Events

Thursday, May 25, 2017

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Usdan Cafe Hours
Food and beverages available for purchase on site.
Usdan University Center (show in map)
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Espwesso Cafe Hours

Espwesso, Wesleyan's student-run cafe, will be serving sustainably sourced, specialty drip coffee, espresso drinks, and tea in the basement of Allbritton (Rm 003). Come try the best coffee on campus. Cash only!
Allbritton (Rm 003)

10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Office of Admission Information Session
McKelvey Room, Stewart M. Reid House, Office of Admission
2:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Registration
Everyone—alumni, parents, students, and families—please check in for a final weekend schedule (with updates and event locations), meal tickets, a welcome packet, campus maps, and more.
Usdan University Center (show in map)
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Revolving Door Reading Series

Join us for an evening of poetry with Kate Rushin, Journey, and Jennifer Steele.
More information can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/142870212912585/ or http://revolvingdoorarts.org/
New England Emporium, 386 Main Street, Middletown

Friday, May 26, 2017

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Usdan Cafe Hours
Food and beverages available for purchase on site.
Usdan University Center (show in map)
9:00 AM to 11:30 PM
Registration
Everyone—alumni, parents, students, and families—please check in for a final weekend schedule (with updates and event locations), meal tickets, a welcome packet, campus maps, and more.
Usdan University Center (show in map)
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Espwesso Cafe Hours

Espwesso, Wesleyan's student-run cafe, will be serving sustainably sourced, specialty drip coffee, espresso drinks, and tea in the basement of Allbritton (Rm 003). Come try the best coffee on campus. Cash only!
Allbritton (Rm 003)

10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Senior Films
  • Digital and 16mms: 10-11:30 a.m.
  • Digital videos: Noon-1:30 p.m.
  • Digital and 16mms: 2-3:30 p.m.
  • Digital videos: 4-5:30 p.m.

Please find a list of the senior films here.

Goldsmith Family Cinema

10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Senior Class Diploma Pick-Up
Members of the Class of 2017 may pick up their diplomas in the Registrar’s Office, North College. Graduates should be prepared to show a photo ID.
Registrar’s Office, North College (show in map)
11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Welcome Picnic Lunch
Join friends, classmates, and family members for lunch when you arrive on campus for the weekend.
TICKETS: This lunch requires advance purchase/registration. Lunch is included for members of reunion classes with a flat rate fee (5th, 10th, and 50th Reunion classes). Lunch is complimentary for WESeniors (Classes of 1940 through 1966) and their guests. To make sure that we have an accurate number of meals, we'd like to know if reunion alumni who have the flat rate fee and who are WESeniors plan to attend this lunch.  Please click on the Friday lunch option when registering if you plan to attend. All other reunion classes and parents and families of graduating seniors will be charged the following for lunch:
$20 per person for all other adults and children over age 12 (including graduates)
$10 per person for children 12 and under
Russell House Lawn 
1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
WESEMINAR Sultan and the Saint Docu-Drama Film Screening-Opening Remarks and Discussion with Executive Producer Michael Wolfe ’68

During the Crusades, Saint Francis of Assisi risked his life by walking across enemy lines to meet the Sultan of Egypt, the Muslim ruler Al-Malik al-Kamil. This remarkable encounter, and the commitment to peace of the two men behind it, sucked the venom out of the Crusades and changed the relationship between Muslims and Christians for the better. Featuring dramatic reenactments and renowned scholarship, this amazing story is brought to life. Scholars interviewed include Michael Cusato (St. Bonaventure University), Sr. Kathy Warren (Sisters of St. Francis), Suleiman Mourad (Smith College), Homayra Ziad (Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies), Paul Moses (The Saint and the Sultan), and others.

Join us for this film to learn about the remarkable spiritual exchange between the Sultan and the Saint, and the great risks they took. Interactive discussion with Executive Producer, Michael Wolfe ’68, to follow.

