldsmith Family
Cinema, Center for Film Studies, 301 Washington Terrace
Friday, 8 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 14
Duet: A Performance By Eiko & Koma
Since 1972, Japanese-born choreographers/dancers Eiko & Koma have created a
unique and riveting theater of movement out of stillness, shape, light and
sound. Broadly trained, they studied with Kazuo Ohno in Japan, Manja Chmiel in
Germany, and Lucas Hoving in the Netherlands before moving to New York in 1976.
Since then, Eiko & Koma have presented their works in theaters, universities,
museums, galleries, and festivals worldwide, including five appearances at BAM’s
Next Wave Festival and a month-long “living” gallery installation in the Whitney
Museum of American Art. Recently Eiko & Koma’s focus has been to present their
outdoor works—River, The Caravan Project, Offering, and Tree Song—as free events
in public sites. Join them for a performance of their original work Duet, which
Margo Jefferson from The New York Times reviewed, saying “I don’t think
anyone in the theater dared to breathe . . .” Following the performance, the
artists will answer questions and talk about their three decades of dance.
Presenters: Eiko Otake P’07 and Takashi “Koma” Otake P’07 are performance
artists and MacArthur Fellows whose work has been honored on five continents.
Eiko is one of 11 founding artists of the Center for Creative Research (CCR), a
pilot project designed to promote long-term relationships between innovative
movement artists and academic institutions. She is currently a CCR Resident
Artist at Wesleyan.
Cosponsor: The Freeman Asian/Asian American Initiative
Location: World Music Hall, Center for the Arts
Saturday, May 27
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 15
After Wesleyan: A Conversation
with Members of the Class of 1951
The Class of 1951 was a mid-term class in every way; 225 students began with the
class in 1947 and 193 graduated in 1951—mid-century, and between two wars. WWII
was just over and the “police action” in Korea made it a war in every sense.
Many in the class had served in the “Big War,” and many more found themselves
serving during the Korean engagement. As a class, 1951 was filled with leaders
in medicine, science, academia, business, and in the non-profit world. 51-ers
also stood out for their devotion to Wesleyan and set records year after year
for attendance at class reunions and for their support of the university.
Catch-up with members of this remarkable class and find out what it was that
propelled so many of them into positions of leadership.
Moderator: Ralph “Biff” Shaw ’51, P ’79, Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Middlesex County Community Foundation, a group that provides
support for local programs related to health, human services, the arts, and the
environment, and retired Chairman and CEO of Farmers and Mechanics Bank in
Middletown, CT.
Presenters: Charles Exley Jr. ’51, P ’83, GP ’00, retired CEO and Chairman of NCR
and former Wesleyan Trustee; Kenneth Kenigsberg ’51, P ’89, retired pediatric
surgeon, currently working in the laboratory on sepsis as a post-doctoral
research fellow; David Trask ’51, former chief historian for the U.S. Federal Government
and retired professor of history, SUNY, at Stony Brook
Location: Room 116, Judd Hall,
207 High Street
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 16
Green Street Arts Center: An Important Town-Gown Collaboration
It's been said that art can transform individuals as well as neighborhoods and
communities. With this goal in mind, Wesleyan, in collaboration with the City of
Middletown, the North End Action Team (NEAT), and other local community groups,
has renovated a three-story, 12,800-square-foot building in Middletown’s North
End. The former public school building, built in 1878, has been completely
redesigned by the renowned Centerbrook Architects and provides a
state-of-the-art facility for community enrichment programs. Get acquainted with
GSAC by joining us for a lively presentation, which will be followed by a short
tour of the center. Transportation will be provided to and from the center and
our drivers promise to return all visitors to campus in plenty of time for the
annual parade.
Presenters: Janis Astor del Valle, interim director, Green Street Arts
Center; Maritza Quiñones, president, North End Action Team and After-School
Program Assistant, Green Street Arts Center
Note: University shuttles will be available across campus to provide
transportation to the Center between 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Friday and between 10
a.m.–2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Location: Room 210, Risk Hall, 262 High Street
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.
Voices of Liberal Learning: WESeminar 17
Religion and Film
Professors Zwelling and Gottschalk argue that films in contemporary cultures do
many of the same things that religion does. They shape our thinking, reinforce
prevailing myths and create new ones, influence moral codes, and construct and
perpetuate social values. Join them for a viewing of short film clips and a
discussion of some of the topics addressed in their new course, “Relgion and
Film,” offered in spring 2006.
