Friday, May 23

WESeminar 2

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Rethinking the Civil Rights Movement
Join Professor Donaldson for an exploration of how the history of the civil rights movement is commonly taught to lay audiences. Using video footage and primary documents, he will also present revisionist approaches to civil rights history, consider alternative means of interpretation, and investigate largely unknown events and personalities from the period.

Presenter: Bobby Donaldson ’93, assistant professor of history and African American studies, University of South Carolina, teaches courses in United States history, and African American intellectual and cultural studies, with an emphasis on the American South; and Wesleyan Trustee.

Sponsored by: The Alumni of Color (AOC) Network

Location: Hansel Lecture Hall (Room 001), Public Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church Street

Senior Projects in Film Studies
View a series of 16mm films and digital videos made by members of the graduating Class of 2008.

Location: Goldsmith Family Cinema, Center for Film Studies, 301 Washington Terrace

How to Become Your Own Investment Manager
Ever wish you could improve on your portfolio investment return?  You're not really unhappy with your broker or investment advisor, but a steady increase of two, three, or four percent would allow you to fulfill your summer vacation dreams, redo a couple of rooms in your house, or not be so reliant on scholarships to support your kids' education. If you've had any of these thoughts, becoming your own money manager might well be your answer.  Join this seasoned investment advisor for an interactive session, which he promises will provide useful information and books the confidence of investors of all levels.

Presenter: Cyrus J. Quinn '43, CFA and president, Portfolio Decision Makers, Naples, Florida, Florida, an investment advisory firm, and currently writing a book on the advocacy of portfolio self-management.

Sponsored by: The Alumni of Color (AOC) Network

Location: Room 116, Judd Hall, 207 Church Street

Psi Upsilon Chapter Meeting
Come by the Xi for an update on the state of affairs and to meet brothers young and old.

WESeminar 3

Across and Down Encore!
Resharpen your pencils and wits for yet another hands-on session cram course to help you finish most any crossword puzzle The New York Times hurls at you.  Strategies and tips will be demonstrated by solving a favorite crossword edited by Will Shortz. The session promises another surprise:  the Wesleyan premiere of Wordploy! – a “mockumentary” based on the award-winning 2006 movie Wordplay about the annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.  It’s a hoot!

Presenter: Ed Stein ’60 is a veteran puzzle solver and occasional puzzle constructor for The New York Times, Newsday, and others. He has taught puzzle-solving courses in adult education, classes at senior centers and nursing homes, and has conducted “Day of Discovery” sessions on crossword puzzles for Elderhostel. Ed also produced Wordplay!

Location: Kerr Lecture Hall (Shanklin 107), Hall-Atwater, Church Street

WESeminar 4

Connecticut River Expedition- SOLD OUT
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. Transportation from campus will be provided to and from the boat launch. The overall trip takes approximately four hours. This trip has reached capacity and we are unable to accept new registrations.  If you reserved a space in advance, registrants will depart on Friday, May 23, at 11 a.m., from the Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street.

Presenters: Presenters: 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

The Class Of ’58 Reflects on the Past 50 Years
Join members of the Class of 1958 for a lively conversation about all that’s happened in the last 50 years. They’ll discuss the most significant changes they’ve observed and the most important decisions they’ve made along the way. They’ll reflect on the influence of President Victor Butterfield on them as students, and how their university experience shaped them and propelled them on to surprisingly different paths. Catch up with members of this remarkable class and find out why they believe Wesleyan has been a presence in their lives these last 50 years. This will be a highly interactive program with audience participation from alumni and spouses.

 Location: Woodhead Lounge, Exley Science Center

Wesleyan CareerMaps—Star in Our Video!
Members of the Career Advisory Council will be on campus filming “Industry Roadmaps” for the Career Resource Center Web site. This series of video interviews will consist of industry specific insights from alumni and parents. All are welcome, and we invite you to stop by and participate during the weekend. Filming should take 15 minutes. Share your story about how you found your career path.

