Saturday, May 24

President’s Breakfast in Honor of the WESeniors—Classes of 1927 Through 1957
By invitation only.

Location: Beckham Hall, Fayerweather

Annual Family Swim
All are welcome to enjoy a morning swim in the Freeman Athletic Center pool. Towels and light refreshments will be provided.

Location: Wesleyan Natatorium, Freeman Athletic Center, 161 Cross Street

Cardinal Loop Fun Run (2.1-, 3.2-, 4.3-Mile Courses)
Join classmates, friends, and family members for an exhilarating run through campus.

Location: Meet at the base of Foss Hill

Crew Reception and Alumni Row
Relive good times on the water. Coaches Carney and Emery invite all former oarsmen, oarswomen, and friends to gather at the boathouse for an early row.

Location: Macomber Boathouse, 36 Harbor Drive

Breakfast Honoring Kathy Keeler '78 and the Winners of the Dad Vail Regatta

WESeminar 11 Muslims in a Post 9/11 America: Perceptions and Realities
Since 9/11 conflicting images of Muslims have been featured in our national media, some flattering, others not, but all affecting our perceptions and social and political decision making in the United States. Join our panelists for a discussion about the challenges of being Muslim in post 9/11 America and the struggle that continues to test American pluralism today.
Presenters: Peter Gottschalk, associate professor of religion and coauthor of Islamophobia: Making Muslims the Enemy; Imam Sohaib Sultan, Wesleyan’s Muslim chaplain and the author of books about the Qur’an

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

Academic Department Open House

Film Studies Location: Lobby, Center for Film Studies, 301 Washington Terrace

Green Street Arts Center: An Important Town-Gown Collaboration
Transforming lives through the arts underscores the mission of Wesleyan’s Green Street Arts Center. Created in collaboration with the City of Middletown and the North End Action Team (NEAT), the three-story state-of-the-art facility serves as a thriving community arts center helping people to identify and realize their creative potential. Since 2005, approximately 215 Wesleyan students have served as homework helpers and teaching assistants in Green Street’s Afterschool Program; an additional 14 have worked as arts administration assistants in the organization; several others have taught classes, workshops and private music lessons for children and adults. This semester alone, an estimated 20 Wesleyan faculty and staff are engaged in a variety of volunteer and leadership roles at Green Street, including teaching and serving on the Advisory Board. Get acquainted with Green Street by joining us for this 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, director, Green Street Arts Center

Location: Hulley Classroom (Room 210), Fisk Hall, 262 High Street

WESeminar 12 Turbulent Times for the Nation's Workers
Even before the American economy began slumping toward recession, things were surprisingly tough for many of the nation’s 145 million workers. During the economic expansion that began in 2001, corporate profits soared and so did worker productivity, but employee wages languished and health and pension benefits grew worse. With many software jobs going to India, globalization and offshoring have undermined job security for millions of workers. One result of these trends is that entry-level wages for new college graduates are below where they were seven years ago. Low-wage workers are struggling to remain afloat, immigrant workers are facing new challenges, and unions are struggling to organize more workers and elect a worker-friendly president to reverse these trends. On the positive side, some companies continue to treat their workers generously and some unionization drives have improved the lives of thousands of workers. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the work lives of modern-day Americans and a discussion about what we may see in the future.
Moderator: Dan Haar '81, editor, The Hartford Courant

Presenters: Steven Greenhouse ’73 P ’08, labor and workplace reporter for The New York Times and author of The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Workers; Kirk Adams ’73, executive director of the healthcare division of the Service Employees International Union (S.E.I.U.); Jonathan Cutler, associate professor of sociology and a 2005 recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching, and author of Labor’s Time: Shorter Hours, the UAW, and the Struggle for American Unionism

Location: Cinema, Center for the Arts

Mystical Seven Society Annual Meeting

Location: Tent, Davison Art Center Courtyard

Reunion Memorial Service
The service remembers all alumni and specifically honors those who passed away during the past year. Individuals are invited to offer personal remembrances.
Officiant: The Rev. William B. Fryer, Jr. '58