Presenters: Jeremy Zwelling, associate professor of religion and director
of the Jewish and Israel Studies Certificate Program; Peter Gottschalk,
associate professor of religion
Location: Kerr Lecture Hall,
Hall-Atwater, Church Street (formerly Shanklin 107)
Saturday, 10 a.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 18
The Impact of Sports in American
Society
Many Americans schedule their lives around Superbowl Sunday, the Final Four, the
World Series, the U.S. Open, and other major sports events. And they enroll
their children as young as 4 or 5 years old in organized sports such as Little
League Baseball, Pee Wee Basketball, Youth Soccer, Midget Football, and Mite
Hockey. Sports metaphors dominate headlines and sound-bites, and a high-five has
become a standard greeting among friends. How does this focus on sports in
America influence our culture, and what does the investment of time and money
mean for our economy? Check your game plan and join the huddle as we talk about
the impact of sports in America.
Presenter: Bob Whitsitt P’06, consultant and former president of the
Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trailblazers, and Seattle Supersonics; Jed Hoyer ’96,
Assistant General Manager, Boston Red Sox
Location: Room 150, Exley
Science Center, 265 Church Street
Saturday, 10 a.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 19
Healing Our Bodies—Healing the
Planet
Classmates Joel Kreisberg and Tom Land are environmental advocates who
care greatly about the future of our planet. But their stewardship springs from
two very different places. Kreisberg is a medical professional and a health
educator who believes medical schools aren’t teaching practitioners about the
environmental effects of medicine. To address this, he created the Teleosis
Institute, which educates healthcare professionals about ecologically
sustainable medicine. Land is a mainstream environmentalist who works for the
EPA and studies changes in the Earth’s stratosphere, the atmospheric layer that
protects us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
Join these committed environmentalists for an honest discussion about the many
things we can do to heal our bodies, and, at the same time, heal the planet.
Presenters: Joel Kreisberg ’81, executive director of the Teleosis
Institute, doctor of chiropractic, and certified classical homeopath; Thomas
Land ’81,manager of Inter-national Programs, Stratospheric Ozone Layer Division,
Office of Atmospheric Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Location: Room 121, Exley
Science Center, 265 Church Street
Saturday, 10 a.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 20
The Making Of Cambodian Stories
Cambodian Stories is a stunning collaboration between Japanese-born
choreographers and dancers Eiko & Koma and 10 young artists who study at the
Reyum Painting Collective in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Known for their unique and
riveting theater, Eiko & Koma use Cambodian stories to explore the intersection
of youthful bodies and the Cambodian landscape, reaching across boundaries of
language, culture, and art form. Join them for a review of the April performance
at Wesleyan, which featured music composed by alumnus Sam-Ang Sam ’89 PhD, and
was the only New England stop on an 11-city U.S. tour. The program will include
a 23-minute film clip of the spring performance.
Presenters: Eiko Otake P’07 and Takashi “Koma” Otake P’07 are performance
artists and MacArthur Fellows whose work has been honored on five continents.
Their most recent works have been site-adaptable outdoor performance
installations; Samuel Miller ’75, P’09, is president of Leveraging Investments
in Creativity and was the former director of the New England Foundation for the
Arts (NEFA) in Boston, Mass., where he pioneered the National Dance Project and
Cambodian Artists Project.
