Schedule of Events
Event session recordings
- Many of the Homecoming/Family Weekend events were recorded. You will find the recordings by clicking "Watch Now" within the individual event listings on this page.
Friday, October 16, 2020
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Virtual Attend a Class
Even though campus is closed to visitors, we hope you'll enjoy one of the sample courses below, taught by Wesleyan faculty!
The Ancient Greeks from Coursera
Andrew Szegedy-Maszak, Jane A. Seney Professor of Greek
This is a survey of ancient Greek history from the Bronze Age to the death of Socrates in 399 BCE.
Social Psychology from Coursera
Scott Plous, Professor of Psychology
This course offers a brief introduction to classic and contemporary social psychology, covering topics such as decision making, persuasion, group behavior and personal attraction.
Virtual Attend a Class
Even though campus is closed to visitors, we hope you'll enjoy one of the sample courses below, taught by Wesleyan faculty!
The Ancient Greeks from Coursera
Andrew Szegedy-Maszak, Jane A. Seney Professor of Greek
This is a survey of ancient Greek history from the Bronze Age to the death of Socrates in 399 BCE.
Social Psychology from Coursera
Scott Plous, Professor of Psychology
This course offers a brief introduction to classic and contemporary social psychology, covering topics such as decision making, persuasion, group behavior and personal attraction.
12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS Exhibition
A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS is an exhibition of a sculpture, a film, and a survey of six recent large-scale video works presented in a nontraditional, temporal framework. For more information visit the A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS website.
A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS Exhibition
A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS is an exhibition of a sculpture, a film, and a survey of six recent large-scale video works presented in a nontraditional, temporal framework. For more information visit the A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS website.
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Teacher, Banker, Coder, Artist: Learning Career Management in a Liberal Arts Environment
Sharon Belden Castonguay, Executive Director of the Gordon Career Center, will discuss why a liberal arts education is critical preparation for navigating careers in the 21st century. Hear about the Center's innovative approach to career education, which encourages students to design their own careers by exploring the intersection among their interests, the skills they have and wish to acquire, and market demand and learn about the career services and resources available to Wesleyan students throughout their undergraduate years and beyond. Staff members will also be present to answer specific questions.
Presenter: Sharon Belden Castonguay joined the Gordon Career Center at Wesleyan in May 2013 from Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business, where she was the Director of the Graduate Career Management Center. She holds a doctorate in human development & psychology from Harvard.
Watch Now: Teacher, Banker, Coder, Artist: Learning Career Management in a Liberal Arts Environment
Teacher, Banker, Coder, Artist: Learning Career Management in a Liberal Arts Environment
Sharon Belden Castonguay, Executive Director of the Gordon Career Center, will discuss why a liberal arts education is critical preparation for navigating careers in the 21st century. Hear about the Center's innovative approach to career education, which encourages students to design their own careers by exploring the intersection among their interests, the skills they have and wish to acquire, and market demand and learn about the career services and resources available to Wesleyan students throughout their undergraduate years and beyond. Staff members will also be present to answer specific questions.
Presenter: Sharon Belden Castonguay joined the Gordon Career Center at Wesleyan in May 2013 from Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business, where she was the Director of the Graduate Career Management Center. She holds a doctorate in human development & psychology from Harvard.