Location: Room 002, Public Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church Street

Athletics Hall of Fame Luncheon
Members of the inaugural class of the Wesleyan Athletics Hall of Fame will be honored during a luncheon ceremony hosted by President Michael S. Roth '78.

Inductees:

C. Everett Bacon '13

James I. Wendell '13

Henri R. Salaun '49

William H. Rodgers '70

William S. Belichick '75

Kathryn E. Keeler '78

Barbara Martin Herzlich '81

Norman J. Daniels, Coach

Football Team, 1946-1948

By invitation only.

Location: Beckham Hall, Fayerweather

Luncheon for WESeminar Presenters and Members of the WESeminar Committee
By invitation only.

Location: Tent (with black flag), North College Lawn

Campus Walking Tour
Come see what has changed since the last time you were on campus. Alumni, families, prospective students, and guests are all welcome. Please wear comfortable attire.

Location: Main entrance, Stewart M. Reid House, Office of Admission, 70 Wyllys Avenue

Welcome Picnic - SOLD OUT
The Welcome Picnic has reached capacity therefore we are unable to accept registrations for this event onsite. A la carte lunch options are available in the Usdan Cafe (1st floor).

 Location: Tent, Russell House, 350 High Street

Senior Class Celebration and Barbecue
The Class of 2008 photo will be taken promptly at 3 p.m.
Hosted by: The Alumni Association and the Wesleyan Fund; catering provided by WesWings

Location: WesWings, 156 High Street

Adventures and Misadventures Doing Business in the Former Soviet Union

Join us for an informal conversation with alumnus Ian Hague ’83, who will share anecdotes, humorous and otherwise, from his fifteen years of travel as an investor in the former Soviet republics. Mr. Hague received his B.A. in Russian languages and pursued graduate studies at the Monterey Institute and Columbia University before co-founding Firebird Capital Management in 1994. Today, Firebird has $3.6 billion in assets under management in 8 funds specializing in equity investment in emerging markets, with an emphasis on the former Soviet Union and emerging Eastern European markets.

Location: Room 116, Judd Hall, 207 High Street  

WESeminar 5

Guardians of the '92: The History of Second Stage
Founded in the fall of 1973, Second Stage, Wesleyan’s student-run theater production team, has helped to sponsor more than 600 individual performances. Funded by The Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA), with strong ties to the Theater Department, Second Stage provides a variety of services to student directors, choreographers, technicians and performers who would otherwise not have access to necessary resources. Second Stage staff members are also responsible for the maintenance of the Patricelli ’92 Theater—formerly Rich Hall, Wesleyan’s original library. Join us as we look at Wesleyan through the eyes of its vibrant student performance community, and as we explore the rich history of Second Stage, the organization that has made student productions at Wesleyan possible for the past 35 years.

Presenters: Jacqueline Chapman ’08, whose senior thesis for the College of Letters documents the history of Second Stage: Suzy Taraba ’77, university archivist and head of special collections, and a College of Letters graduate

Location: Patricelli '92 Theater  

Senior Projects in Film Studies
View a series of 16mm films and digital videos made by members of the graduating Class of 2008.

Location: Goldsmith Family Cinema, Center for Film Studies, 301 Washington Terrace

WESeminar 6

Challenges to the Open University
On September 24, 2007 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran spoke on the campus of Columbia University at the invitation of the School of International and Public Affairs. His appearance stirred protests and debate at the university and beyond. Critics faulted the school for providing the speaker a platform and for legitimating his dangerous policies of threat and hate. Join an alumnus at the center of this controversy and other higher education insiders for a discussion about challenges to the open university and to the free exchange of ideas in the academy.