Location: Seminar Room, Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies,
343 Washington Terrace
Saturday, 10 a.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 21
A Rational Drug Policy for
Contemporary America
Reunion & Commencement Weekend is a time for reflection, and many will recall
the impact that drug use had on their experiences on campus. Those who were at
Wesleyan (and elsewhere across the country) during the ’60s and ’70s
participated in a great cultural change that was pivotal in the development of
modern drug policy. The nation has moved from the “War on Drugs” metaphor to a
public health approach, to prevention, intervention and treatment, Andrea
Barthwell ’76 has been at the center of defining a rational drug policy. Please
join her as she recalls her campus experiences, examines the impact of the ’60s
and ’70s on contemporary drug policy, and discusses her experiences in the White
House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Presenter: Andrea Barthwell ’76, founder and CEO, EMGlobal LLC, a global
healthcare and policy consulting firm; and former deputy director for Demand
Reduction in the Office of National Drug Control Policy, serving as a principal
advisor in the Executive Office of the President on policies aimed at reducing
the demand for illicit drugs
Sponsored by: the Black Alumni Council
Location: Hansel Lecture Hall,
Public Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church Street
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 22
Philip Trager: A Retrospective
For 30 years Philip Trager balanced simultaneous careers as a lawyer and as a
photographer renowned internationally for his images of architecture and modern
dance. The exhibition, “Philip Trager: A Retrospective,” celebrates his
insightful eye and immaculate skill with the camera. On display at both the
Davison Art Center and Zilkha Gallery, the exhibition includes Trager’s early
photographs of Connecticut, dramatic views of Manhattan, and emblematic images
of the Italian villas of Palladio. In photographs of Mark Morris, Ralph Lemon,
Eiko and Koma, and other dancers, Trager captured the energy and movement of
modern dance. Throughout his career, Trager has maintained a close relationship
with Wesleyan. A notable highlight was the portfolio Wesleyan Photographs,
1982, in which Trager recorded the architecture of Wesleyan with fresh eyes.
Join Trager in the Zilkha Gallery to hear more about his art and life.
Introduction: Clare Rogan, curator, Davison Art Center
Presenter: Philip Trager ’56, P ’81, former attorney, and critically
acclaimed photographer whose work has been exhibited by the Witkin Gallery in
New York, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Bibliothèque Nationale in
Paris. His work is included in numerous museum collections including the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Smithsonian
Institution.
“Philip Trager: A Retrospective” has been organized by the Davison Art Center
together with the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio. The
exhibit will travel to various venues including the Library of Congress.
Location: Zilkha Gallery,
Center for the Arts
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 23
Moving America—A Discussion Of
American Transportation Today And Tomorrow
America’s transportation system has always played a key role in connecting
the nation’s regions and in assuring our economic prosperity. Investments in
river navigational improvements, ports, canals, railroads, aviation, and
highways have also shaped our communities and influenced our environment. Now,
on the 50th anniversary of the authorization of the Interstate Highway program,
America faces fundamental questions about the capacity, efficiency, safety, and
security of the nation’s transportation system. What is the role of the Federal
government in transportation? How can we assure that the nation’s system of
highways, railroads, and other surface transportation modes will continue to
provide for economic competitiveness and sustainable communities? What are our
priorities, and how will the necessary transportation investments be financed?
Presenters: Richard Adelstein, professor of economics and a 1993
recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching; Emil Frankel ’61, senior vice president, Parsons Brinckerhoff,
an international transportation engineering and consulting company, former
assistant secretary for transportation policy with the U.S. Department of
Transportation, and Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation
from 1991–1995; Robert Gallamore ’63, professor of managerial economics and
director of the Transportation Center, Northwestern University
Location: Hansel Lecture Hall,
Public Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church Street (formerly PAC 001)
Saturday, 3 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 24
Argentine Tango
Argentine Tango often conjures up
images of dancers with roses between their teeth, sequined dresses, and entwined
legs. Caroline Peattie and her husband Christopher Nassopoulos were attracted to
the social variations of the Tango they saw in the clubs of Buenos Aires and
wanted to introduce people to the subtleties of this sublime form of dance. They
have been dancing, teaching, and performing around the country together since
1998, and have taught the social form of Argentine Tango to people with
professional dance backgrounds as well as to those who claim to have two left
feet. They emphasize connection, musicality, and simplicity in their teaching
and their own dance. They also bring backgrounds of martial arts, yoga, pilates,
and other forms of movement to their teaching. Join them for a fun and relaxed
introduction to the Argentine Tango.
Presenters: Caroline Peattie ’81, Executive Director, Senior Fair
Housing, San Rafael, California and professional dance instructor who
specializes in the Argentine Tango; Christopher Nassopoulos, importer of fine
Greek foods by day and Argentine tanguero at night
Location: Bessie Schonberg
Dance Studio, 247 Pine Street
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 25
Parenting Through the Admission
Process
Nancy Hargrave Meislahn, dean of admission and financial aid, will moderate a
panel of Wesleyan-connected parents to share lessons learned from taking their
own children through the college search process. Come hear advice about the
roles for parents as families go through the increasingly complex and often
stressful college admission process.