Watch Now: Teacher, Banker, Coder, Artist: Learning Career Management in a Liberal Arts Environment
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
"Accelerating the Climate Revolution" The 18th Annual Where on Earth Are We Going? Symposium of the Robert F. Schumann Institute of the College of the Environment
Five years ago this December, Jacob Scherr '70 an international environmental attorney, lit up the Eiffel Tower to mark the start of the “Climate Revolution” with the signing of the historic Paris Climate Agreement. Since then, the signs of a changing climate have become more evident and calls for action particularly from young people have grown louder in spite of the Trump Administration’s determination to withdraw the US from its international leadership on this existential threat. Jacob will share his decades-long first-hand perspective of where we are today in the US and worldwide in dealing with the climate crisis. Amy Gomberg Kurt '04 managing regional government affairs for EDP Renewables (the 4th largest owner and operator of wind farms in North America, and around the world), will talk about her on-the-ground work on the needed rapid transition away from fossil fuels responsible for much of the greenhouse gas emissions. Professor Barry Chernoff will introduce the panelists and moderate the Q & A. We hope audience members will come ready to share their own thoughts about the impacts that climate change is having already on their lives and about the actions that we should take. Watch Now: "Accelerating the Climate Revolution" The 18th Annual Where on Earth Are We Going? Symposium of the Robert F. Schumann Institute of the College of the Environment
"Accelerating the Climate Revolution" The 18th Annual Where on Earth Are We Going? Symposium of the Robert F. Schumann Institute of the College of the Environment
Five years ago this December, Jacob Scherr '70 an international environmental attorney, lit up the Eiffel Tower to mark the start of the “Climate Revolution” with the signing of the historic Paris Climate Agreement. Since then, the signs of a changing climate have become more evident and calls for action particularly from young people have grown louder in spite of the Trump Administration’s determination to withdraw the US from its international leadership on this existential threat. Jacob will share his decades-long first-hand perspective of where we are today in the US and worldwide in dealing with the climate crisis. Amy Gomberg Kurt '04 managing regional government affairs for EDP Renewables (the 4th largest owner and operator of wind farms in North America, and around the world), will talk about her on-the-ground work on the needed rapid transition away from fossil fuels responsible for much of the greenhouse gas emissions. Professor Barry Chernoff will introduce the panelists and moderate the Q & A. We hope audience members will come ready to share their own thoughts about the impacts that climate change is having already on their lives and about the actions that we should take. Watch Now: "Accelerating the Climate Revolution" The 18th Annual Where on Earth Are We Going? Symposium of the Robert F. Schumann Institute of the College of the Environment
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Virtual Admission Information Session
Join an admission dean and a current student for a one-hour discussion on the distinguishing elements of the Wesleyan experience, an overview of the admission process, and an introduction to financial aid at Wesleyan. Sign up for an information session.
Virtual Admission Information Session
Join an admission dean and a current student for a one-hour discussion on the distinguishing elements of the Wesleyan experience, an overview of the admission process, and an introduction to financial aid at Wesleyan. Sign up for an information session.
6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
WESEMINAR Tracking 2020 Political Advertising: Behind the Scenes with the Wesleyan Media Project
In its 10th year of real-time analysis of election ads, the Wesleyan Media Project is navigating a much more complex media environment than it did a decade ago. Join us to hear about the latest 2020 advertising trends, our latest tools and innovations and how our student researchers make it all possible. Presenters include: Erika Franklin Fowler, Professor of Government and Director, Wesleyan Media Project; Angela Loyola ’21, representing Govt378, the WMP-based lab course; Spencer Dean ’21, representing WMP’s Delta Lab; and Eleanor Raab ’21, representing the WMP human coding team.
About The Wesleyan Media Project: The Wesleyan Media Project was established in 2010 to track advertising in federal elections, and it is a successor to the Wisconsin Advertising Project, which tracked political advertising between 1998 and 2008.
The Wesleyan Media Project is directed by Professors Erika Franklin Fowler (Wesleyan University), Michael M. Franz (Bowdoin College) and Travis N. Ridout (Washington State University). The Project Manager is Laura Baum. An outstanding group of students from all three institutions support the project through ad coding, data management and other activities.
Watch Now: WESEMINAR Tracking 2020 Political Advertising: Behind the Scenes with the Wesleyan Media Project
WESEMINAR Tracking 2020 Political Advertising: Behind the Scenes with the Wesleyan Media Project
In its 10th year of real-time analysis of election ads, the Wesleyan Media Project is navigating a much more complex media environment than it did a decade ago. Join us to hear about the latest 2020 advertising trends, our latest tools and innovations and how our student researchers make it all possible. Presenters include: Erika Franklin Fowler, Professor of Government and Director, Wesleyan Media Project; Angela Loyola ’21, representing Govt378, the WMP-based lab course; Spencer Dean ’21, representing WMP’s Delta Lab; and Eleanor Raab ’21, representing the WMP human coding team.