Organist: Ann-Marie Illsley '10

Location: Memorial Chapel

Skull and Serpent Society Annual Meeting

Location: The Tomb, Wyllys Avenue

WESeminar 13 The Long March: An Environmental Agenda for the Next Decade
Conversations about the environment have changed through recent decades: issues have become more complex and new priorities have emerged. Join an ecologist from the environmental heyday of the 1960s and an academic whose research has focused on the preservation of precious resources. They will be joined by students actively involved in Wesleyan’s Environmental Organizers Network who have worked on sustainability initiatives at Wesleyan and secured President Roth’s signature on the Climate Commitment. This panel of dedicated environmentalists will discuss where we have come from, where we need to go, and how we are going to marshal the students of Wesleyan and citizens of the nation to get there.
Moderator: Barry Chernoff, Robert Schumann Professor of Environmental Studies and director of the environmental studies certificate program

Presenters: Suki Hoagland ’78, consulting associate professor of the interdisciplinary graduate program in environment and resources, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University; Izaak Orlansky ’08, member of Wesleyan’s Environmental Organizers Network (EON); Paul Spitzer ’68, lifelong ecologist and educator who is currently completing his first book A World of Familiars

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

Remembering Pete

Peter M. Hunting ’63 was the first Wesleyan graduate to die in the Vietnam War. Immediately following graduation, Pete went to Southeast Asia with a little-known NGO called IVS, the model for the Peace Corps. After two years of working with farmers and students, Pete was killed in an ambush. His death was widely reported as an act of betrayal by Vietnamese friends. Four years ago his youngest sister, Jill, found her brother’s rich eyewitness accounts of life in Vietnam and a war growing around him—letters her mother said had been lost. Jill will talk about where her research has led as she pursued the fundamental question that once haunted her: What happened to Pete?

Presenter: Jill Hunting writes about food and wine from her home in Sonoma, California. A frequent commentator for the NPR-affiliate KQED, she is currently working on a book, Finding Pete: Rediscovering the Brother I Lost in Vietnam. Her proposal to create a Book of Remembrance sculpture to honor civilians claimed by war is before the United States Institute of Peace, in Washington, D.C. Jill can be reached at info@jillhunting.com.

Location: McKelvey Room, Stewart M. Reid Office of Admission

Academic Departments Open Houses

Archaeology Location: Lounge, Downey House, 294 High Street

Classical Studies Location: Lounge, Downey House, 294 High Street

Medieval Studies Location: Lounge, Downey House, 294 High Street

Dedication of Mink Dining Hall
Thanks to the generosity of Tom Kelly '73, we will name the east wing on the second floor of the Usdan University Center in memory of Louis Mink, Professor of Philosophy and College of Social Studies.  All are welcome to attend this brief dedication ceremony and champagne toast.

Location: 2nd Floor, Usdan University Center

WESeminar 14 Building a Business that Benefits Society
In 2000, Jonathan Bush and business associates entered the world of healthcare by introducing a family-friendly birthing center in Southern California, with a model they hoped to replicate in other cities. But, very soon they realized the difficulty of assessing profitability, because of the challenges of processing medical claims and collecting money from insurance companies quickly. With this insight and the belief that other medical practices had to be facing the same challenges, Bush and colleagues began talking about developing software for medical practices that would simplify medical claim preparation, capturing the millions of rules of insurance companies, improving accuracy, and shortening the time it took for doctors to be paid. And with that, Athenahealth was born. Meet these visionary business leaders for an honest talk about moving on from a failed company to becoming a “plucky provider” of health and billing information to America’s physicians—finding their professional niche in a business that benefits society.
Introduction: Richard Adelstein professor Economics and a 1993 recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching

Moderator: Christopher Arndt ’92, principal, Select Equity Group, Inc., New York City

Presenters: Athenahealth colleagues: Jonathan Bush ’93, president and CEO; Carl Byers ’93, chief financial officer; John Lewis ’94, senior associate

Location: Kerr Lecture Hall (Shanklin 107), Hall Atwater, 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

Assemble for the Annual Parade of Classes
Seniors and their families are invited to join alumni for this traditional Wesleyan festivity. The parade is scheduled to begin promptly at 11:30 a.m. and is followed immediately by the Assembly and Annual Meeting.

