Reunion + Commencement 2026
Please continue to check back for updates and additions.
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Academic Open Houses
Explore academic departments across campus, connect with faculty, and learn more about the exciting work happening in each area. Times and locations vary, please expand each day below for more information, and check back regularly for updates. View our Friday open housesFriday, 1-3 p.m.
Wesleyan Writers Room Grad Celebration and Open House
The Writers Rom, first floor of the Science Library across from the circulation desk -
Exhibit: Taking Care: An exhibition of paper works by Krista Narciso, Preservation & Book
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Olin Memorial Library, Ground Floor.Taking Care is an exhibition of artistic work by Preservation & Book Arts Librarian, Krista Narciso. Inspired by the day-to-day work of care and repair – from the preservation of books in the library to the mending of domestic objects in our homes. The work in the exhibition is created entirely from paper and natural dyes from plants. Repetitive, geometric patterns are inspired by kitchen tiles, quilts, and printed borders on book pages.
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Exhibit: Collecting China: Missionary Assemblages of a Distant World, 1844–1911
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
More on Collecting China: Missionary Assemblages of a Distant World, 1844–1911
Olin Memorial Library, lower level corridorIn 1835, just four years after the University’s founding, the Missionary Lyceum student group at Wesleyan resolved that “at some favorable point in China” a Methodist mission be established there. That “favorable point” came soon enough in the 1840s, when opium and gunboats forced China’s doors wide open. Under protections freshly codified by unequal treaties, Wesleyan graduates began arriving along Chinese shores, convinced of a calling to bring forth social and spiritual transformation. As Methodist missionaries, they founded schools, opened medical clinics, and preached the gospel of Christ across cities and provinces. And to generate public interest in and sustain funds for their work, they also sent home thousands of objects that gave shape to how Americans imagined China from afar.
The exhibition Collecting China: Missionary Assemblages of a Distant World, 1844–1911 invites viewers to encounter China as a 19th-century visitor might have in the long-defunct Wesleyan Museum of Natural History (1871–1957), a space once filled with cultural and natural curiosities that University graduates gathered from around the globe. After the museum’s closure, its materials were dispersed across various locations on- and off-campus and remain in storage cabinets to this day. Collecting China presents only a fraction of what missionary alumni had shipped back from the East. From chopsticks and ladies’ shoes to herbal specimens and a brick off the Great Wall, most of the objects displayed are appearing publicly for the first time in over a century. With their return to view, Collecting China revisits Wesleyan’s long but little-known history of engagement with East Asia and places questions of collecting and archival practices at its center. Through material assemblages, missionary alumni of the 19th century helped produce a knowable “China” that became the basis upon which evangelical Christianity and Western modernity worked to reform, relay, and remake a world across the Pacific.
The exhibition was curated by Sida Chu ’26 and Nancy Li ’28 as part of a tutorial in curatorial practice led by Assistant Director of Exhibitions and Assistant Curator of Education Rosemary Lennox and Associate Director and Curator of Visual Arts Benjamin Chaffee ’00. Exhibition support provided by the College of East Asian Studies. -
Exhibit: Wesleyan and War: Collections & Connections from the Seven Years' War to Vietnam
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
More on Collecting China: Missionary Assemblages of a Distant World, 1844–1911
Olin Memorial Library, Special Collections & ArchivesSixteen students in fall 2025 took a new history course, Wesleyan and War, where they examined the theme of warfare in the context of Wesleyan University, as seen through the university's archival, rare book, and other collections. Students spent the bulk of classroom time in discussion and hands-on learning activities examining the library's rich collections beginning with the Seven Years' War (1750s), the American Revolution, Barbary Wars, and the War of 1812. Additionally, they analyzed the Wesleyan community’s participation in the Civil War, World War I to World War II through the Vietnam War and its transformative impact on the University. This exhibition includes a selection of the objects the students analyzed, describes the skills they gained, and showcases the breadth of the collections that students used in their own research projects. As we approach the 250th birthday of the United States, come explore some of the materials printed and created during these important moments in America’s history.