Presenters: Nancy Hargrave Meislahn, dean of admission and financial aid;
Barbara-Jan Wilson, vice president for university relations and former dean of
admission and financial aid; Gregory Pyke, senior associate dean of admission;
Carol Scully P’08, director of foundation and corporate relations; Irma V.
González ’78, P ’09, Director of Communications and Development, Proteus Fund,
and former Wesleyan Trustee
Location: Room 002, Public
Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church Street
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 26
From Civil Union to Marriage Equality
How did the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender civil rights movement that
articulated fundamental challenges to traditional sexuality and family find
itself fighting for marriage equality? Can a struggle for traditional rights
lead to transformational social change? Will laws providing civil unions lead to
full marriage rights? Join long-time lesbian and feminist activist Leslie
Gabel-Brett for a discussion about the current LGBT fight for marriage equality
in Connecticut and across the country.
Presenter: Leslie J. Gabel-Brett ’76 is executive director of the
Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) and former
chairperson of the state’s Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. She
currently serves on the steering committee of Love Makes a Family, an
organization fighting for full marriage equality. She and Carolyn, her partner
of 26 years, were married in Massachusetts last year.
Location: Kerr Lecture Hall, Hall-Atwater, Church Street (formerly
Shanklin 107)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 27
Risk, Ethics, and
Entrepreneurship
Has American business entered a new phase? Is there a changed culture in the
U.S. economy, with restatements of earnings, revelation of corporate misdeeds,
and legislative reaction in Washington? Have ethical standards been mislaid as
risk has increased? Have leadership and entrepreneurship become more difficult?
Is the current climate an unnecessary drag on the market economy? Join these
savvy business leaders for an in-depth discussion about whether our current
education system is up to the task of preparing corporate leaders, citizens, and
politicians for the challenges of the 21st century?
Moderator: Richard Miller, Woodhouse/Sysco Professor of Economics
Presenters: Timothy Dibble ’86, a managing general partner of Alta
Communications, Inc., a venture capital firm based in Boston that specializes in
equity in-vestments in media, telecommunications, and Internet services
companies; Charles Exley Jr. ’51, P’83, retired CEO and Chairman of NCR and
former Wesleyan Trustee; Cornelia “Connie” McCann ’76, former
Wesleyan Trustee, and managing director of Spencer Stuart’s North American
Financial Services Practice, who has led a wide range of searches for senior
executives
Location: Memorial Chapel
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 28
Before Christopher Columbus
There Was Zheng He
Zheng He was a towering maritime figure who stands out in the annals of China’s
4,000 year history. He is considered a visionary who imagined a new world
be-yond China’s borders and set out to find it, 80 years before Christopher
Columbus set sail. A Muslim captured by the Chinese as a young boy, Zheng He
became a confidant of the Chinese emperor Zhu Di, who ultimately chose him to
lead one of the most powerful fleets ever assembled. Between 1405–1433, Zheng
made seven voyages for China, commanding the great baochuan, the “treasure
ships,” believed to have been the largest wooden ships ever launched. Zheng He’s
nine-masted ships, with 400-foot long decks, sailed more than 10,000 miles from
Nanjing to Africa’s Swahili coast. From the beginning, his fleet mixed business
with explora-tion and diplomacy, carrying more than a million tons of Chinese
silk, ceramics, and copper coinage to be exchanged for tropical spices, fragrant
woods, and precious gems. Join National Geographic photographer Mike
Yamashita, back by popular demand, on a photographic journey sailing the routes
of Zheng He, and meet the 15th-century explorer he came to know.
Presenter: Michael Yamashita ’71, a veteran photographer for National
Geographic who specializes in Asian topics and whose books include Marco
Polo: A Photographer’s Journey; Mekong: A Journey of the Mother Waters;
and Zheng He (to be available in fall 2006)
Location: Room 150, Exley
Science Center, 265 Church Street
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 29
Schooling in America—Is it Possible to Fix?
Join two Wesleyan alumni—one a founder of two different schools, the other a
former state commissioner of education and now overseer of a major urban high
school re-form initiative—as they lead an interactive exploration of the future
of education in the United States. Will our schools ever be able to prepare “all
children” for the kind of experience a place like Wesleyan provides? How will we
fix the thousands of schools in need of educational repair, or should we? What
is No Child Left Be-hind—the good, the bad, and the ugly? Don’t miss this
opportunity to engage with people who are doing the work in a non-jargon,
participatory workshop. You will never think about K-12 education the same way
again!