Moderator: John Finn, professor of government, teaches courses on constitutional law, civil liberties, and jurisprudence, and was a 1994 recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching

Presenters: John H. Coatsworth ’63, dean, School of International and Public Affairs, and professor of international and public affairs and of history, Columbia University; Barbara M. Jones, Caleb T. Winchester University Librarian, Wesleyan University, and secretary, FAIFE (Freedom of Information and Freedom of Expression) Committee, of the International Federation of Library Associations, as well as author of Intellectual Freedom in Academic Libraries, to be published in 2008. Robert Weisbuch ’68, P’09, president, Drew University

Location: Memorial Chapel  

Medical Ethics: A View From the Inside with the Class of 1958
Making ethical decisions about healthcare is not always easy since a variety of circumstances affect the difficult decisions that must be made every day by medical professionals and ethicists. Join members of the class of 1958 as they discuss their experiences in this field and how medical ethics has changed since these classmates began their careers.  This is an interactive session, and audience perspective and participation are welcome.

Moderator: Gary Iseminger ’58, Stephen R. Lewis, Jr. Professor of Philosophy and Liberal Learning, Emeritus, Carleton College and author of several books including Intention and Interpretation

Presenters: Walter W. Karney ‘58, MD, retired navy physician, former program director for the navy’s infectious disease fellowship, and former Chairman of Medicine at the Bethesda Naval Hospital; Charles A. Keck ‘58, MD, retired pediatrician at Group Health of Puget Sound, Olympia, WA, and a federally-funded free clinic, an HMO, and several volunteer clinics in the U.S. and abroad; T. Ramsey Thorp ’58, MD, Ophthalmologist and President of Thorp/Bailey Eye Associates, Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of The Laying on of Hands

Location: Woodhead Lounge, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street

Class of 2008 Photograph

Location: WesWings, 156 High Street

WESeminar 7

A Life in Science
In 1963 Dr. George Allen left Wesleyan with a BA in chemistry and a passion for science. Medical school, a National Institute of Health neurochemistry fellowship, and neurosurgical residency leading to a PhD followed. His interest in science was matched only by his curiosity and gift for invention, which led him to complete important research related to the prevention of strokes, and to develop new tools and technologies widely used today, resulting in a portfolio of more than 100 patents. His inventions include a brain mapping system, resulting in new treatments for Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, obsessive compulsive disorder, and the hope of improved treatment of illnesses such as depression and addiction. Join Dr. Allen as he reflects on the most important things he learned at Wesleyan and in his career, and offers his best advice for students today.

Presenters: George S. Allen ’63, MD, William F. Meacham Professor and chairman, Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Location: Tishler Lecture Hall (Room 150), Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street

Hermes Magazine Networking Reception
All alumni and current students involved with Hermes magazine are invited to a reception to meet each other and celebrate the magazine, as well as discover how the magazine has changed since its founding in 1975.

Location: Wesleyan Student Assembly, 190 High Street

Campus Walking Tour
Come see what has changed since the last time you were on campus. Alumni, families, prospective students, and guests are all welcome. Please wear comfortable attire.

Location: Main entrance, Stewart M. Reid House, Office of Admission, 70 Wyllys Avenue

Eclectic Reception
Join fellow Eclectic brothers and their spouses from the classes of 1950-1960 for a reception.
Location: Zelnick Pavilion

Bharatanatyam Performance by TS Anand Venkatachalam '08
This performance is a tribute to Wesleyan's rich legacy of South Indian classical music and dance, in collaboration with graduate students of Wesleyan and with artists from Connecticut.
Sponsored by: The Adelphic Educational Fund

Location: Crowell Concert Hall, Center for the Arts

WESU-FM Alumni Reception
Come mingle with DJs and staff from years past in WESU's studio space on Broad Street.  Catch up on the latest news, awards, and innovative programming changes at Wesleyan's own radio station: alternative free-form community radio since 1939!  Light refreshments will be served.

Location: 2nd Floor, WESU Studio, 45 Broad Street

Champagne Reception for Graduating Seniors and Their Families
Hosted by: Robert and Joan Young, parents of Jesse '06 and Zachary '08, Dave '78 and Leslie Rosenthal, parents of James '08 and Elise '11; and other proud parents of the Class of 2008

Location: Tent, Russell House, 350 High Street  

Alumni Happy Hour
Not planning to attend a WESeminar or other event at this time? Meet up with friends and classmates at one of the Reunion Headquarters sites. Cash bar and snacks will be available. ID required.

