Message from the Dean
As we approach the month of August and you make the final preparations to travel to Wesleyan, please keep a few things in mind:
- When you make arrangements to travel to Wesleyan for the start of the semester, please note that students are expected to remain on campus until they have completed all final assignments and exams at the end of each semester. Faculty are not required to accommodate early departure for end of semester travel so you should not confirm transportation until you have confirmed the final exam dates with your professors after classes start.
- Although Pre-Registration Planning ends next week (Tuesday, July 31 at 5:00 PM), you still have time to consult the Advising Guidelines to seek advice about Pre-Registration, building a balanced schedule, and watch advising videos featuring faculty and students.
- Besides exploring the broad curriculum and enrolling in prerequisite courses for specific majors this semester, students who are already planning to study abroad or pursue specific careers paths should review their course selections to see if there are opportunities to include a course in their schedules that could prepare them for either study outside the United States or for post-graduate study at a professional school.
- If you are interested in studying abroad in a country where English is considered a foreign language, you must register for the first half of the appropriate language course. Consult the Fries Center for Global Studies to learn about the language requirements for the study abroad programs that Wesleyan sponsors.
- Students interested in post-graduate studies in the fields of law or medicine should contact the Gordon Career Center for advice on course preparation for these types of advanced programs. In this week’s Academic Highlights, I am pleased to introduce Health Professions Advisor Mildred Rodriguez to shared a few insights about course selection for students interested in medical school or another graduate school in the health professions.
Have a terrific week,
Dean Thornton
Academic Highlights
ADVICE FROM HEALTH PROFESSIONS ADVISOR MILDRED RODRIGUEZ
As you get yourself ready to prepare for your future application to a health professions program such as medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant, nursing, occupational therapy, and any other fields, you need to consider the different facets of your preparation and work on a plan.
To start, begin setting goals related to the pre-requisite courses you need to complete alongside the courses for your major. To view a short video on the course selection for health professions go to: http://www.wesleyan.edu/careercenter/students/health/index.html
Here are a few other suggestions:
- Avail yourself to the wonderful and diverse Wesleyan University courses
- Maintaine balance in your life and stay healthy
- Focus on personal growth and becoming more resilient
- Cultivate relationships with faculty and staff
- Hone your skills in critical thinking, ethical responsibility, teamwork, cultural competence and scientific inquiry grounded in research.
- Read the Health Professions Newsletter and attend as many HP Events as you can
- Visit with the Health Professions Advisor at least once per semester
- Explore the particular health profession of interest to you. Conduct online research and volunteer in a clinical setting
- Seek opportunities to shadow a medical provider
- Join a student organization and engage in campus community
- Participate in community service in the City of Middletown or elsewhere
Preparing for the health professions is a long process involving numerous steps requiring early and careful planning. As you move forward and have questions, please come see me. I would be happy to meet with you and help in any way I can. Once you are on campus, you can set up an appointment on HandShake, or call (860) 685-2180 or just drop by the Gordon Career Center and ask at the reception desk.
Information Sessions:
- Friday, August 31 at 10:00AM in PAC, Room 001 – Health Professions Overview for First Years
- Thursday, August 30:
- 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM – Available at the Academic Forum
- 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – 20 minute drop-in appointments in Gordon Career Center (GCC)
- During first two week of classes – Available for 30-minute drop-in appointments in GCC
Enjoy the rest of your summer and I hope to see you this fall!
Mildred Rodríguez, Ph.D., Health Professions Advisor
Message from the Orientation Interns
Hello, folks!
Your meal plan selection deadline – August 1st – is fast approaching, so now is a good time to learn about the different meal plan options. For first-year students, the default plan is called “Block 140,” which gives you $586.00 worth of points and 140 meal swipes. Part of choosing the best meal plan for you is looking into dining facilities at Wesleyan. Places like Usdan charge both meal swipes and points, while WesWings and other places only charge points. If you like getting a coffee, you might plan to frequent Pi Café. In that case, you might consider choosing a meal plan with more points. It is all up to you! If all else fails, you can’t go wrong with Block 140. For complete information visit the Meal plan link and FAQ page from www.wesleyan.edu/dining
GO WES!
The Orientation Interns
Maximilien Chong Lee Shin ‘21
Caridad Cruz ‘21
Christopher Jackson ‘20
Virginia Sciolino ‘21
orientation@wesleyan.edu
(860) 685-5666
Summer Sendoffs
Saturday, July 28 – Washington, DC
Thursday, August 2 – Boston, MA
Thursday, August 9 – Seattle, WA
Saturday, August 4 – Beijing, CH
Monday, August 13 – Chicago, IL
Tuesday, August 14 – Fairfield County, CT
Wednesday, August 15 – Philadelphia, PA