Speaker: Michael Wolfe ’68 is the co-founder and President of Unity Productions Foundation (UPF), a nonprofit organization that works to create peace by increasing understanding through the media. Michael got his start in the media 20 years ago, by working with Ted Koppel’s ABC Nightline, where he wrote and helped produce the first-ever American documentary film about the Pilgrimage to Mecca. Through UPF, Michael has co-produced ten award-winning documentary films, mostly broadcast nationally on PBS. He is also the author of ten books of poetry, history, and travel.
Tishler Lecture Hall (150), Exley Science Center

2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
WESEMINAR Celebrating Seniors: Research Excellence at Wesleyan
Members of the Class of 2017 talk about their senior theses, representing a cross section of student research and creative output. Students will share their work and discuss the process that guided their investigations.
Moderator: Louise S. Brown P'11, '13, Dean for Academic Advancement and Dean for the Class of 2017
Presenters: Harrison Carter ’17  ARST, Jenny Davis ’17  ENGL, Girish Duvvuri  ’17 ASTR, ENGL, PHYS, Deja Knight  ’17 AFAM, NS&B
Judd 116
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Champagne Reception for Graduating Seniors and Their Families
Join graduating seniors and their families and friends, as well as other members of the Wesleyan community, for champagne and light hors d’ oeuvres at this casual reception.
Hosted by Ellen Jewett ’81 and Richard Kauffman, parents of Ezra ’17.
Russell House Lawn (tent) (show in map)
5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
President’s Reception Honoring Leadership Donors and Volunteers

Please join President Michael Roth '78 and the Wesleyan Board of Trustees at a reception celebrating members of the Wesleyan Leadership Societies. Wesleyan Leadership Societies—the Wesleyan Circle, the 1831 Society, the Olin Associates—recognize the extraordinary commitment and support of Wesleyan leadership donors and volunteers. By invitation only.
President’s House Lawn

5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Red, Black, and Green! All-College Dinner
Join friends, classmates, and family members for an informal, eco-friendly buffet dinner in the Marketplace at the Usdan University Center.
TICKETS: This event requires advance purchase/registration. Dinner is included in the registration fee for WESeniors (Classes of 1942-1966) and members of reunion classes with a flat rate fee (5th, 10th, and 50th reunion classes). To make sure that we have an accurate number of meals, we'd like to know if reunion alumni who have the flat rate fee and who are WESeniors plan to attend this dinner.  Please click on the Friday Red, Black, and Green Dinner option when registering if you plan to attend. All other reunion classes, parents and families of graduating seniors will be charged the following when they register:
$20 per person for adults and children over age 12 (including graduates)
$10 per person for children 12 and under
Usdan University Center
6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
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.
The Bayit, 157 Church Street
7:45 PM to 10:00 PM
Shabbat Dinner
At this special dinner for returning alumni, graduating seniors, and their families, we will welcome Shabbat with song, food, and joyful fellowship.
TICKETS: This dinner requires advance purchase/registration.
$20 per person for all and children over age 12 (including graduates)
$10 per person for children 12 and under
Daniel Family Commons, Usdan University Center
9:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Stargazing
View some celestial wonders through the renovated 20-inch Clark refractor.  Weather permitting.
Van Vleck Observatory
9:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Academic Open House
ASTRONOMY: Van Vleck Observatory
10:00 PM to 1:00 AM
Friday Night Annual Reunion Party
All are welcome! Come dance the night away and mingle with classmates, fellow alumni and graduates. Featuring alumni bands The Straw Dogs and Balloon.
10  p.m.-11:30 p.m.: The Racquets with band members Sam Beck '17; Jared Feinberg '17; Ryan Breen '17; Jeremy Freeman '17
11:30 p.m. - 1 a.m.: Balloon with band members Nick Earhart '07; Nick Nauman '07; Michael Hurder '07; Owen Roberts '07
Eclectic

Saturday, May 27, 2017

8:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Registration
Everyone—alumni, parents, students, and families—please check in for a final weekend schedule (with updates and event locations), meal tickets, a welcome packet, campus maps, and more.
Usdan University Center (show in map)
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Annual Family Swim
Enjoy a morning swim in the Freeman Athletic Center pool. Towels will be provided.
Freeman Athletic Center (show in map)
8:30 AM to 10:00 AM
Cardinal Loop Fun Run (2.1, 3.2, 4.3 Mile Courses)
Start the day off with an exhilarating run through campus.
Meet at the base of Foss Hill (show in map)
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Usdan Cafe Hours
Food and beverages available for purchase on site.
Usdan University Center (show in map)
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Education and Ideas in Dark Times: A Conversation with President Michael S. Roth ’78 and Leon Wieseltier