Location: Observatory Circle, Top of Foss Hill

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

Academic Departments Open Houses

Asian Languages and Literatures Location: Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 343 Washington Terrace

East Asian Studies Location: Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 343 Washington Terrace

Wesleyan Assembly and Alumni Association Annual Meeting Featuring President Michael S. Roth: “Wesleyan Then and Now”
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients: John H. Hobbs ’58, George S. Allen ’63, John P. Lipsky ’68, P’08, Chris Wink ’83, Majora J. Carter ’88
Outstanding Service Award Recipient: Jodi Wilinsky Hill ’78
James L. McConaughy Jr. Memorial Award Recipient: Chuck Stone ’48

Location: Silloway Gymnasium, Freeman Athletic Center, 161 Cross Street

20th Anniversary Celebration of the Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies

Location: Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 343 Washington Terrace

Any senior who signed the Wesleyan Community Climate Agreement will have the opportunity to pick up a green ribbon indicating their commitment to leading a more environmentally conscientious and sustainable lifestyle.  Seniors are encouraged to wear their pins during the Commencement ceremony.

Location: Lobby, North College

Special Collections and Archives Open House
Drop in at the University’s Special Collections and Archives to remember your student days—yearbooks, The Argus, Hermes, face books, and many other historical Wesleyan materials are all here. Chat with SC and A staff about the riches of the University’s rare book collection and how it supports Wesleyan’s educational mission.

Location: Special Collections and Archives and Davison Rare Book Room, Olin Memorial Library

Academic Departments and Programs Open Houses

English Location: Lounge, Downey House, 294 High Street

Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program Location: Lounge, Downey House, 294 High Street

Philosophy Location: Lounge, Downey House, 294 High Street

Science and Society Program Location: Lounge, Downey House, 294 High Street

Freeman Scholars Reception
Freeman Scholars and their families, friends, and alumni are invited to a reception honoring the Freeman Scholars of the Class of 2008.

By invitation only.

Location: Campbell Reference Center, Olin Memorial Library

All-College Picnic and Festival on Foss Hill
Gather under the big tent or picnic on the field with your classmates and families. A lively festival of music plus entertainment and games awaits you on the hill. This event is a great place to connect with friends and family members between WESeminars and other weekend programs. Don’t miss the magic show, face painting, tattoos, caricaturist drawings, and concert with Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem (see listing below). Please register for lunch on the form enclosed in your preliminary brochure, or by using the online form.

Visit the Yearbook table to order the Class of the 2008 Olla Podrida or purchase copies of past yearbooks.

Location: Andrus Field

A Concert with Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
Who can say "no" to four-part harmony and a drum set made of trash?
Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem have been hailed as “one of America’s most inventive string bands” (Boston Herald). Drawing from more than 200 years of American music RADM has “the ability to make everything from mountain folk dirges to raucous jug-band rambles speak in new and noteworthy ways” (Pacific Sun).
Featuring: Scott Kessel ’88 and Anand Nayak ’96, along with Andrew Kinsey and Rani Arbo.

Location: Tent, Andrus Field

Hire the Best—Hire Wes!
Please stop by the Wesleyan Employer Relations table to find out how you can get access to the best new talent by hiring a Wesleyan student for an internship or for entry-level jobs. Alumni members of the Career Advisory Council and staff members from the Career Resource Center will be at the table answering any questions and passing out information on Wesleyan’s Employer Relations program.

Location: Tent, Andrus Field 

Academic Departments Open Houses

Art & Art History Location: Tent, Center for the Arts Courtyard

College of Social Studies (seniors reception) Location: CSS Lounge, Public Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church Street

Music Location: Tent, Center for the Arts Courtyard

Religion Location: Tent, Religious Studies, 171 Church Street

Sociology Location: Tent (with yellow flag), North College Lawn

Theater Location: Tent, Center for the Arts Courtyard

Academic Departments Open Houses

American Studies Location: Center for the Americas, 255 High Street

Latin American Studies Location: Center for the Americas, 255 High Street

Reunion Class Photos
Group photos of the Classes of 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, and 1983 will be taken at this time.

Class of 1963: 2:50 p.m.

Class of 1968: 1:50 p.m.

Class of 1973: 3:10 p.m.

Class of 1978: 1:30 p.m.

Class of 1983: 2:10 p.m.

