Lots Happening in October
First month of the academic year is always exciting. This year we had to manage through some new technology programs, and that made for some bumps as we settled into the semester. But students and faculty registered for their courses, and before too long shows were being planned, matches were being played, guest speakers were testing out their ideas, and the sounds of music were heard from Freeman to Foss Hill, from the Center for the Arts to the new Casper Life Sciences Building.
As October began, I was in Chicago for a great campaign event where we talked about why “The World Needs More Wesleyan.” Scores of alumni and parents of current students joined together to celebrate liberal education in a time of political turmoil and questions about human-centered education in a context of accelerating automation. We have a wonderful alumni group in Chicago, and the enthusiasm was inspiring.
Athletic teams are off to a great start. There are so many good stories, but I’ll just mention two. The men’s cross-country team won the Little Three Championship for the first time in more than forty years. It was a team effort, to be sure, and special acknowledgment should go to Dylan Cote ’28. The women’s volleyball team also deserves applause for its gang busters start to the season. They are undefeated and seem to get better with every match. And I can’t resist a third example: Wesleyan’s football team just pulled off one of the most exciting wins you’ll ever see, coming from behind to beat Hamilton on the road with less than 20 seconds left.
Lots of great events coming up on campus. The Center for the Humanities series on Monstrosities is underway on several Monday nights and at the Pruzan Art Center in the Goldrach Gallery, you can find a disturbing, wonderful exhibition on the Grotesque. And while all this is going on in Middletown, our colleagues Neely Bruce and Tammy Nguyen are preparing their opera, Timaeus and the Teacher for its premiere in Venice! Hard to keep track of all these Wes Creatives.
We are moving into the heart of the semester, and we are also approaching the midterm elections. The Allbritton Center helps students find ways to work on campaigns or at polling stations. If that’s of interest, learn more.