Speakers: Michael S. Roth '78 became the 16th president of Wesleyan University on July 1, 2007. Formerly president of California College of the Arts (CCA), Roth is known as a historian, curator, author and public advocate for liberal education. A professor in history and the humanities since 1983, Roth was the founding director of the Scripps College Humanities Institute in Claremont, Calif., a center for intellectual exchange across disciplines. He developed a reputation as a leader in the arts community through his accomplishments as associate director of the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles and his success as President of the California College of the Arts in enhancing that institution’s academic quality, national reputation and financial strength. Roth describes his scholarly interests as centered on "how people make sense of the past." He has authored six books, most recently, Beyond the University: Why Liberal Education Matters (Yale University Press, 2014). Leon Wieseltier is the Isaiah Berlin Senior Fellow in Culture and Policy at the Brookings Institution. He has had a long and distinguished career as a writer, editor, and social and political commentator. From 1983 to 2014, he was the literary editor of The New Republic and currently serves as a contributing editor and critic at The Atlantic. Wieseltier holds a bachelor's from Columbia University and was a member of the Society of Fellows at Harvard University. At Oxford University, he studied under Isaiah Berlin. He holds honorary doctorates from Brandeis University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, and was awarded the Dan David Prize in 2013. He is the author of several books, including the widely acclaimed Kaddish (Knopf, 1998).
Commons, Fries Center for Global Studies, Fisk Hall

9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Espwesso Cafe Hours

Espwesso, Wesleyan's student-run cafe, will be serving sustainably sourced, specialty drip coffee, espresso drinks, and tea in the basement of Allbritton (Rm 003). Come try the best coffee on campus. Cash only!
Allbritton (Rm 003)

9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSES
ART AND ART HISTORY: Davison Health Center Tent
COLLEGE OF FILM AND THE MOVING IMAGE: Lobby, College of Film and the Moving Image
MUSIC: Davison Health Center Tent
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
WESEMINAR College of the Environment

Regardless of one's opinions about issues such as climate change or carbon taxes, it is clear that environmental issues will dominate national and international politics and news over the next century. To fully prepare students to participate effectively in these important discussions, Wesleyan has taken a major step to support environmental research, communication, teaching, and policy development, with its Environmental Studies Program and the College of the Environment (COE). Come listen to the exciting details of the Environmental Studies Program and the College of the Environment by Professor Barry Chernoff, Chair of the Environmental Studies Program. Then join us while the Class of 2017 presents their senior capstone projects during our poster session.
Woodhead Lounge, Exley Science Center

10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Memorial Service
The service remembers all alumni who have passed away. Individuals are invited to offer personal remembrances.
Memorial Chapel (show in map)
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Crew Reception and Alumni Row
Relive good times on the water.  All former oarsmen, oarswomen, and friends are invited to gather at the boathouse for an afternoon row and refreshments.
Macomber Boathouse, 35 Harbor Drive
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSES
AMERICAN STUDIES: Center for the Americas
ARCHAEOLOGY: Lounge, Downey House
CLASSICAL STUDIES: Lounge, Downey House
DANCE:Cross Street Dance Studios
FEMINIST, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES: Allbritton 311
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES: Center for the Americas
MEDIEVAL STUDIES: Lounge, Downey House
PHILOSOPHY: Allbritton 311
SCIENCE IN SOCIETY: Allbritton 311
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Gathering for Graduating Seniors and Their Grandparents
All grandparents and their graduating seniors are invited to a special gathering to celebrate the many successes of Wesleyan’s Class of 2017. Light snacks and beverages will be served. We respectfully ask that only graduating seniors and their grandparents attend this popular event. No response or registration is necessary, as we hope to include as many grandparents and graduating seniors as possible, while being mindful of the room capacity. Don’t forget to have grandparents get their special grandparent ribbon for their nametag at registration or at this event.
Beckham Hall, Fayerweather (show in map)
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
WESEMINAR Culture, performance and emotions: Things that you can learn in a Wesleyan class (in Spanish)

Come to hear five Wesleyan Hispanic professors talk about some of the fascinating things that they teach in the classroom: from ways of talking about the Hispanic experience in the US, to migration, theater and performance across the Spanish speaking world, to urban space and memory, to poetry, and the psychology of emotions. Conducted in Spanish.