About The Wesleyan Media Project: The Wesleyan Media Project was established in 2010 to track advertising in federal elections, and it is a successor to the Wisconsin Advertising Project, which tracked political advertising between 1998 and 2008.
The Wesleyan Media Project is directed by Professors Erika Franklin Fowler (Wesleyan University), Michael M. Franz (Bowdoin College) and Travis N. Ridout (Washington State University). The Project Manager is Laura Baum. An outstanding group of students from all three institutions support the project through ad coding, data management and other activities.
Watch Now: WESEMINAR Tracking 2020 Political Advertising: Behind the Scenes with the Wesleyan Media Project
8:00 PM to 9:00 PM
The College of Film and the Moving Image and the Wesleyan Documentary Project presents: A panel Q&A with the alumni filmmakers behind the wild new documentary NARROWSBURG
NARROWSBURG tells the story of a French film producer and a mafioso-turned-actor who attempt to turn a tiny New York town into the “Sundance of the East.” Persuading the townspeople that they can be movie stars, the pair create a fever pitch of excitement, launching a film festival and shooting a gangster movie. As this stranger-than-fiction tale unspools, it becomes a meditation on the power of cinema, and the fine line between dreams and delusions.
Stream the film on your own at https://www.amazon.com/Narrowsburg-Richard-Castellano/dp/B08B3T6SCF/ (free with an Amazon Prime account) and then join us on Friday, October 16 at 8pm via Zoom.
In attendance to discuss the film will be three members of its creative team, all Wesleyan alumni:
Martha Shane ’05 (she/her) - director and producer of NARROWSBURG, co-director/writer/producer of AFTER TILLER
Beck Kitsis ’13 (she/her) - producer of NARROWSBURG, writer/director of THE THREE MEN YOU MEET AT NIGHT
Chris McNabb ’13 (they/them) - editor of NARROWSBURG, editor of WHOSE STREETS?
The College of Film and the Moving Image and the Wesleyan Documentary Project presents: A panel Q&A with the alumni filmmakers behind the wild new documentary NARROWSBURG
NARROWSBURG tells the story of a French film producer and a mafioso-turned-actor who attempt to turn a tiny New York town into the “Sundance of the East.” Persuading the townspeople that they can be movie stars, the pair create a fever pitch of excitement, launching a film festival and shooting a gangster movie. As this stranger-than-fiction tale unspools, it becomes a meditation on the power of cinema, and the fine line between dreams and delusions.
Stream the film on your own at https://www.amazon.com/Narrowsburg-Richard-Castellano/dp/B08B3T6SCF/ (free with an Amazon Prime account) and then join us on Friday, October 16 at 8pm via Zoom.
In attendance to discuss the film will be three members of its creative team, all Wesleyan alumni:
Martha Shane ’05 (she/her) - director and producer of NARROWSBURG, co-director/writer/producer of AFTER TILLER
Beck Kitsis ’13 (she/her) - producer of NARROWSBURG, writer/director of THE THREE MEN YOU MEET AT NIGHT
Chris McNabb ’13 (they/them) - editor of NARROWSBURG, editor of WHOSE STREETS?
Saturday, October 17, 2020
9:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Virtual Attend a Class
Even though campus is closed to visitors, we hope you'll enjoy one of the sample courses below, taught by Wesleyan faculty!
The Ancient Greeks from Coursera
Andrew Szegedy-Maszak, Jane A. Seney Professor of Greek
This is a survey of ancient Greek history from the Bronze Age to the death of Socrates in 399 BCE.
Social Psychology from Coursera
Scott Plous, Professor of Psychology
This course offers a brief introduction to classic and contemporary social psychology, covering topics such as decision making, persuasion, group behavior and personal attraction.