Presenters: Michele Pierce ’91, cofounder of two schools and currently
executive director of the Harriet Tubman Charter School, Bronx, N.Y.; Nicholas
Donohue ’81, Special Master, Inner City High School, Providence, R.I. and former
commissioner, Department of Education, State of New Hampshire
Location: Room 58, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street
Saturday, 3 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 30
Winning Customer Loyalty with Personal Touches or “Hugs”
Jack Mitchell is a master of customer service who likes to share his secrets for
building long-lasting business relationships. And, he has a lot to share because
he’s been a highly successful retailer since 1969 when he joined his family’s
business, Ed Mitchell, Inc., in Westport, Connecticut. Since then, the business
has grown into Mitchells of Westport and acquired Richards, the leading men’s
clothing store in Greenwich, Connecticut. Today, Jack and his family, plus a
team of loyal staff, manage both stores, enjoying record sales and intensely
loyal customers. The family’s winning manner is best captured in Jack’s mantra
Hug Your Customers. Join this extraordinary retailer, who has agreed to
step out of his Westport store (but insists on bringing his tape measure), for a
rare Saturday appearance, to offer his “deceptively simple” but winning advice
on building professional relationships that last.
Presenter: John “Jack” R. Mitchell ’61, CEO and chairman of Mitchells of
Westport, Richards of Greenwich, and Marshs in Huntington, Long Island. He is
the author of Hug Your Customers—The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and
Achieve Astounding Results and an internationally acclaimed motivational
speaker. He is married to Linda Mitchell, who is the women’s buyer for Mitchells/Richards/Marshs;
their four sons also hold senior positions in the family business.
Location: Room 116 Judd Hall, 207 High Street
Saturday, 3 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 31
Working in Hollywood
Join this conversation with some of Hollywood’s most successful alumni.
Moderator: Jeanine Basinger, Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies,
curator of the Cinema Archives, chair of the Film Studies Department, and a 1996
recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching
Presenters: Paul Schiff ’81, producer of the films My Cousin Vinny
and Rushmore; Bradley Whitford ’81, actor, currently appearing in the
television drama, The West Wing
Location: The Goldsmith Family Cinema, Center for Film Studies, 343
Washington Terrace
Saturday, 3 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 32
Gamelan Workshop
Dominated by colorful, bronze percussion instruments, the gamelan ensemble
features gongs, bronze and wooden xylophones, two-headed drums, a female
soloist, and a male chorus. Some of the instruments date back to the 12th
century in Java, an Indonesian island located between Sumatra and Bali. The
music is considered a communal expression, with no single instrument separated
from the whole sound of the ensemble, and is based on several melodic layers
framed by the striking of gongs. Gamelan music is frequently used in Javanese
ceremonies including weddings and village cleansings, and as an accompaniment
for dance and puppet theater. Join us for this lively, hands-on workshop and get
some real experience playing the gamelan.
Presenters: I. M. Harjito, artist-in-residence, Music Department; Darsono,
visiting gamelan instructor, Music Department; Sumarsam, chair and adjunct
professor, Music Department. Former gamelan students are welcome to join the
workshop.
Location: World Music Hall,
Center for the Arts
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 33
Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture
The experience of childhood has changed dramatically in recent years. Children
are the targets of an ongoing barrage of advertising and marketing, and they
have be-come avid consumers, with substantial buying power, definitive brand
tastes, and an enthusiasm for many marketed products. How did this happen and
what are the con-sequences? How does it affect children's well-being? What can
parents do to help their children maintain a healthy relationship to consumer
culture? Learn about sociologist Juliet Schor’s firsthand research inside
advertising agencies and her pioneering study of our consumer culture.
Presenter: Juliet Schor ’75, professor of sociology, Boston College, and
author of Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture;
The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don’t Need; and The
Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure
Location: Hansel Lecture Hall, Public Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church
Street
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 34
The Future of the Newspaper: Views From The Trenches
Journalism has never been under as much pressure as it is now. Join four news
veterans for a frank discussion about how their news organizations deal with
governments (in Washington and elsewhere), war coverage, credibility challenges,
and intense political and market pressures.