Cultura, performance y emociones: Cosas que se pueden aprender en una clase en Wesleyan
Ven a escuchar a cinco profesores hispanos de Wesleyan hablar de algunos de los temas sobre los que enseñan. Desde los modos en que nos referimos a los hispanos en Estados Unidos, a temas de migración y teatro, memoria y espacio urbano, poesía y la psicología de las emociones en diferentes culturas. ¡En español!

Speakers: Antonio González, Professor of Spanish and Director, Fries Center for Global Studies; María Ospina, Assistant Professor of Spanish, Assistant Professor, Latin American Studies, Spanish Section Head, Romance Languages and Literatures Department; Marcela Oteíza, Assistant Professor of Theater, Dance Department; Ana Pérez-Gironés, Adjunct Professor of Spanish; Patricia María Rodríguez Mosquera, Associate Professor of Psychology, Associate Professor, Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.   Commons, Fries Center for Global Studies, Fisk Hall

11:00 AM to 1:15 PM
ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSES
ASIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES: Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies
EAST ASIAN STUDIES: Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies
11:15 AM to 12:00 PM
Assemble for the Annual Parade of Classes
Seniors and their families are invited to join alumni for this traditional Wesleyan festivity featuring a live Dixieland band. The parade is scheduled to begin promptly at 11:30 a.m. rain or shine, and is followed immediately by the Assembly and Annual Meeting. Look for the class year signs and line-up beside the sign with the year you graduated.  The parade begins on Huss Courtyard (behind the Usdan University Center) and parades around the Memorial Chapel onto McKelvey Green.  All parade participants are encouraged to parade into the Memorial Chapel for the Wesleyan Assembly and Alumni Association Meeting.
Huss Courtyard, Usdan University Center (show in map)
11:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Senior Films
  • Digital and 16mms: 11:30 a.m. -1:15 p.m.
  • Digital videos: 1:15-3 p.m.

Please find a list of senior films here.

Goldsmith Family Cinema

12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Wesleyan Assembly and Alumni Association Meeting

This year's featured speaker is distinguished alumnus award recipient, Nicholas J. Rasmussen '87, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center who will speak on "The Pursuit of Public Service in a Politically Divided America: Reflections of a Career Civil Servant." 

The 2017 Distinguished Alumni, McConaughy, and Outstanding Service Awards are presented at this time.

Distinguished Alumni Awards are presented to alumni in recognition of achievement in their professions.
Michele A. Roberts '77
Amy Schulman '82, P'11
Tos Chirathivat '85, P'14,'17
Nicholas J. Rasmussen '87
Isaac O. Shongwe '87
Santi White '97
Robert Lewis Allbritton '92

The James L. McConaughy Jr. Award was established in 1959 by the class of 1936 in memory of James L. McConaughy Jr. '36, the James L. McConaughy Jr. Memorial Award recognizes a member of the Wesleyan family (including students, faculty, alumni, parents, and members of their respective families) whose writing, or other creative achievement, conveys unusual insight and understanding of current and past events.
Matthew H. Weiner '87, P'18

The Outstanding Service Award is presented to alumni, parents, or other members of the Wesleyan community in recognition of outstanding volunteer service to Wesleyan, their community, or the nation.
Rick Nicita '67
Memorial Chapel

1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Raza Graduation

The first-ever student-initiated Spanish language graduation ceremony intended to provide an intimate ceremony in Spanish for non-English speaking families. Raza graduation will honor Latinx identifying students from of the Class of 2017 and recognize the role that Latinx students play within the Wesleyan community. 