Location: Meet at the base of Denison Terrace, Andrus Field

WESeminar 15 Blowing Minds and Harmonicas with David "Harp" Feldman
Although cognitive science has fascinated David Feldman since his Judd Hall days, you will never catch him lecturing an audience on the importance of re-routing neural impulses from the hypothalamus to the left prefrontal cortex. Instead, he’ll give every WESeminar attendee a brand new, Wes-customized Mojo^TM harmonica, and guarantee that they’ll play a blues tune within three minutes, while engaging in an eminently entertaining, incredibly interactive, and potentially life-changing musical odyssey through that mysterious and often mutinous entity known as the human mind.
Presenters: David Feldman ’73, P’10, a corporate speaker and professional musician who has taught more than a million people to play the blues harp, and the author of the best-sellers The Three Minute Mediator and Three Minutes to Blues, Rock, and Folk Harmonica, travels extensively teaching organizations to work more cooperatively, more creatively, and with less stress. His clients range from Ben & Jerry’s to the FBI, and he holds the undisputed world’s record—2,569—for Most-People-Taught-to-Play-Harmonica-at-One-Time

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

WESeminar 16 The Birth of Service-Learning at Wesleyan: 10 Years of the Community Research Seminar
When the Class of 1998 arrived on campus a little more than a decade ago, service-learning did not exist at Wesleyan. But, thanks to a few members of the class of ’98 and faculty members, the concept of service-learning was turned into reality. It began with one course, Sociology 316: The Community Research Seminar, which has since established strong roots. Thirty-six research projects have been completed to date by students taking the seminar, resulting in findings that offer tremendous benefits to our local communities. In addition, the program has given rise to the creation of 25 other service-learning courses across the disciplines, allowing dozens of faculty and hundreds of Wesleyan students to participate in this mode of community-based learning. The formation of the Center for Community Partnerships can also be tied to the service-learning venture. Join faculty and students who have been key participants in this initiative for a discussion about the impact and future of service-learning at Wesleyan.

Please join us immediately afterwards for a reception celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Community Research Seminar and the 5th anniversary of the Center for Community Partnerships.

Presenters: Rob Rosenthal, professor of sociology and founding director of the Service-Learning Center; Suzanne O’Connell, associate professor of earth and environmental sciences and current director of the Service-Learning Center; Nina Barrett ’03; Claudia Grace Lesser ’08; Virginia "Ginna" Smith Reeder '98, associate, Cambridge Systematics, Inc., a transportation consulting firm

Location: Room 002, Public Affairs Center, 238 Church Street

WESeminar 17 From Junior Varsity Soccer to Literary, Uh, Stardom: Writers Steve Almond '88 and Rob Wilder '88
An informal discussion about the not-so-incredibly glamorous literary life, led by two extremely irresponsible humorists who also happen to have been JV soccer teammates at Wesleyan. Aspiring writers, new mothers and fathers, and anyone with a sense of humor are encouraged to attend.
Introduction: Anne Greene, adjunct professor of English and director of writing programs, a 2006 recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching, and director of the Wesleyan Writers Conference

Presenters: Steve Almond ’88, author of five books, including My Life in Heavy Metal and, most recently, the essay collection Not that You Asked, lives outside Boston with his wife and baby daughter Josephine; Rob Wilder ’88, author of the essay collections, Daddy Needs a Drink and Tales from the Teachers’ Lounge, has written for Newsweek, Details, and Parenting, and is raising two kids with his wife, while working as a high-school English teacher in Santa Fe

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

Magic Show

Featuring the magic of Christopher Hurlbert, owner of "The Magic of Christopher"
Location: Tent, Andrus Field

WESeminar 18 Music and Modernism in the Graphic Arts, 1860-1910
Utopian ideal or fin-de-siècle decadence? In this gallery conversation, Yonatan Malin and Katherine Kuenzli explore the convergence of music, poetry, and the visual arts in the late 19th-century. The speakers will highlight works in the exhibition, including Henri Fantin-Latour’s homage to Richard Wagner and Max Klinger’s illustrated score of songs by Johannes Brahms. Drawn from the Davison Art Center Collection and Special Collections, Olin Library, the exhibition also includes works by James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Odilon Redon, and others.
Introduction: Clare Rogan, curator, Davison Art Center

Presenters: Katherine Kuenzli, assistant professor of art and art history, has published articles on 19th-century modernism in the visual arts; Yonatan Malin, assistant professor of music, has written on music and text in the 19th-century Lied (German art song)