Curated by Amanda Nelson, Dietrich Family Associate University Librarian for Unique Collections and University Archivist with the help of Special Collections & Archives student workers. -
Class of 1976 50th Reunion Catch Up
9:30–11:30 a.m.
More on the Class of 1976 50th Reunion Catch Up
Frank Center for Public Affairs, room 100Gather with your classmates and share stories about your time here on campus. This is your chance to get reacquainted with classmates and connect with those you never knew. A continental breakfast will be served. -
Celebration Honoring Graduating International Students
10–11:30 a.m.
Frank Center for Public Affairs, The ForumJoin the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) for a special breakfast celebrating our graduating international students. Family and friends are warmly welcome to attend.
Remarks will begin at 10:30 a.m. -
Senior Class Diploma Pick-Up
10 a.m.–4 p.m.
More on diploma pick-up
North College, Registrar's OfficeMembers of the Class of 2026 may pick up their diplomas in the Registrar's Office. Please be prepared to show a photo ID.
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Senior Thesis and Capstone Films Screening
10 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
The film schedule will be available in May, please check back for confirmed times and the schedule.
Jeanine Basinger Center for Film Studies, Goldsmith Family Cinema -
Curator Tour of The Blooming Mirror Exhibit
11 a.m.
College of East Asian Studies, Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies More on the Curator Tour of The Blooming Mirror ExhibitJoin Maxwell Maveus ’26, curator of “The Blooming Mirror” for a special exhibition tour.
About the exhibit: the symbolism of many plants and flowers has long been codified across Japanese art, from seasonal floral motifs on kimonos to poetic tropes in classical literature. In an era of refined court culture that prized allusive expression, plants and their manipulated forms, such as classical flower arrangements [rikka], embodied moral and emotional subtexts that transgressed cultural anxieties and taboos. Featuring homoerotic encounters, courtly love stories, and meditations on transience, the exhibition The Blooming Mirror explores the myriad aesthetic and affective functions of cultivated Japanese nature, presenting objects from Wesleyan’s College of East Asian Studies Art and Archival Collection and facsimiles of Japanese literati paintings and narrative handscrolls that employ plants as semiotic vessels. -
New Science Center Building Tour
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
16 Lawn AvenueTour Wesleyan’s new state of the art science building, opening in Fall 2026. Tours will depart from the main lobby and will be led by Alan Rubacha, Associate Vice President for Facilities Operations. Come see the new home for Chemistry, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, and Biology departments. In addition to brand new facilities, there are numerous informal meeting areas, modern classrooms and teaching labs, as well as a cafe.
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Campus Tour
12–1:15 p.m.
Presented by the Office of Admission
Stewart M. Reid House, 70 Wyllys Avenue -
Exhibit: The Blooming Mirror
12–4 p.m.
College of East Asian Studies, Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies More on The Blooming MirrorCollege of East Asian Studies, Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies
The symbolism of many plants and flowers has long been codified across Japanese art, from seasonal floral motifs on kimonos to poetic tropes in classical literature. In an era of refined court culture that prized allusive expression, plants and their manipulated forms, such as classical flower arrangements [rikka], embodied moral and emotional subtexts that transgressed cultural anxieties and taboos. Featuring homoerotic encounters, courtly love stories, and meditations on transience, the exhibition The Blooming Mirror explores the myriad aesthetic and affective functions of cultivated Japanese nature, presenting objects from Wesleyan’s College of East Asian Studies Art and Archival Collection and facsimiles of Japanese literati paintings and narrative handscrolls that employ plants as semiotic vessels.
The exhibition was curated by Maxwell Maveus ’26 as part of a tutorial in curatorial practice led by Exhibitions Manager Rosemary Lennox and Associate Director of Visual Arts Benjamin Chaffee ’00. Exhibition support provided by the College of East Asian Studies. Maxwell will offer an exhibition tour at 11 a.m. on Friday. -
Exhibit: Selections from the 2026 Senior Theses in Studio Art
12–5 p.m.
Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery More on Selections from the 2026 Senior Theses in Studio ArtThe Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery showcases a selection of work from the Class of 2026’s thesis students in the Department of Art and Art History’s Art Studio Program. Works shown are in architecture, drawing, ecological design, painting, photography, printmaking, product design, sculpture, and time-based media. The exhibition is curated by Center for the Arts Curatorial Interns Maggie Leeming ’26 and Miller Ontiveros ’26, with funding from the Art History program of the Department of Art and Art History.
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Exhibits: Looking Inward: The Interior as Subject and Not / Finished: Working Proofs and Cancellation
12:30 –4:30 p.m.
Pruzan Art Center, Goldrach Gallery (located between Olin Memorial Library and the Frank Center for Public Affairs) More on Looking Inward: The Interior as Subject and Not / Finished: Working Proofs and CancellationLooking Inward: The Interior as Subject
Visualizing the interior, both material and subjective, has long been a source of fascination for artists. The desire to see, and especially to show, what is typically unseen and private aligns with the aims of visual communication to display and to reveal. Viewing interiors also satisfies the spectator’s desire to look beyond, or beneath, the surface. Both actual interiors and depictions of them are frequently taken as externalizations of a person’s psychic state, or at least their personal taste. These themes and potentialities of interiors emerge in the works in the exhibition Looking Inward: The Interior as Subject, all of which are invitations to look inside and within. This exhibition of prints and photographs features artwork by Édouard Manet, Sylvia Plimack Mangold, Carrie Mae Weems, Joel Meyerowitz, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and many others.
Curated by Miya Tokumitsu, Donald T. Fallati and Ruth E. Pachman Curator of the Davison Art Collection.
Not/ Finished: Working Proofs and Cancellation
This exhibition features prints that cannot be characterized as conventionally finished. Some are experimental working proofs, or prints struck from partially completed matrices so that artists could gauge the progress of their work. Others are so-called cancellation prints, or impressions taken from cancelled matrices, deliberately defaced by their artists. A relatively modern practice, matrix cancellation limits the size of a print’s edition (the number of impressions printed from a matrix); it also prevents unsanctioned printings from a matrix. Working proofs and cancellation prints have come to be valued by both collectors and museums as records of an artist’s entire process, and frequently as aesthetically pleasing objects in their own right. On view are prints by Jean-François Millet (1814–1875), James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903), Glenn Ligon ’82, Hon. ’12 (b. 1960), and others. All works from the Davison Art Collection, Wesleyan University.
Curated by Miya Tokumitsu, Donald T. Fallati and Ruth E. Pachman Curator of the Davison Art Collection. -
Muslim Friday Service (Jummah)
12:45 p.m.
Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, 169 High StreetThe weekly Jumuah includes a short sermon and prayer, followed by lunch. All are welcome to attend. If you’re not Muslim but would like to learn more about Muslim life on campus, you are warmly invited to join us. Jumuah begins at 12:45 pm at the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, 169 High Street (the green building at the corner of Church and High, 2nd floor above the Resource Center). Come meet Shaykh Jamir, the Muslim University Chaplain, and connect with Wesleyan’s Muslim community.
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WESeminar: Gamelan Workshop
1-2 p.m.
More on the Gamelan Workshop
Belzberg World Music HallDominated by colorful, bronze percussion instruments, the Gamelan ensemble features gongs, bronze and wooden xylophones, two-headed drums, a female soloist and a male chorus. Some of the instruments date back to the 12th century in Java, an Indonesian island located between Sumatra and Bali. Get some real experience playing the Gamelan in this lively, hands-on workshop.
Presenters: Professor I. Harjito
Please note: Space is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. -
WESeminar: Wesleyan Without Walls: How Our Students Empower High School Scholars
1-2 p.m.
