Office for Equity & Inclusion

North College, 3rd Floor
237 High Street
Middletown, CT 06459
1-860-685-2520

Student Ombuds Program 

The Wesleyan Student Ombuds Program was informed and inspired by student voices.

The Student Ombuds are available to talk with students about their concerns related to experiences in the classroom, with their athletic team, or within other parts of their academic and campus life at Wesleyan.  Each Ombud serves as a neutral and confidential* peer resource focused on empowering students to successfully navigate the institution and advocate for themselves in moments of conflict, particularly when there are power dynamic considerations.  Although separate from the University’s Ombudsperson for staff and faculty, the Student Ombuds use similar conflict resolution and restorative justice practices.
 

Here’s just a few of the ways Student Ombuds can offer support:

  • Serve as a confidential*, neutral thought partner for students considering their options for resolving an issue, especially when the other party is in a position of power in relation to the student
  • Hold a safe and supportive conversational space, simply listening and serving as an impartial sounding board
  • Provide insight on managing challenging conversations
  • Share information about campus resources
  • Explain institutional policies and processes, including those regarding how to make a formal complaint to the University
  • Communicate any patterns of concern to university leadership


The Student Ombuds partner with and are supported by Dr. April Ruiz, Dean for Academic Equity, Inclusion, & Success.

*The Student Ombuds stand with survivors of sexual misconduct, though they do not serve as a confidential resource for these matters. If you need confidential support related to sexual misconduct, please reach out to SHAPE, CAPS, Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.

Connect

The Student Ombuds are available while the semester is in session. For Spring 2023, the last day for appointments is Friday, May 12th. Please visit this scheduling link to book a time.

For support and guidance over the summer, please write to Dr. April Ruiz, Dean for Academic Equity, Inclusion, & Success (aruiz01@wesleyan.edu). She oversees the Student Ombuds program and is available to help in the time between semesters. 

For other questions and for workshop requests, please email studentombud@wesleyan.edu. 

2022-2023 Student Ombuds

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    AHMED ALMOHAMED, he/him/his aalmohamed@wesleyan.edu

    Class year: 2024  

    What are your academic interests ?  Molecular Biology & Biochemistry; African American Studies; Middle Eastern Studies

    What are you involved in at Wes?  

    Residential Advisor; Bargaining Committee Member for WesUSE; Tutor for Upward Bound; Researcher in the Padilla-Benavides lab; Muslim Student Association; Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students; Middlesex Hospice volunteer 

    What is something someone might not know just by looking at you?  

    I lived in Egypt for about 8 years and have been inside The Great Pyramids of Giza once before. 

    Why are you serving as a Student Ombud?  

    To be there for my peers as a resource to lean on, as well as to help empower and uplift them. Another reason is to help students as they navigate this elite institution where they may feel out of place.

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    BRIDGET CORNELL, she/her/hers bcornell@wesleyan.edu

    Class year: 2023  

    What are your academic interests ? Neuroscience & Behavior; Earth and Environmental Sciences; Data Analysis

    What are you involved in at Wes?  

    Women’s Ice Hockey; Neuroscience Research Lab; Peer Tutor through the Dean’s Peer Tutoring Program; Student-Athlete Support Network  

    What is something someone might not know just by looking at you?  

    I continue the custom of women on my mom’s side of the family being named some variation of “Bridget” or the Irish traditional spelling “Brighid.” This tradition has extended at least five generations. 

    Why are you serving as a Student Ombud?  

     I thrive on having a healthy community around me, and I hope to provide that for others in the school, especially at a more personal level that puts me in direct contact with student-athletes from other teams!

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    JOSEPH GODSLAW, he/him/his or they/them/theirs, jgodslaw@wesleyan.edu

    Class year: 2023  

    What are your academic interests ? Film Studies

    What are you involved in at Wes?  

    The_workshop; Wesleyan African Student Association, The eclectic; The Ankh

    What is something someone might not know just by looking at you?  

    I’m a fraternal Twin

    Why are you serving as a Student Ombud?  

     I want to act as a resource to the Wesleyan community on the issue of microaggression and discrimination. I myself know what it feels like to be discriminated against in a classroom setting and not know who to talk to. I’m here to bridge that gap between the students and the resources they need, and to help make students feel less intimidated to voice the issues they face.

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    SARAH ASIEDU, she/her/hers sasiedu@wesleyan.edu

    Class year: 2024

    What are your academic interests?  Government; Sociology; African Studies; Chemistry

    What are you involved in at Wes?  Ujamaa; African Student Association; Race, Ethnicity, & Nationality Intern at the Resource Center; Wesleyan's Minority Association of Pre-Med Students (MAPS); Black Box Labs

    What is something someone might not know just by looking at you?  I come from a big family of immigrants from Ghana, West Africa.

    Why are you serving as a Student Ombud?  I want to be able to empower Wesleyan students of all backgrounds to take charge of their education on and off campus, no matter what conflict they may face.