Location: Davison Art Center Gallery

WESeminar 19 The Economy: Up, Down, Sideways, or All of the Above
The health of the economy—in the U.S. and around the world—has recently taken center stage as unusual events have rocked the global financial system. Are we in a recession or are we simply observing the effects that declining confidence has on actual economic performance, and vice versa? What are the implications for the “man in the street”—should s/he be worried, calm or indifferent? Our distinguished team of economists will present their views and solicit audience comments. And, in typical Wesleyan fashion, they expect absolutely no agreement to emerge, but believe everyone will leave with a good sense of the issues and challenges.
Moderator: Jonathan Spector ’78, chief executive officer, The Conference Board, and former Wesleyan trustee

Presenters: Lael Brainard ’83, Wesleyan trustee and senior fellow at the Brookings Institute (a nonpartisan group that analyzes emerging public policy problems), who worked during the Clinton administration on the National Economic Council and the President’s Council of Economic Advisers; Thomas Kannam, vice president and chief investment officer, Wesleyan University. John Lipsky ’68, P’08, first deputy managing director, International Monetary Fund

Location: Memorial Chapel

WESeminar 20 From Corporate America to the Outer Reaches of the Third World: Working for the Greater Good
Organizations today recognize that they operate in a global economy and have the power to affect—positively or negatively—the communities in which they operate. Increasingly, they are using their resources to uplift people in impoverished communities and to extend professional opportunities to traditionally disenfranchised groups. But for these efforts to be sustained, they must be aligned with organizations’ business strategies and ultimately help both communities as well as the supporting organizations’ bottom lines. Meet alumni who are insuring the socially responsible behavior of a major corporation, providing Internet access in remote third-world villages, and advising on foreign policy in the United States Senate, for a conversation about doing work that is for the greater good.
Moderator: Michael Sciola, director of Wesleyan's Career Resource Center

Presenters: Marcus Chung ’98, senior manager, Social Responsibility, Gap Inc., multinational specialty apparel company operating some of the world’s most well-known brands; Amir Hasson ’98, CEO, United Villages, a company that provides Internet access to villagers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America; Sarah Margon ’98, foreign policy advisor/legislative assistant to Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), formerly a policy advisor with Oxfam America, an international emergency relief and development organization

Location: Room 210, Fisk Hall, 262 High Street

Grandparents Reception
Join other grandparents of graduating seniors for a dessert reception honoring your Wesleyan graduates. Help us celebrate the many successes of these amazing young people.
Hosted by: Larry and Joyce Powell and Rose Jaffe, grandparents of Jeremy Powell ’08

Location: Beckham Hall, Fayerweather

Academic Departments and Program Open Houses

Biology Location: Terrace, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street

Chemistry Location: Terrace, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street

College of Letters Location: COL Lounge, Butterfield Colleges, 25 Lawn Avenue

Earth and Environmental Sciences Location: Terrace, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street

Economics Location: Tent (with red flag), North College Lawn

Government Location: Tent (with red flag), North College Lawn

History Location: Tent (with red flag), North College Lawn

Mathematics and Computer Science Location: Terrace, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Location: Terrace, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street

Neuroscience and Behavior Program Location: Terrace, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street

Physics Location: Terrace, Exley Science Center, 265 Church Street

Psychology Location: Tent (with red flag), North College Lawn

Romance Languages and Literatures Location: Common Room, Romance Languages, 300 High Street

Russian and Russian Languages Location: Common Room, Romance Languages, 300 High Street

WESeminar 21 Akiva Goldsman: The Liberal Arts Tradition in a Hollywood Career
Join this Oscar-winning screenwriter for his thoughts about how a liberal arts background prepared him for his work in film, producing a divers and powerful collection of movies that includes A Beautiful Mind, I Robot, The Davinci Code, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and Batman Forever.

Introduction: 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

Presenter: Akiva Goldsman '83 film producer and award-winning screenwriter who has been called "the industry gold standard in script adaptations"

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

Japanese Tea Ceremony Demonstration and Tour of the Freeman Family Japanese Garden
Presenter: Stephen A. Morrell, Landscape Designer