Virtual Attend a Class
Even though campus is closed to visitors, we hope you'll enjoy one of the sample courses below, taught by Wesleyan faculty!
The Ancient Greeks from Coursera
Andrew Szegedy-Maszak, Jane A. Seney Professor of Greek
This is a survey of ancient Greek history from the Bronze Age to the death of Socrates in 399 BCE.
Social Psychology from Coursera
Scott Plous, Professor of Psychology
This course offers a brief introduction to classic and contemporary social psychology, covering topics such as decision making, persuasion, group behavior and personal attraction.
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
The Wesleyan Lawyers Association presents: Fortifying the Franchise – Voter Protection in the 2020 Election
With the 2020 Presidential Election only weeks away, the Wesleyan Lawyers Association (WLA) presents a conversation on one of the most important obstacles facing our democracy - voter disenfranchisement. Join distinguished alumni attorneys Michael Pernick ’10, Max Rodriguez ’10, Ted Shaw ‘76, and Caitlin Swain ‘05, along with moderator and WLA Board Member Meg Vasu ‘12, as they discuss the legal framework for voter protection, recent developments in the fight for expanded enfranchisement, and their experiences working in the voter protection space.
The Wesleyan Lawyers Association presents: Fortifying the Franchise – Voter Protection in the 2020 Election
With the 2020 Presidential Election only weeks away, the Wesleyan Lawyers Association (WLA) presents a conversation on one of the most important obstacles facing our democracy - voter disenfranchisement. Join distinguished alumni attorneys Michael Pernick ’10, Max Rodriguez ’10, Ted Shaw ‘76, and Caitlin Swain ‘05, along with moderator and WLA Board Member Meg Vasu ‘12, as they discuss the legal framework for voter protection, recent developments in the fight for expanded enfranchisement, and their experiences working in the voter protection space.
10:30 AM to 11:45 AM
Virtual Admission Information Session
Join an admission dean and a current student for a one-hour discussion on the distinguishing elements of the Wesleyan experience, an overview of the admission process, and an introduction to financial aid at Wesleyan. Schedule details are below. Sign up for an information session.
Virtual Admission Information Session
Join an admission dean and a current student for a one-hour discussion on the distinguishing elements of the Wesleyan experience, an overview of the admission process, and an introduction to financial aid at Wesleyan. Schedule details are below. Sign up for an information session.
10:30 AM to 11:45 AM
Admission Faculty Panels
Offered by the Office of Admission. Join one of our Admission Deans, a Senior Interviewer and a member of the Wesleyan faculty for an in-depth look at campus life, academics, admission, and more. Sign up.
Admission Faculty Panels
Offered by the Office of Admission. Join one of our Admission Deans, a Senior Interviewer and a member of the Wesleyan faculty for an in-depth look at campus life, academics, admission, and more. Sign up.
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Saturday Morning Story Time with Sara Levine: The Animals Would Not Sleep!
Click here for details.
Saturday Morning Story Time with Sara Levine: The Animals Would Not Sleep!
Click here for details.
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Annual Parents Assembly
President Michael S. Roth ’78; Nicole Stanton, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Mike Whaley, Vice President for Student Affairs will provide remarks and a Q&A will follow. All Wesleyan families are welcome.
Annual Parents Assembly
President Michael S. Roth ’78; Nicole Stanton, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Mike Whaley, Vice President for Student Affairs will provide remarks and a Q&A will follow. All Wesleyan families are welcome.
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Wesleyan Alumni Volunteer Summit
Join an exciting conversation with fellow Wesleyan volunteers. Guest speakers Board Chair John Frank ’78, P’12, Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Treasurer Andy Tanaka ’00, and Vice President for Advancement Frantz Williams ’99, will provide an in-depth look at Wesleyan’s response to the COVID crisis and plans for Wesleyan’s future beyond COVID. We will also be joined by several students currently living on campus, who will share their experiences from this semester. Small discussion groups will follow.