¡Les invitamos a nuestra primera ceremonia de graduación en español de Wesleyan! Raza graduación será una ceremonia íntima e inclusiva en honor a los estudiantes de la comunidad Latinx y en reconocimiento de los logros de todo el estudiantado Latinx en Wesleyan de la clase del 2017. Se servirán aperitivos y bebidas.
Tent, Center for the Arts (CFA) Green

1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Strolling Magician and Magic Show
For children of all ages!
Andrus Field (show in map)
1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Freeman Asian Scholars Reception
Freeman Asian Scholars and their families, friends, and alumni are invited to a program honoring the Freeman Asian Scholars of the Class of 2017. Register here.
Daniel Family Commons, Usdan University Center
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Picnic and Festival on Foss Hill
This lively festival of entertainment and games is a great place to connect with friends and family members between WESeminars and other weekend programs. Don’t miss the magic show, tattoos, and more. Lunches are portable and can be picked up on your way to Foss Hill, afternoon WESeminars, or other events and destinations.
TICKETS: This lunch requires advance purchase/registration. Lunch is included for members of reunion classes with a flat rate fee (5th, 10th, and 50th reunion classes). Lunch is complimentary for WESeniors (Classes of 1942 through 1966) and their guests. To make sure that we have an accurate number of meals, we'd like to know if reunion alumni who have the flat rate fee and who are WESeniors plan to attend this lunch.  Please click on the Saturday Festival on Foss Hill lunch option when registering if you plan to attend. All other reunion classes, graduates, and parents and families of the graduates will be charged the following for lunch:
$15 per person for adults and children (including graduates)
Tent, Andrus Field and Foss Hill (show in map)
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSE
SOCIOLOGY: Tent with black flag, North College Lawn
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSES
COLLEGE OF LETTERS: COL Library, Boger Hall
ECONOMICS: Tent with Red Flag, North College Lawn
GERMAN STUDIES: Room 403, Fisk Hall
GOVERNMENT:Tent with Red Flag, North College Lawn
HISTORY: Tent with Red Flag, North College Lawn
PSYCHOLOGY: Allbritton 311
RELIGION: Tent, Religious Studies
1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
WESEMINAR 10th Annual Ring Family Wesleyan University Israeli Film Festival

This year Wesleyan University celebrates a decade of the Ring Family Wesleyan University Israeli Film Festival. Sponsored by the Ring Family, the Center for Jewish Studies and co-sponsored by the College of Film and the Moving Image and the Wesleyan Film Series, the festival has become an extremely successful event which draws its audience from the Wesleyan community, as well as the larger general Connecticut community. Its structure has also become a model for unrelated festivals at Wesleyan and other universities. The festival’s format features a film screening, along with commentary from a speaker who illuminates a particular aspect of the film. Among the speakers this year, the festival hosted Prof. Jeanine Basinger, Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies, and A.O. Scott, Distinguished Professor of Film Criticism as well as Ori Sivan, Israeli film Director and Gittel and Marvin Distinguished Scholar in Residence. The film festival is also closely integrated into the study of Hebrew at Wesleyan University. In this WESeminar, Dalit Katz, film designer and director, and Director of the Center for Jewish Studies, will offer a glimpse into this year's festival as she shares film clips with the audience.
Presenter: Dalit Katz, Director of the Center for Jewish Studies and Adj. Associate Professor of Religion, has been teaching Hebrew and organizing Israeli cultural events since 2000.
Room 208, Fisk Hall

1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
WESEMINAR The Wesleyan Course Hidden in Your Attic

Many of us unwittingly sent messages to our future selves while we were students; it is high time we opened these time capsules. Chances are you have a few of your old Wesleyan papers, essays, stories, plays, or poems stashed in a banker’s box or an accordion file folder somewhere. Now here’s the part that requires just five minutes of homework: find one (don’t worry, you probably only saved the good ones). Re-read the piece. Recognize the author? At all? What did you just learn about the subject or yourself then and now? Come to our session to share.
Speakers: David Brancaccio ’82 is host and senior editor of public radio’s Marketplace Morning Report. David has reported from all over the world, hosted the weekly public television news program Now on PBS, and co-produced the documentary film Fixing the Future. He hosts the Esquire Classic podcast with Esquire Magazine. His book about money and values, Squandering Aimlessly, was published by Simon & Schuster. Virginia Pye ’82, P’15 is the author of two critically acclaimed novels, River of Dust and Dreams of the Red Phoenix, short fiction in literary journals, and essays at The New York Times, Literary Hub, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. She is married to art museum director, John Ravenal ’81, and is mother of Eva Ravenal ’15. After Wes, Tom Wu ’72, P’16, ’20, did an MBA at NYU and then auditing/taxes with KPMG, HR at GE, marketing with Colgate and M&A at Sara Lee. After working in Asia for fifteen years Tom relocated to the balmy climate of Seattle. Tom served as an alumni-elected Wes trustee and is the proud parent of two Wes students.
Putnam Classroom (114), Boger Hall

