Gallery: Semester Event Wrap-Up

As the academic year comes to a close, students have participated in a number of events, both academic and enriching. The following are just a few examples of activities that showcase their hard work and reward their efforts.  

Psych Poster Session 

Dozens of psychology majors who have been conducting research throughout the year presented their findings at the annual Psychology Department poster session on April 24 in Beckham Hall. Their research spanned a variety of topics from sleeping habits, to reading, to adolescent perceptions of adulthood.  

Larissa Xu ’25 studied suicide prevention intervention, with a focus on crisis response planning, in Assistant Professor of Psychology Alexis May’s lab. She found there was a correlation between lower rates of suicidal ideation and patient use of resource cards—personal plans with reminders of their social and professional resources. First, these plans identify the warning signs, or the situations in which someone experiences suicidal ideation, and then they chart the resources available to the patient.  

“We help the patient to identify what kind of social connection they can have access to and what kind of professional resources they can reach out to you when they are in crisis,” Xu said. “Then we compiled all this data on an index card so the patient can carry it with them.” 

Xu said she’s interested in continuing to do research after Wesleyan, with the goal of becoming a clinical psychologist in the future. 

Michael Zhang ’25, a psychology and French double-major, studied the impacts on patients who take anti-psychotic medication and undergo cognitive remediation in Professor of Psychology Matthew Kurtz’s lab. While his research did not yield a significant outcome regarding the relationship between this kind of drug and treatment, he still learned from the work, he said. 

“One thing that's taught me is that just because there's no great huge effect at the end of our research it doesn't mean there's no direction forward,” Zhang said. 

Spring Fling 

To cap off the academic year, the campus community gathered on Foss Hill for Spring Fling, Wesleyan’s annual on-campus concert. This year’s lineup featured acclaimed headliners Ravyn Lenae and Joey Bada$$, along with performances by student dance groups and preliminary competition winners Score, DJ RadioDevil, and DBA. 

Brandon Forde ’26, the talent behind DBA, reflected on his experience as one of the opening acts. “As a performer, Spring Fling is definitely a dream come true—I’ve tried out every single year and finally won [Battle of the Bands] this year,” Forde said. “It was really rewarding. Spring Fling is also one of the few days where it’s meant to be social. It definitely encapsulates Wesleyan’s student body as a whole.” 

The event was organized by Wesleyan’s Concert Committee, a group of students dedicated to making Spring Fling an unforgettable experience, and the Office of Student Involvement.

“We have been working on this event since the start of the year and the whole process of finding artists to preparing what they need for the concert is definitely a rigorous process," Concert Committee member Ry De Guzman ’28 said. "So just seeing them arrive to Wesleyan and perform for the student body is really exciting." 

The anticipation for this year’s event was increased with the booking of Ravyn Lenae—the rising R&B star behind TikTok-viral track “Love Me Not” and critically acclaimed album Bird’s Eye—alongside Joey Bada$$, the Brooklyn rapper who rose to fame on YouTube and has since claimed his place among the East Coast’s most talented hip-hop artists. 

“The most fulfilling part was how students accepted and welcomed the artists,” De Guzman said. “That joy we see in the student body defines the purpose of the Concert Committee and why we do events like this in the first place.” 

Senior Week 

The Class of 2025 rounded out its time at Wesleyan with a trio of Senior Week events from May 20 to 22. Students gathered on Foss Hill for a showing of the film PCU on May 20, followed by a backyard barbecue on May 21, and senior prom on May 22. Senior Week was organized by the Office of Student Involvement.

Angelina Reddy ‘25, a film studies and environmental science double major, enjoyed being around friends with some delicious food during the movie night. She said in her time at Wesleyan she learned how to communicate positively, see others’ strengths, and be a critical thinker. 

“I’m excited to have this time to spend with the people who matter the most to me,” Reddy said. “I can’t wait to dance the night away with my friends at prom. And I’ve been awaiting showing my family Wesleyan—I can’t wait for them to visit for Commencement weekend so they can meet all my friends and see something of what my life looks like here.” 

 Justin Rosenthal ’25, archaeology and classical studies double major, said the atmosphere was relaxed and upbeat, and “the movie night was a fun way to celebrate our time here.” 

“Wesleyan has definitely taught me the value of community, and I’m grateful to be ending this chapter surrounded by the people who made it so meaningful,” Rosenthal said. 

Rose Chen ’26 and Mike Mavredakis contributed to this piece.