Wesleyan Alumni Volunteer Summit
Join an exciting conversation with fellow Wesleyan volunteers. Guest speakers Board Chair John Frank ’78, P’12, Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Treasurer Andy Tanaka ’00, and Vice President for Advancement Frantz Williams ’99, will provide an in-depth look at Wesleyan’s response to the COVID crisis and plans for Wesleyan’s future beyond COVID. We will also be joined by several students currently living on campus, who will share their experiences from this semester. Small discussion groups will follow.
12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS Exhibition
A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS is an exhibition of a sculpture, a film, and a survey of six recent large-scale video works presented in a nontraditional, temporal framework. For more information visit the A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS website.
A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS Exhibition
A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS is an exhibition of a sculpture, a film, and a survey of six recent large-scale video works presented in a nontraditional, temporal framework. For more information visit the A SCULPTURE, A FILM & SIX VIDEOS website.
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
WesTalks Presents: “The NBA in Unprecedented Times”
Join Justine Gubar ’88, Executive Director, Sports Emmy Awards as she interviews Wesleyan Trustee, Michele Roberts ’77, Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association for an in-depth look at the impact of the pandemic on professional basketball and the league’s response to Black Lives Matter.
WesTalks Presents: “The NBA in Unprecedented Times”
Join Justine Gubar ’88, Executive Director, Sports Emmy Awards as she interviews Wesleyan Trustee, Michele Roberts ’77, Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association for an in-depth look at the impact of the pandemic on professional basketball and the league’s response to Black Lives Matter.
Notably, Michele Roberts '77 is the first woman to head a major professional sports union in North America. In her role as Executive Director, Ms. Roberts serves as the primary advocate for all players, ensuring the protection of the organization and its membership, including serving as the lead negotiator in all collective bargaining activities. Prior to this selection, Ms. Roberts was a renowned trial lawyer and member of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom’s Litigation Group. Ms. Roberts is a frequent lecturer and presenter to both the bench and bar on a
variety of topics related to litigation and trial practice.
Justine Gubar '88 is a creative executive in sports and news content. Currently, with the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, she serves as the Executive Director of the Sports Emmy Awards. For more than two decades, Justine worked for ESPN. In 2016, she joined Fusion, the English-language cable network owned by Univision. She served as the Vice President of News Narratives and Executive Producer for the investigative documentary series “The Naked Truth.” She's also worked for Warner Media, Court TV and ABC News. Along the way, she picked up 4 Emmy Awards and a variety of other journalism awards including an RFK Award, a NAMIC award, and a WICT Signature Accolade Award. In 2015, Justine authored the book “Fanaticus: Mischief and Madness in the Modern Sports Fan” which was published by Rowman and Littlefield. In 2006, she was awarded a John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship and spent the academic year at Stanford University.
NOTE: Questions for Q&A should be emailed to Meghan Sullivan (mfay@wesleyan.edu) prior to the event.
Watch Now: WesTalks Presents: “The NBA in Unprecedented Times”
2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
“Habitability and Life on Venus” The 18th Annual Where on Earth Are We Going? Symposium of the Robert F. Schumann Institute of the College of the Environment
On September 14, 2020, the world woke to an astonishing scientific finding: the possibility that life exists in the clouds above Venus. The scientific publications were covered in the international media causing Earth inhabitants to ponder how life could exist on such a seemingly uninhabitable world, with it’s completely dry and caustic atmosphere and surface temperature of approximately 900 degrees F. Our two panelists from the College of the Environment Think Tank, Professor Martha Gilmore from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and the Menakka and Essel Bailey Jr. Distinguished Visiting Professor David Grinspoon of the Planetary Science Institute will discuss the meaning of habitability and the possibility of life on Venus. Professors Gilmore and Grinspoon were broadly quoted in numerous media outlets about Venus and the potential for life. Come join us to learn about why life could exist in the clouds. There will be ample time for the professors to answer questions from the audience. Professor Barry Chernoff, Director of the College of the Environment, will serve as moderator.