1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSE
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL STUDIES SENIORS RECEPTION: CSS Lounge, Public Affairs Center (PAC)
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
WESEMINAR Learning with the Center for Prison Education
Since 2009, the Center for Prison Education has brought the transformative power of a Wesleyan Education behind prison bars. Please join us for a panel discussion of why college-in-prison is important for reversing the trends of mass incarceration and fostering healthier communities and universities featuring program alum James Jeter, undergraduate tutor Isadora Spillman-Schappell '17, and Lori Gruen, William Griffin Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Professor, Science in Society, at Wesleyan University.
Moderator: Maddie Neufeld ’12, former Center for Prison Education volunteer and Fellow.
Room 002, Public Affairs Center (PAC)
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
up your aesthetic. An Acting/Design Capstone

A disruptive, devised, women-only performance piece juxtaposing the rage and grief felt by modern women with the Ancient Greek myths of the Amazons.
"Women are defective by nature." –Aristotle
By Jess Cummings ’17, Connie Des Marais ’17, Cheyanne Williams ’17, and Nola Werlinich ‘17
Interested guests can get on the reservation list by emailing the Stage Manager, Chloe Briskin at cbriskin@wesleyan.edu. It is a very limited seating arrangement.
Theater Studio

2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSES
ANTHROPOLOGY: Anthro Room 6
BIOLOGY: Terrace, Exley Science Center
CHEMISTRY: Terrace, Exley Science Center
COMPUTER SCIENCE:Terrace, Exley Science Center
EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES: Terrace, Exley Science Center
MATHEMATICS: Terrace, Exley Science Center
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY: Terrace, Exley Science Center
NEUROSCIENCE AND BEHAVIOR: Terrace, Exley Science Center
PHYSICS: Terrace, Exley Science Center
ROMANCE LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES: Highwaymen Common Room
RUSSIAN, EAST EUROPEAN, AND EURASIAN STUDIES: Highwaymen Common Room
2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
WESEMINAR Thesis Art Talk

Zilkha Gallery showcases the work of the Class of 2017’s thesis students in the Department of Art and Art History’s Art Studio Program. Each student is invited to select a single work from their Senior Thesis Exhibition for this year-end showcase of drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, mixed media, and architecture curated by Professor of Art Tula Telfair.
Co-sponsored by the Center for the Arts and University Relations.
Main Gallery, Ezra & Cecile Zilkha Gallery

2:45 PM to 4:30 PM
Athletic Department Senior Awards Presentation
Come celebrate the accomplishments of our senior student-athletes as they gather together one final time as undergrads in Silloway Gymnasium.
Silloway Gymnasium, Freeman Athletic Center
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSES
COLLEGE OF SOICAL STUDIES ALUMNI RECEPTION: CSS Lounge, Public Affairs Center (PAC)
THEATER: Theater Lounge, Theater Studios
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Alumni of Color (AOC)/ Students of Color (SOC) Reception
Please join us at a reception honoring Alumni and Students of Color. All are welcome.
Tent adjacent to the Center for African American Studies
3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Alumni Reception
Please join members of the LGBTQ Alumni Network, parents and friends as we welcome graduating seniors to the alumni community.
McKelvey Room, Stewart M. Reid House, Office of Admission (show in map)
3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSES
AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES: Center for African American Studies
ENGLISH: Center for African American Studies
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Annual Reception Honoring Retiring Faculty

All are welcome to honor members of the faculty who retire this year.
Retiring Faculty 2017:

  • David Beveridge, Joshua Boger University Professor of the Sciences and Mathematics and Professor of Chemistry (attending)
  • John Finn, Professor of Government
  • Albert Fry, E.B. Nye Professor of Chemistry (attending)
  • Peter Patton, Alan M. Dachs Professor of Science and Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences (attending)
  • Rex Pratt, Beach Professor of Chemistry
  • Michael Roberts, Robert Rich Professor of Latin and Professor of Classical Studies (attending)
  • Ruth Striegel Weissman, Walter A. Crowell University Professor of the Social Sciences

In addition, we will honor faculty who retired in 2016:

  • Abraham Adzenyah, Adjunct Professor of Music, Emeritus
  • Philip Bolton, Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus
  • Alex Dupuy, Professor of Sociology, Emeritus (attending)
  • Mark Slobin, Winslow-Kaplan Professor of Music, Emeritus

Susan B. and William K. Wasch Center for Retired Faculty, 51 Lawn Avenue

4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Phi Beta Kappa Initiation
Featured speaker:  Isaac Shongwe '87
Memorial Chapel
4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Informal Discussion with Trustees of Color

Join a group of Trustees of Color for an informal discussion about issues and priorities related to communities of color on campus.
Russell House

6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Senior Voices (Baccalaureate)
Come join the class of 2017 as they reflect, share and recap some of their unique and transformative moments from their years at Wesleyan. You don’t want to miss this. All are welcome.
Featured Speaker: Anthony Hatch, Assistant Professor of Science in Society
Student Speakers: Lili Kadets '17, Haenah Kwon '17, Arnelle Williams '17, Mika Reyes '17
Sponsor: Office of Religious and Spiritual Life
Memorial Chapel (show in map)
9:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Shakti Mixer

Wesleyan's South Asian Student Organization Alumni and Student Mixer.
57 Fountain Avenue

9:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Traditional All-College Sing
Steps of North College; Rainsite: Memorial Chapel
10:00 PM to 1:00 AM
All-Campus Party featuring The Rooks
All are welcome to attend this year's annual All-Campus Party with The Rooks. Open to all. Don't miss it. Cash bar. ID required. Bar closes at 12:45 a.m. No outside alcohol permitted. 

The Rooks, formed at Wesleyan in the fall of 2011, are equal parts kick-back, head-knock, and get-down; the music you rock to at the party, and the perfect soundtrack for the ride home.

Hard-hitting performances at NYC's Irving Plaza, Mercury Lounge and Brooklyn Bowl, as well as highly successful residencies at Arlene's Grocery and Pianos NYC (second highest grossing residency in venue history) have earned them further acclaim, including Deli Magazine's Artist of the Month award (Feb 2014) and win of the 14th Annual Independent Music Awards in the R&B/Soul category.

After their 2013 EP "Something You Can Take," their 2015 follow-up "Wires," several tours, and more hours watching Beyoncé videos on YouTube than they care to admit, The Rooks are getting into the studio to work on their first full-length album.

Band members: Graham Richman '11, Guitar; Spencer Hattendorf '12, Sax, Vox; Garth Taylor '12, Lead Vox; Connor Schultze, Bass (Manhattan School of Music 2016); Donnie Spackman, Drums; Daniel Papson, Keys (Skidmore College 2012)
Tent, Andrus Field

Sunday, May 28, 2017

8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Registration and Information
Usdan University Center
8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
All-Campus Brunch Buffet
Wrap up a great weekend with a hearty brunch in the new Usdan University Center.
Tickets: This event requires ticket purchase at time of registration. Brunch is included in the registration fee for WESeniors (Classes of 1942-1966) and members of reunion classes with a flat rate fee (5th, 10th, and 50th reunion classes). To make sure that we have an accurate number of meals, we’d like to know if reunion alumni who have the flat rate fee and who are WESeniors plan to attend this brunch. All other reunion classes, graduates, parents and families of graduating seniors will be charged the following when they register: $20 per person for all other adults (including graduates) and children over age 12, and $10 per person for children 12 and under.
Usdan University Center (show in map)
9:00 AM to 10:15 AM
Graduate Student Breakfast Celebration and Rehearsal
The Graduate Marshal will prepare the graduating MA and PhD students for the Commencement Ceremony.
Lobby, Exley Science Center (show in map)
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Espwesso Cafe Hours