Locations: Clark Lounge and Patio (Classes of 1927-1978), Nicolson Lounge and Patio (Classes of 1983-1998), and Fauver Frosh Lounge (Class of 2003)

20th Reunion Gathering
Members of the Class of 1988 and their guests are invited to a cocktail reception at Kidcity Children’s Museum, located just blocks from campus on Washington Street. Opened in September, 1998 by Jennifer Alexander ’88, Kidcity is filled with whimsical, play-on sculpture by local artists, including Scott Kessel ’88. Come see the space and catch up with classmates and friends. Children are welcome!
Hosted By: Jennifer Alexander ’88

Location: Kidcity Museum, 119 Washington Street, Middletown, www.kidcitymuseum.com   

President’s Reception Honoring Members of the Donor Associations

By invitation only.

Sponsored by: Richard Swanson '77, Chair, The Wesleyan Fund

Location: Tent, President's House, 269 High Street

Red, Black and GREEN! All-College Dinner
Join friends, classmates, and family members for an informal, eco-friendly buffet dinner.
Bon Appétit, Wesleyan’s campus dining service, will cater a dinner that features food that is fresh, seasonal and minimally processed as well as meat and poultry raised without antibiotics or growth hormones and many of the offerings will come from local farmers and other artisans that are within a 150-mile radius of the University. Most disposable ware in use during this weekend is eco-friendly and is either compostable or biodegradable.
We recognize the power and importance of food. It brings people together, creates a sense of place and a feeling of kinship all of which will be very evident at this dinner and during the rest of the weekend.
Please register on the form enclosed in your printed preliminary brochure, or online.

Location: Tent, Andrus Field

President’s Reception and Dinner in Honor of the 50th Reunion Class of 1958 and Their Guests

The Class of 1958 photo will be taken at this time.
By invitation only.

Location: Campbell Reference Center, Olin Memorial Library

Quasimodal 25th Anniversary Reception and Dinner
By invitation only.

Location: Tent (with black flag), North College Lawn

Shabbat Services
Please join Wesleyan’s Jewish chaplain, Rabbi David Leipziger Teva, and the Wesleyan Jewish community for Shabbat services. All are welcome. No reservations necessary.

Location: The Bayit, 169 High Street  

WESeminar 8

Wesleyan and the Sundance Connection
In 1981 Robert Redford gathered a group of friends in the mountains of Utah to create a program to support new voices in American film. Looking for a natural setting away from the pressures of the marketplace, he believed the Park City, Utah countryside would allow emerging artists to take creative risks and develop films true to their own, unique vision. Since those early days, Sundance has become recognized internationally as a resource for thousands of independent filmmakers, theater, and music artists. Join alumni filmmakers and producers who have premiered films at this prestigious festival for a conversation about the significance of the Sundance Film Festival.

Moderator: Jeanine D. Basinger, Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies, curator of the Cinema Archives, and chair of the Film Studies Department, is a 1996 recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching, and author whose most recent book, The Star Machine, was released in 2007.

Presenters: Matthew Greenfield ’90, vice president of production, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Wesleyan trustee; Peter Saraf ’88, film producer and president of Big Beach, an independent film financing and production company based in New York, whose past films include Little Miss Sunshine, Everything Is Illuminated, Adaptation, The Truth About Charlie, Ulee’s Gold, Mandela, and The Agronomist

Location: Goldsmith Family Cinema, Center for Film Studies, 301 Washington Terrace

Shabbat Dinner
A special Shabbat dinner is planned for returning alumni, graduating seniors, and their families. Together with faculty and staff, we will welcome the Shabbat with song, food, and joyful fellowship. We invite you to be part of what we promise will be a memorable celebration of the Wesleyan Jewish family. All are welcome. Please register on the form enclosed in your printed preliminary brochure, or online.
Sponsored by: Bobby Kaplan ’78, P’09 in honor of Jeremy Zwelling, associate professor of religion and Director, Jewish and Israel Studies Certificate Program