Location: Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies

Green Street Arts Center Benefit Concert Featuring SteveSongs
Steve Roslonek ’93 has been writing and performing his award-winning music for kids and families for the past ten years. He blends participatory songs, clever stories, and great melodies to create what the Boston Globe called “not just a musical journey but an entertaining, interactive and educational one.” A rising star on the national kids’ music scene, Roslonek has delighted audiences throughout the country, and anyone who has attended a SteveSongs concert appreciates his ability to connect with his audience—from the exuberant children flocking towards the stage, to the mothers bouncing babies with the beat, to the parents and grandparents singing and grooving along. It’s no wonder he has been called a modern day Pied Piper!
Steve has won numerous prestigious awards, including two Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, a Nappa Honor, an iParenting Media Award, and a Children’s Music Web Award. For more information about Roslonek or to listen online, please visit www.stevesongs.com.
The Green Street Arts Center is a project of Wesleyan University created in collaboration with the City of Middletown and the North End Action Team to serve as an anchor for the revitalization efforts underway in the North End of Middletown. Programming in the former schoolhouse at 51 Green Street includes a vibrant after school program, as well as classes and workshops for adults and children in music, dance, visual arts, sound recording, theater, videography, and creative writing. Proceeds from this event will benefit the scholarship fund providing assistance for neighborhood children to attend the AfterSchool Program. For more information about the Green Street Arts Center, visit greenstreetartscenter.org or call (860) 685-7871.
Tickets: Through the Wesleyan Box Office ((860) 685-3355 or wesleyan.edu/boxoffice): $15 per adult or child age 2 and up (includes concert ticket and post-show cookies and milk reception). Free for children under 2. All proceeds will go directly to the Green Street Arts Center.

Location: Crowell Concert Hall, Center for the Arts

WESeminar 22 The Greening of South Bronx
“Green collar jobs” are something politicians are talking about in 2008, but Majora Carter has been pioneering green-collar job training and placement for years, in one of the most unlikely places—the South Bronx. Long infamous for the decay, crime, and political powerlessness that resulted in one of the country’s worst environmental justice dilemmas, the South Bronx is now a model for revitalization. Join this nationally recognized environmental grassroots advocate for a conversation about the link between poverty and the dirty energy economy, and find out how a city in decline can become a leader in forging a cleaner and greener economy.

Presenter: Majora Carter ’88, executive director, Sustainable South Bronx, and 2005 MacArthur Foundation “genius” Fellowship recipient

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

WESeminar 23 Non-Stop News and Information: Golden Era or Age of Decline?
Much has been said about the fate of print journalism and traditional broadcast news in an age of blogs and fast-moving Web reports. Corporate owners of media outlets are struggling to maintain revenues and relevance, in part by joining a revolution in 24-hour delivery. Underneath questions about the changing role of media is a deeper issue: What’s happening to the quality of information available to readers and viewers? Is the gradual demise of large, multi-topic metropolitan news staffs—which filter and present the news—an inevitable result? Is the rise of a million new voices crowding out thoughtful analysis? Join our panelists for a lively discussion about the changing face of news and information, which is shifting politics, business, and culture.
Moderator: Paul Janensch P’93, associate professor of journalism, Quinnipiac University, who has been a newspaper reporter and editor for more than 30 years and comments on news media issues for WNPR Connecticut Public Radio

Presenters: Dina Kaplan ’93, cofounder and COO of blip.tv, the Internet television network focused on the best independently produced TV shows on the Web, who previously worked as an on-air reporter for local NBC affiliates and producer at MTV News; Barbara Roessner ’75, managing editor, The Hartford Courant; John Rose ’78, senior partner and managing director who heads the media practice for Boston Consulting Group

Location: Cinema, Center for the Arts

WESeminar 24 Contemporary African/Modern Dance Techniques
Join us for an introductory level workshop that draws on a diversity of approaches to dance and the moving body, including West African, Afro-Caribbean, African American, and contemporary modern techniques. Steeped in the rich cultural context of the African Diaspora, we will explore both traditional and original movement that emphasizes our relationship to our community, the music, and our inner experience. This high-energy movement class assumes no previous dance experience and is open to all who are willing to move. Comfortable clothing is recommended.

Presenter: Nicole Stanton, associate professor of dance who studied West African dance in Senegal, West Africa, and contemporary dance technique at the Center for New Dance Development in Arnhem, Holland

Location: Bessie Schonberg Dance Studios, 247 Pine Street

WESeminar 25 Carlos Falchi: The Power of the Purse
Carlos Falchi is unrivaled in the world of luxury handbags. With a colorful, rule-breaking design approach, he has survived in this highly competitive industry for 37 years, creating high-end bags for icons such as Mick Jagger, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Susan Sarandon, Tina Turner, Cher, and Madonna. Falchi has also worked with some of the biggest names in clothing design, producing accessories to complement the runway creations of Donna Karan, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Yves St. Laurent, and Bill Blass. His signature bags are renowned for their exotic skins, fine leathers, and unique shapes, and are carried in premier stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bergdorf-Goodman. Join this award winning designer for a glimpse into the world of high-end accessory design. Find out how he found his way into this industry and managed to thrive, progressing from independent designer to internationally acclaimed trendsetter.