Watch Now: “Habitability and Life on Venus” The 18th Annual Where on Earth Are We Going? Symposium of the Robert F. Schumann Institute of the College of the Environment.
“Habitability and Life on Venus” The 18th Annual Where on Earth Are We Going? Symposium of the Robert F. Schumann Institute of the College of the Environment
On September 14, 2020, the world woke to an astonishing scientific finding: the possibility that life exists in the clouds above Venus. The scientific publications were covered in the international media causing Earth inhabitants to ponder how life could exist on such a seemingly uninhabitable world, with it’s completely dry and caustic atmosphere and surface temperature of approximately 900 degrees F. Our two panelists from the College of the Environment Think Tank, Professor Martha Gilmore from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and the Menakka and Essel Bailey Jr. Distinguished Visiting Professor David Grinspoon of the Planetary Science Institute will discuss the meaning of habitability and the possibility of life on Venus. Professors Gilmore and Grinspoon were broadly quoted in numerous media outlets about Venus and the potential for life. Come join us to learn about why life could exist in the clouds. There will be ample time for the professors to answer questions from the audience. Professor Barry Chernoff, Director of the College of the Environment, will serve as moderator.
Watch Now: “Habitability and Life on Venus” The 18th Annual Where on Earth Are We Going? Symposium of the Robert F. Schumann Institute of the College of the Environment.
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
The Wesleyan Alumni of Color Council presents the 28th Annual Dwight L. Greene Symposium, “Educating for Equity – Building Racial Competencies”
Embracing diversity and inclusion in secondary school education requires a pedagogical commitment to difference. This commitment requires us to transcend race and difference to build relationships. These alumni of color are leading at independent schools, shaping culture and curriculum. In this 28th Dwight L. Greene Symposium hear the strategies these alumni leaders deploy to address race, diversity and equity at institutions with longstanding histories of privileging sameness. In schools with long-established cultures that are often very different perceptions of diversity and inclusion than the social issues that impact the lives of students, learn how their own experiences are shaping the educational pipeline of the future.
Panelists:
The Wesleyan Alumni of Color Council presents the 28th Annual Dwight L. Greene Symposium, “Educating for Equity – Building Racial Competencies”
Embracing diversity and inclusion in secondary school education requires a pedagogical commitment to difference. This commitment requires us to transcend race and difference to build relationships. These alumni of color are leading at independent schools, shaping culture and curriculum. In this 28th Dwight L. Greene Symposium hear the strategies these alumni leaders deploy to address race, diversity and equity at institutions with longstanding histories of privileging sameness. In schools with long-established cultures that are often very different perceptions of diversity and inclusion than the social issues that impact the lives of students, learn how their own experiences are shaping the educational pipeline of the future.
Panelists:
- Alewa Cooper ’98, Head of School, The Foote School (New Haven, CT)
- Jose De Jesus ’97, Head of School, Lake Forest Academy (Lake Forest, IL)
- Javaid Khan ’96, Head of Middle Division, The Horace Mann School (Riverdale, NY)
- Semeka Smith-Williams ’97, Director of Diversity & Equity, The Packer Collegiate Institute (Brooklyn, NY)
- Steven Tejada ’97, Head of Upper School, Maret School (Washington, DC)
- Francisco Tezen ’97, CEO/President, A Better Chance (New York, NY)
- Gillian Todd ’98, First Program Director, The Dalton School (New York, NY)
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Pietro Cicognani in conversation with Isabella Rossellini - Pietro Cicognani: Architecture and Design
For 30 years, Italian-born Pietro Cicognani has been designing highly customized and exquisitely crafted country houses, city apartments, outbuildings, pool houses, and even garden plans for an A-list clientele.
Click here for details.
Pietro Cicognani in conversation with Isabella Rossellini - Pietro Cicognani: Architecture and Design
For 30 years, Italian-born Pietro Cicognani has been designing highly customized and exquisitely crafted country houses, city apartments, outbuildings, pool houses, and even garden plans for an A-list clientele.
Click here for details.