Espwesso, Wesleyan's student-run cafe, will be serving sustainably sourced, specialty drip coffee, espresso drinks, and tea in the basement of Allbritton (Rm 003). Come try the best coffee on campus. Cash only!
Allbritton (Rm 003)

9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Roman Catholic Mass
Memorial Chapel
9:30 AM to 10:00 AM
GLS Graduates' Commencement Preparation
GLSP staff will prepare graduating students for the Commencement Ceremony.
GLS Office, 74 Wyllys Ave.
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Faculty and Undergraduates Assemble for Commencement
Top of Foss Hill
10:15 AM to 11:00 AM
Parent and Grandparent Educators Assemble for Commencement
Parents and Grandparents of graduating seniors who work in the field of education are invited to march as a division in the Commencement Ceremony. Those wishing to participate must make arrangements with the Office of Parent Programs prior to April 21. Contact parents@wesleyan.edu or 860-685-3756 for further details. 
Top of Foss Hill 
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
185th Commencement Ceremony
The ceremony will take place in the center of campus, rain or shine, and will last approximately 2–2½ hours. The ceremony may also be viewed online. To view real time captioning of the ceremony please follow this link: http://www.streamtext.net/player?event=IT-WU. Download a copy of the Procession map here.

Tickets: All are welcome to attend Wesleyan's 185th Commencement Ceremony. Tickets are not required to attend the ceremony. The 5,000 chairs on Andrus Field (some are outside, some under the large tent with full view of the podium) are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is additional room for seating on Foss Hill (bring a blanket or folding chairs).

Accessibility Seating and Parking: Visitors needing accessible parking may utilize any of the designated spaces on campus with a properly displayed state-issued plate or placard from any state. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The ceremony takes place on Denison Terrace, which is parallel to the back of Olin Memorial Library. Mobility impaired guests may park in the “C” lot off of Church Street or the Office of Admission parking lot. University staff and students driving golf carts will be available at each lot to assist in transporting guests to-and-from the accessibility section on Andrus Field. Drivers may also drop of guests on Wyllys Avenue and then park elsewhere. Each disabled person may be accompanied by two family members in the accessible section (located on the area adjacent to the Zelnick Pavilion and Public Affairs Center).  You can sign up for seating in the accessibility section and find more details pertaining to accessibility accommodations here

Water: Wesleyan is proud to announce its second bottled water-free Commencement. Reusable bottles and water stations are available to keep guests hydrated. If you do not wish to take your reusable bottle home with you, please leave it under your chair or place in one of the clear recycling containers located on Andrus Field or at the President’s Commencement Celebration so that we can reuse bottles for future occasions.
Andrus Field (show in map)

Inclement Weather Plan

The Commencement Ceremony is held outdoors, rain or shine. Under certain weather conditions, the ceremony may be shifted from the open field, where seating is unlimited, into the large tent on Andrus Field. Although the tent accommodates numerous spectators, seating is limited. In this scenario, we respectfully request that each graduate limit his/her guests to 3 seats under the tent. Please come prepared with raincoats, umbrellas, and appropriate footwear.

Information will be posted on the Wesleyan homepage and the Reunion & Commencement website, and graduating seniors will be notified via email. Details will also be available at Registration (Usdan University Center). The ceremony will be simulcast in the Memorial Chapel, Patricelli ’92 Theater, Ring Family Performing Arts Hall, and Tishler Lecture Hall (Room 150) at Exley Science Center, rain or shine. The ceremony may also be viewed online. Please check the Reunion landing page or the WesCast (webcast) page for details the week of May 22, 2017.
Tent, Andrus Field (show in map)

Following the ceremony

President’s Commencement Celebration: A gathering celebrating the Class of 2017 will take place immediately following the Commencement ceremony. Due to the large crowds at the gathering, families and students who wish to meet are encouraged to identify a place in advance (e.g., one of the buildings on College Row). Light refreshments will be available.
McKelvey Green (lawn in front of College Row) (show in map)

GLS Champagne Reception and Diploma Distribution: GLS graduates and guests are invited to this reception. We will distribute diplomas and raise our glasses in a toast to the graduates!
Tent, Davison Health Center