Presenter: Carlos Falchi P’08, designer who has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Accessories Council of America in 2004, and in 2007 from the Independent Handbag Designers of America, and has had designs placed in the permanent collection of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Location: Room 116, Judd Hall, 207 High Street

Academic Departments and Program Open Houses

College of Social Studies (alumni reception) Location: CSS Lounge, Public Affairs Center (PAC), 238 Church Street

Center for Community Partnerships Location: 167 High Street

German Studies Location: Room 403, Fisk Hall, 262 High Street

WESeminar 26 Andrea Ray: Desire
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the student uprisings in Paris in May 1968, which is the focus of the Zilkha Gallery exhibition Désire by Andrea Ray, this seminar will examine questions raised by the artist in her three-part installation. Could, for example, the Paris model of social and political agency be employed in this country at a time when deepening crisis is coupled with fear and apathy? Why, for example, are college campuses relatively quiet at a time when this country faces severe crises in multiple arenas? Replicating French writer and activist Marguerite Duras’ dinner table conversations among intellectuals and artists, this program will take place within the exhibition, specifically within The Gift, a sculptural installation, consisting of a dinner table, embedded with speakers, chairs and a “conceptual soup.”

Presenter: Nina Felshin, curator of exhibitions, Zilkha Gallery, and adjunct lecturer in art history who organized a chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) when she was a freshman in college; Ashley Casale ’10, the student who completed a 3,000-mile March for Peace across America in 2007

Location: Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery, Center for the Arts

Alumni of Color (AOC) Network Reception
All alumni and parents are welcome to join the AOC Network for a reception.

Location: Tent, Davison Art Center

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 1927-1973), Nicolson Lounge and Patio (Classes of 1983-1998), and Fauver Frosh Lounge (Class of 2003)

Academic Department Open House

African American Studies Location: Center for African American Studies, 343 Washington Street

Five Years Out
Alumni from the Class of 2003 have been very busy since they left Middletown.  Some have become teachers, attended law school, or joined the Peace Corps, traveling to distant places.  Others have chosen to live and work outside the United States.  There are Web designers, stock brokers, actors, musicians, and writers, and some are exploring a new range of options.  Please join members of the class to catch-up on where life taken them in their first five years out.

Presenters: Deanna Neil, Kate Reder, Robert Zeliger, others TBA and YOU (since there will be time for everyone to share!)

Moderator: Dean Mike Whaley, Vice President for Student Affairs

Location: Hulley Classroom (Room 210), Fisk Hall, 262 High Street

WESeminar 27 An Hour with Blue Man Group Co-Founder Chris Wink
Chris Wink and friends Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton were working in the late 1980s as Manhattan caterers when they began playing with the Blue Man concept by performing on the streets and in bars as three bald and blue characters. These performances led to a date at La MaMa’s Experimental Theater Club and a New York Times review calling them “a deliriously antic blend of music, painting, and clowning.” A commission for a full-length show followed, along with prestigious awards for excellence in off-Broadway theatre, and concert dates that would take them around the world.

Join Chris Wink as he “goes below the blue goo” to tell us how he found his way from Wesleyan to becoming one of the creative minds behind Blue Man Group. He will discuss some of Blue Man Group’s latest projects, including the development of a new elementary school called The Blue Man Creativity Center.

Presenter: Chris Wink ’83. co-founder of Blue Man Group, a multimedia performance that features three bald and blue characters who lead the audience through a playfully comedic show that is filled with percussive music, pop culture references, and sophisticated lighting

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

WESeminar 28 Zimbabwe: The Slide from Democracy
Zimbabwe's economy is arguably the worst in the world.  Its annual inflation rate is roaring towards 100, 580% per year, rendering the incomes of many skilled workers worthless and causing them to flee to neighboring countries.  The unemployment rate is at 80% and the economy has shrunk by 35% since 2004.  The World Food Programme has predicted that over 4.1 million Zimbabweans, a third of the population, will be in need of food in 2008.  Many outsiders wonder how this has all come to be in a country that gained its independence from the British in 1980 and installed its first black leader Robert Mugabe.  Join a native Zimbabwean for his perspective on living and working in the country and what he sees as the barriers to democracy in Zimbabwe.