Introduction by: Daniel Haar ’81, business and economics columnist,
Hartford Courant
Moderator: Alberto Ibarguen ’66, P’97, longtime publisher of The Miami
Herald and now director of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Presenters: Ethan Bronner ’76, deputy foreign editor of The New York
Times; Alan Miller ’76, Pulitzer-prize winning investigative reporter for
The Los Angeles Times; David Lynch ’81, USA Today staff writer and
former Beijing bureau chief
Location: Cinema, Center for the Arts
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 35
Making the Dream of Family a Reality: Current Issues in Donor
Insemination
Historically donor insemination has been shrouded in secrecy and restricted to
married heterosexual couples. But over the past two decades, there has been a
growing movement toward disclosure and family diversity. Join Alice Ruby, who
directs the nation’s only nonprofit sperm bank for a discussion of current sperm
donation issues including open-identity donation and meetings between biological
half-siblings. Attention will be given to legal issues for lesbians and sin-gle
women, to the implications of recent regulations for gay donors, and to
international trends.
Presenter: Alice Ruby ’91, executive director, The Sperm Bank of
California.
Location: Kerr Lecture Hall,
Hall-Atwater, Church Street (formerly Shanklin 107)
Saturday, 4 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 36
Lapping America: A Man, A Corvette, and the Interstates
June 29, 2006 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Dwight D. Eisenhower
System of Interstate and Defense Highways, the largest public works project in
history. Lapping America, published to coincide with the golden
anniversary hoopla, details a 10,000-mile journey made by Bud Smith around the
perimeter of the 48 states, traveling solely on the interstates. His grand lap
of America, made in a ’96 Corvette in the fall of 1999, was a millennial tribute
to the Interstate System. En route he planted a millennial banner in the four
corners of the country and interviewed more than 100 people as to their opinions
of the interstates. Neither paean nor apology for Ike’s ribbon of concrete,
Lapping America seeks to put the cult of “blue highways” into a much-needed
perspective. Join Bud for a bit of interstate history and the search for the
perfect interstate ride, and be sure to pack your own interstate experiences.
Presenter: Claude “Bud” Smith ’66, professor of English at Ohio Northern
University, is an author whose work has been variously translated into French,
Danish, Swedish, Russian, and Chinese; Lapping America is his seventh
book.
Location: Room 58, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street
Saturday, 4 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 37
Five Years Out
Alumni from the Class of 2001 have been up to all kinds of things since they
left campus. Some have become teachers, joined the Peace Corps, published
magazines, or sold stocks. Others are actors, directors, designers, musicians,
or writers. Many are job hunting, and some are still trying to figure it all
out. Join members of the class for some hardcore catching up on where life has
taken them in their first five years out.
The panel will include time for discussion by alumni in attendance. The Class of
2001 welcomes members of the Class of 2006 to come hear about the first five
years out.
Moderator: Louise S. Brown, associate dean of the college, dean for the
Class of 2009, and adjunct lecturer in government
Presenters: Elizabeth Collins Bliss ’01, director of institutional
relations, Children’s Hope Foundation, and formerly a fourth grade teacher in
New York City; Matthew Bourke ’01, exploration geologist, ExxonMobil; Regan
Schubel ’01, assistant director of the Annual Fund for Excellence at
Wesleyan and the former driver of the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile
Location: Room 150, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street
Saturday, 4 p.m.
Voices of
Liberal Learning: WESeminar 38
Ten Years Out
Alumni from the class of 1996 have ventured off in all kinds of directions since
they left campus. Some have followed traditional paths and gone to law school or
medical school; some teach school and manage their own classrooms. Some analyze
financial portfolios, or work as professional headhunters. Others are working
journalists, landscape designers, dancers and choreographers, and professional
chefs. Some 96-ers are between jobs and some are taking a little time to decide
what comes next. Join members of this lively class to find out what everyone’s
been up to in the ten years since they left campus.
Moderator: Michael Sciola, director, Career Resource Center
Presenters: Barret Feldman’96, visiting assistant professor of art, Wesleyan
University; Jed Hoyer ’96, Assistant General Manager, Boston Red Sox; Alison
Schwartz ’96, general manager of Blue Man Productions
Location: Room 210, Fisk Hall,
262 High Street
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