Fall 2023 Issue, Wesleyan University Magazine

The World Needs More Wesleyan

A hothouse of creativity. A catalytic environment. A place of challenge and joyful inspiration. As the University embarks on its most ambitious fundraising effort ever, alumni from various industries and across the years reflect on the transformative power of a Wesleyan education.

Letters

From the President

“Access to education and to great facilities that support learning are the backbone of the Wesleyan experience, but the activities of the community are its flesh and blood. . . . That all takes financial resources. And so we say This Is Not a Campaign. It’s so much more because This Is Wesleyan. We aspire to so much more. The work we have to do has never been more important.”

From the Editor

“We don’t want you to just passively read the stories we are sharing. We want you to experience them, to be inspired and stirred to action. Whether that be reconnecting with old friends and mentors, spreading the word about the amazing work that your fellow Wesleyans do, or helping to support the University so the generations after you can add their own Wes stories and build their own legacies.”

See all Letters

Impact Beyond Dollars and Cents

As a resource-strapped high school athlete visiting prospective colleges, Frantz Williams ’99 stopped at Wesleyan on a whim. He never expected that an impromptu conversation with an admission officer would turn into an immediate love of Wes and a lifelong mission in support of his alma mater. Now as the VP for Advancement, he’s helping launch the biggest fundraising campaign in Wesleyan history.

Class Notes

Left: Jeremy Serwer ’70 enjoys the Vermont Fair atop Gunnar. Right: Homecoming Family Weekend festivities included a celebration of Black alumni.

Catch up on these and other updates from classmates across the globe!

See All Class Notes Alumni News

Vote of Confidence

Young Americans are voting at record-high rates. What’s driving this swell in participation among Gen Z and Millennials—and what does it signal for the future of electoral politics?

Short Takes

On the Picket Line

Wes alumni in Hollywood hit the picket lines to protect their rights in a new age of streaming services and AI in the writers’ rooms.

GAME ON

Highlights from the Fall Athletics season

Summer Grants

Summer Grants offer students a leg up on internships and career options

In Brief

News and announcements from around campus

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Wesleyan Launches New Democracy in Action Podcast

Presidential Fellow Anya Kisicki ’22 hosts a new podcast featuring interviews and deep-dive discussions with higher ed experts, faculty, students, and alumni sharing their personal experiences and scholarly insights into how students express themselves on campus and the productive tensions of realizing an inclusive, expressive, and intellectually rich environment. Listen to the first episode.

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Homecoming, October 28, 2023. Cardinals dominate Amherst (34–7). Go WES!