Frank Center for Public Affairs, Room 001 More on Wesleyan Without Walls: How Our Students Empower High School ScholarsIn Fall of 2021, Wesleyan was one of the first universities to embark on a partnership with the National Education Opportunity Network (www.neonopportunity.org) to deliver credit-bearing courses to Title I and Title I-eligible high schools across the country. In the years since, we have offered eight different courses, most of them multiple times, and reached nearly 5,000 students across hundreds of high schools. Each classroom is supported by a Wesleyan undergraduate or graduate Teaching Fellow via Zoom, a high school teacher in person, and the Wesleyan professor asynchronously. Come learn about the program, understand how Wesleyan’s reach is growing from the partnership, and hear from some of the Teaching Fellows who are bringing college readiness to an underserved population nationwide.
Speakers:
Jeffrey Goetz ’06
Zoe Kuhn ’26
Alloe Mak ’27
Alyse Wicentowski ’26
Anh Tran ’27 -
Gordon Career Center Open House
1–3 p.m.
More on the Gordon Career Center Open House
Boger Hall, Olson CommonsStop by the Gordon Career Center to meet our team and learn how we help Wesleyan students connect what they're learning in class and beyond to internships and jobs grant funding, on-campus jobs, graduate school, and full-time work after graduation. We're proud to be a Handshake 2025 Career Spark Award recipient, placing us among the top 2% of career centers nationwide for exceptional student engagement and strong alumni and employer connections. Students, families, and alumni are warmly welcome. Come say hello, ask questions, and see how you can support students' growth and opportunities.
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New Science Center Building Tour
2 –3 p.m.
16 Lawn AvenueTour Wesleyan’s new state of the art science building, opening in Fall 2026. Tours will depart from the main lobby and will be led by Alan Rubacha, Associate Vice President for Facilities Operations. Come see the new home for Chemistry, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, and Biology departments. In addition to brand new facilities, there are numerous informal meeting areas, modern classrooms and teaching labs, as well as a cafe.
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WESeminar: Of Another Mind: Navigating a New Social Contract with Superintelligent AI
2-3 p.m.
Frank Center for Public Affairs, Room 100 More on Of Another Mind: Navigating a New Social Contract with Superintelligent AIJoin Katherine (Kitty) Forrest '86, partner and Vice Chair of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, for a discussion on her newest book, Of Another Mind: Navigating a New Social Contract with Superintelligent AI. Forrest explores how rapidly advancing AI challenges our legal systems, ethical norms, and understanding of human agency, and argues that society must rethink its social contract for an age of superintelligent machines. -
WESeminar: Making Monuments: A Sculptor Speaks for her Sculptures
2-3 p.m.
Frank Center for Public Affairs, Room 002 More on Making Monuments: A Sculptor Speaks for her SculpturesMeredith Gang Bergmann '76 is best known for creating thought-provoking public monuments that address the complexities of history, race, human rights, and disabilities. Her sculptures honor diverse historical figures, especially women and civil rights icons, including the Boston Women's Memorial, the Women's Rights Pioneers Monument in New York City’s Central Park, and Something Is Being Done, which celebrates 26 bold women of Lexington, Massachusetts. She will provide insights into her creative process, technical challenges, the often turbulent process of winning approvals, and her use of the medium as a tool for advancing social justice. -
WESeminar: Mixed Media, Surprising Sounds: A Book Arts Lab Workshop
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Olin Memorial Library, Book Arts Lab, Ground Floor BO01 More on Mixed Media, Surprising Sounds: A Book Arts Lab WorkshopJoin us for a hands-on workshop in the Book Arts Lab, offered in conjunction with Mixed Media, Curious Combos: A Unique Collections Open House. In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to create their own paper instruments inspired by the unexpected and uncommon material combinations featured in the Open House. We’ll explore the surprising sounds of paper accordions, shakers, and drums.
This workshop is open to all ages. Young children should be accompanied by an adult.
Space is limited to 8 participants per session and is first-come, first-serve.
Friday:
Session 1, 2:30-3:00
Session 2, 3:00-3:30
Session 3, 3:30-4:00
Session 4, 4:00-4:30
Saturday:
Session 1, 11:30-12:00
Session 2, 12:00-12:30
Session 3, 12:30-1:00
Session 4, 1:00-1:30 -
Mixed Media, Curious Combos: A Unique Collections Open House
3–5 p.m.