Location: Daniel Family Commons, Usdan University Center

WESeminar 9

Ghost Vaudevillians on the Summerland Circuit: Selections from a Theater Department Honors Project
In the 1920s, amidst the suffering and grief experienced across America as a result of the first World War, the Spiritualist religious movement offered hope to those in mourning that they might be able to reconnect with their lost loved ones. Soon world-famous illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini, following the death of his beloved mother, found himself asking: “Do spirits return?” Ghost Vaudevillians on the Summerland Circuit collages the story of Houdini’s investigation and eventual persecution of Spiritualism—a crusade that eventually found him crossing paths with author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and a mysterious Spiritualist medium from Boston. Ghost Vaudevillians was originally presented in the Patricelli ’92 Theater as a part of Kieran Kredell’s theater department honors thesis. Join us for a performance of selections from the production, followed by a Q&A with the cast, director, and design team.

Presenters: Kieran Kredell ’08, director; Gedney Barclay ’09, stage manager; Sean Chin ’09, Annie Paladino ’09, Emma Sherr-Ziarko ’11, Henry Thornhill ’11, Emily Vallilo ’09, and Benjamin Vigus ’11, cast; Ian Agoos ’10, set design; Matthew Bush ’09, lighting design; Silvie Deutsch ’09, costume design

Location: Theater, Center for the Arts

WESeminar 10

Dance of Life: Javanese Puppet Theater
The shadow-puppet play (Wayang Kulit) is a key component of Javanese performing arts, combining theater, dance, music, and storytelling. The performance features two-dimensional leather puppets with delicate carvings and exquisite hand painting, which express subtle distinctions of character and mood. Presiding over the play, the dhalang (master puppeteer) is seated in the center-front of the screen, where he moves the puppets and narrates, giving voice to the puppets and bringing them to life. He signals musicians and punctuates puppet movements by striking metal plates hung in a wooden box. The Gamelan orchestra, consisting predominantly of gongs and metallophones, provides accompaniment and moves to the foreground when the story is suspended. The Wayang Kulit is important to the Javanese people as a ceremony, linking the past and present, and the sacred and the secular, but is also wonderful entertainment. Join Sumarsam for an introduction to the art of Javanese puppetry, followed by a demonstration of a scene drawn from a Wayang performance.

Presenters: I. M. Harjito, artist-in-residence, music department; Sumarsam, adjunct professor, music department; members of the Wesleyan Gamelan Ensemble

Location: World Music Hall, Center for the Arts

10th Reunion Cocktails
Nothing will make you feel like you're in college faster than improv comedy in a dorm lounge!  Join friends and classmates to kick off 10th Reunion with cocktails and enjoy a special performance by Gag Reflex alumni. For members of the Class of ’98 and guests. Cash bar (ID required).

Location: Reunion Headquarters, Nicolson Lounge

5th Reunion Cocktails
For members of the Class of ’03 and guests. Cash bar (ID required).

Location: Reunion Headquarters, Fauver Frosh Lounge

30th Reunion Dessert Reception
Join members of the Class of '78 and guests for coffee, dessert, and after-dinner cocktails.

Hosted by: The 30th Reunion Co-chairs

Location: Zelnick Pavilion

The New Group 20th Anniversary Concert
In 1988 a new co-ed a cappella group was formed, and today it thrives, bringing some sexy and fun tunes to Wesleyan's campus.  Now the New Group is proud to celebrate its twentieth year of existence, and we're ready to sing!  If you've never seen the New Group perform before, now is your chance.  All of our CDs will be available for purchase after the concert.

Location: Memorial Chapel

Stargazing
Weather permitting, visit the Van Vleck Observatory, where you’ll have an awesome view of the stars through Wesleyan’s telescopes.

Location: Van Vleck Observatory

Academic Department Open House

Astronomy Location: Van Vleck Observatory

Reunion Party at Eclectic
Eclectic parties need no description! All are welcome. Live music (see below for details) and cash bar (ID required).

Location: Eclectic, 200 High Street