Introduction: Richard Elphick, professor of history and 2001 recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching

Presenters: Pilot Dube P'08, has lived in Zimbabwe all his life, working for the Zimbabwe government from 1980-1985 and for the last 15 years as a financial manager/director of a small financial consulting company; he is a member of the Democratic party of Zimbabwe and has worked to education Zimbabweans about the need to change the country's constitution

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

Phi Beta Kappa Initiation
Guest speaker: Michael S. Roth ’78, President

Location: Memorial Chapel

Delta Kappa Epsilon Open House

30th Reunion Tree Dedication Ceremony
Through the generosity of the Class of '78, in celebration of their 30th reunion, a European Sawtooth Oak tree will be planted in recognition of their gift to financial aid. 

Location: Huss Courtyard, Usdan University Center

WESeniors Location: Main Lobby, Freeman Athletic Center, 161 Cross Street

1938 Location: Main Lobby, Freeman Athletic Center, 161 Cross Street

1943 Reception Location: Mary Houghton Freeman Seminar Room, Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 343 Washington Terrace

1943 Dinner Location: Main Lobby, Freeman Athletic Center, 161 Cross Street

1948 Location: Main Lobby, Freeman Athletic Center, 161 Cross Street

1953 Location: Warren Street Lobby, Freeman Athletic Center, 161 Cross Street

1958 Location: Beckham Hall, Fayerweather

1963 Location: Daniel Family Commons, Usdan University Center

1968 Location: Tent (with black flag), North College Lawn

1973 Location: Tent (with yellow flag), North College Lawn

1978 Location: Tent, President's House Lawn, 269 High Street

1983 Location: Mink Dining Hall (East Dining Wing), Usdan University Center

1988 Location: West Dining Wing, Usdan University Center

1993 Location: Theater, Center for the Arts

1998 Location: Patricelli '92 Theater

After dinner, relive your time in the audience at the '92 and enjoy a special 1998 Cabaret featuring the considerable talents of Phyllis Johnson, Aimee (Barile) Miles, Josh Stedman, and Kate Wetherhead.

2003 Location: Tent, Russell House, 350 High Street

Roman Catholic Mass
All are welcome.

Location: Memorial Chapel

Traditional All-College Sing on the Steps of North College

Led by alumni and current members of the Wesleyan Spirits.

Location: Steps of North College (rain site Memorial Chapel)

A Concert by the Last of the High Street Five: An Evening of Mainstream Swing and Jazz

Enjoy popular classics from the likes of Gershwin, Kern, Rodgers, Ellington, Waller, and more. Featuring Charlie Hoyt ’53, P’99 (piano) and Sam Hoyt ’99 (lead trumpet).

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

Quasimodal 25th Reunion Concert
Come celebrate the 25th anniversary of Quasimodal, Wesleyan’s oldest coed a cappella group. The current members of Quasimodal will sing a sweet set of tunes from the ’60s to today, and former members will join in on the fun for a few songs as well. For additional information about other Quasimodal Reunion events, please contact Gabe Fries ’09 at gfries@wesleyan.edu.

Location: Memorial Chapel

All-Campus Party Featuring The Famous
The Famous is an amazing seven-piece outfit that delivers the goods when it comes to classic rock, soul, ’80s, and more. Centered around tight vocal harmonies, guitar pyrotechnics, driven rhythm teamwork and positively religious sax, The Famous has dominated all the fun at past Wesleyan Reunions and promises more of the same this time around. Members of The Famous are professional mus-ocateurs who also lead inspired projects that cover the gamut from beat jazz downtown NYC style, to rockin’ off-Broadway, to acclaim on Myspace. What’s next, Fames?
Note: Cash bar will be available. Please be prepared to show ID.
With: Brandon Patton ’95 (bass), Matt Steckler ’97 (vocals, winds), Gaby Alter ’97 (keys, vocals), Dan Koulomzin ’99 (guitar, vocals), Ben Stanton (drums), Noreda Street (vocals), and Oscar Bautista (guitar)

Location: Tent, Andrus Field