More on the open house
Olin Memorial Library
Special Collections and Archives and the Davison Rare Book RoomJoin us for a glimpse into the unexpected! Mixed Media, Curious Combos celebrates the surprising side of Wesleyan’s Unique Collections, featuring objects that defy expectations and conventions. Discover books made of cloth, sound recordings on paper, jewelry crafted from insects, and other intriguing items from the collections.
This open house brings together treasures from Special Collections & Archives, World Music Archives & Music Library, Archaeology & Anthropology Collections, and East Asian Art & Archival Collections—all showcasing uncommon materials in unexpected forms.
Drop in, explore, and experience the collections in a whole new way. -
Class Conversations for alumni in the classes of 1951, 1956, 1961, and 1966
3–5:30 p.m.
Boger Hall classrooms More on the Class ConversationsEach class is warmly invited to come together, providing a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends, share memories, and celebrate the bonds that have lasted over the years.
1951 and 1956 Classes Conversation
Boger Hall, room 115
1961 Class Conversation
Boger Hall, room 113
1966 Class Conversation
Boger Hall, room 114 -
WESeminar: More Than a Diner: O’Rourke’s and Wesleyan
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Frank Center for Public Affairs, Room 001 More on More Than a Diner: O’Rourke’s and WesleyanJoin Brian O’Rourke, the longtime owner of O’Rourke’s Diner in Middletown, CT, and Beck Lee ’81 as they discuss the cherished memories Wesleyan students and alumni hold of O’Rourke’s Diner. Opened in 1941 under the ownership of Brian’s uncle, the all-night diner was famous for being one of the first restaurants to serve the steamed cheeseburger. But it was more than that: a business anchor in the North End, a satellite city hall throughout the day, and a packed petri dish of social engagement when townies and Wesleyan students would gather to either continue or wind down a night of partying. After a devastating fire in 2006, a reinvented O’Rourke’s rose from the ashes as a breakfast spot showcasing Brian’s new passion for baking and artisanal comfort food. The diner continued to be a favorite of Wesleyan students and faculty until it closed in 2023.
More Info on Speakers:
Beck Lee ’81 is said to have broken the glass ceiling at O’Rourke’s, becoming, in 1979, the first Wesleyan student to put on an apron, wash dishes, refill coffees, empty ashtrays, and deliver steamed cheeseburgers by the bushel.
Brian, who took over the diner in 1976 from his uncle John, is working on a memoir chronicling the busy North End, where legions of hard-working immigrants built thriving businesses—many of which are still around today. -
President's Reception Honoring Leadership Donors
5–6:30 p.m.
Fayerweather, Beckham HallBy invitation only
More on the leadership donors receptionPresident Michael S. Roth '78 and the Wesleyan Board of Trustees invite members of the 1831 Society, Olin Society, and the Wesleyan Circle for a reception in Fayerweather, Beckham Hall. Wesleyan's leadership societies recognize the extraordinary commitment and support of our generous and dedicated community members.
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Red, Black, and Green! All-College Dinner
5–8 p.m.
More on the all-college dinner
Usdan University Center Marketplace, 2nd floorAn informal, eco-friendly dinner for classmates, friends, and families in the Marketplace, second floor of Usdan University Center.
$30 per person; purchase tickets within online registration by May 13.
Limited meal tickets may be available—though not guarateed—at the Marketplace cashier during dinner hours. -
Friday Presidential Dinner in Honor of the 50th Reunion Class of 1976
5:30–8 p.m.
More on the reception and dinner
Center for the Arts Tent5:30 p.m. reception
6:30 p.m. dinner
Members of the Class of 1976 are cordially invited to celebrate their 50th Reunion with President Michael S. Roth ’78. Following dinner, all guests are invited to attend the Tierney Sutton ’86 Jazz Concert in Crowell Concert Hall. Please register for the dinner by May 13. -
Welcome Celebration for the Class of 1981
6-8 p.m.
