Wishing You a Joyful Holiday

Earlier today, I sent the following message to the campus community:

Dear friends,

This year I find myself looking forward to Thanksgiving even more than usual. Maybe it’s the intensity of the semester’s work and the tensions in the political sphere, but I am especially looking forward to the feelings of gratitude and compassion that come with this holiday.

Last week I had the privilege of seeing students playing volleyball at the highest level in the national tournament, singing their hearts out in musical theater, and asking probing questions about the future of our university and of our democracy. In recent weeks I have worked with faculty and staff to find ways to learn from multiple perspectives—to listen better and to think more broadly. In a world of partisan rancor and attacks on the vulnerable, we continue to model more humane forms of community. I am so thankful to be at Wesleyan, especially now.

I wish you all a joyful holiday with family and friends. I look forward to seeing you back on campus as we prepare to end the semester with boldness, rigor, and practical idealism.

Warm regards,

Michael S. Roth
President