Welcome Celebration for the Class of 1981
Puerto Vallarta, 200 Main StreetJoin fellow Wesleyan alumni from the Class of 1981 for a Reunion Weekend welcome celebration at Puerto Vallarta (200 Main Street). Reconnect with old friends, swap a few stories, and enjoy drinks and dinner together to kick off the weekend. We’d love to see you there!
Hosted by Belinda Buck Kielland ‘81 and Livia Wong McCarthy ‘81 -
Shabbat Services
6:30–7:30 p.m.
More on Shabbat
The Bayit, 157 Church StreetPlease join Rabbi David Leipziger Teva and the Wesleyan Jewish community as we welcome in Shabbat with song, light, and dance. All are welcome! No reservations necessary.
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All Reunion Classes Welcome Reception
7–9 p.m.
More on the All Reunion Classes Welcome Reception
Andrus Field TentKick off a weekend of fun and memories by joining fellow alumni under the tent at the base of Foss Hill. Reconnect with classmates, enjoy music hits spanning the 1960s through today courtesy of DJ Van Vader (Javaid Khan ’96), and capture the moment in our photo booth. Complimentary light bites and a cash bar will be available. Please register for this event through the registration form by May 13 to help us plan accordingly. -
Shabbat Dinner
7:30–10 p.m.
More on Shabbat dinner
Daniel Family Commons, Usdan University CenterWelcome Shabbat with song, food, and joyful fellowship at this special dinner for returning alumni, graduating seniors, and their families.
$30 per person. Purchase tickets within online registration by May 13.
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An Evening of Jazz with Tierney Sutton ’86 and Tamir Hendleman
8:30–9:45 p.m.
Crowell Concert HallEnjoy a special performance from Tierney Sutton ’86, a nine-time Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist, and Tamir Hendelman This is a non-ticketed event; most seating in Crowell will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
More on this eventMusic has long played a vital role in the distinctive culture of Wesleyan. Building on this tradition, our event series for This Is Not a Campaign. This Is Wesleyan., featured performances by a diverse array of alumni musicians from across the country, often with President Michael S. Roth ’78 joining in for a song or two. We are delighted to expand this series by welcoming one of our most accomplished alumnae, Tierney Sutton ’86, to perform on campus during Reunion + Commencement Weekend.
As the University deepens its national and global engagement, this historic initiative, the largest fundraising effort in Wesleyan’s history, continues to strengthen Wesleyan’s impact and affirm the belief that The World Needs More Wesleyan.
A nine-time Grammy nominee, Tierney Sutton ’86 has received a Best Jazz Vocal Album nomination for every project she has released over the past decade. Renowned for her impeccable voice and imaginative interpretations of the Great American Songbook, Sutton is celebrated both as a compelling jazz storyteller and for her ability to use her voice as a true instrument.
Born in Tel Aviv, pianist, composer, and arranger Tamir Hendelman has made Southern California his home, though his career is truly global. A longtime member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, he has recorded with Barbra Streisand and Natalie Cole, performed with jazz greats Benny Golson and Terell Stafford, and appeared as a guest artist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Winston-Salem Symphony. -
Class of 2001 25th Reunion Celebration
9-11 p.m.
Olin Memorial Library, Campbell Reference RoomThe Class of 2001 and their guests are invited to gather for an evening of dancing, refreshments, and reunion cheer. Enjoy music by DJ Jahi Sundance ’01, great company, and a lively atmosphere as we toast this milestone year together.
Hosted by the Class of 2001 reunion class ambassadors -
All Reunion Classes Dance Party
9–12 a.m.
Patricelli ‘92 Theater and Zelnick PavilionAll are invited to hit the dance floor and reconnect with classmates and fellow alumni. DJ set from Frank Tuitt (SoulPatrol Boston) and DJ Sadiq (Soul Summit Music) from 9-11 p.m., followed by our house DJ . A cash bar will be available in Zelnick Pavilion.
With special thanks to the Class of 1991 reunion class ambassadors for their invaluable feedback and support in planning this event.
