Message from the Dean
I hope you were able to complete all the tasks that were due today (June 28, 2018) and that you are preparing for pre-registration coming up in July. In the Academic Highlights section of this week’s newsletter, I describe some of the things that characterize a “balanced schedule.” This will help you to get off to a healthy and strong start to the semester.
Remember to begin your Common Reading of A Body Undone: Living on After Great Pain by Christina Crosby. A hard copy of the book should arrive at your home address shortly.
Tomorrow you can participate in a Facebook Live session at 12pm ET. Professor Crosby, a member of the English Department and Feminist, Gender Sexuality Studies Program will be joined by Professor Jennifer Tucker, Chair of Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and member of the History Department, and by students Caridad Cruz ’21 and Christopher Jackson ’20. If you miss the session, you can watch it on the Wesleyan University Facebook page.
Lastly, beginning tomorrow Friday, June 29th through August 10th, most offices at the university will close on Fridays at noon ET. With the upcoming July 4th national holiday, you may find it difficult to reach various personnel at the university for most of next week. We will do our best to address any questions or concerns. In the meantime, there is a wealth of information on the Orientation website.
Have a great week and remember this will be the last time we will send information to you using your personal email account. Please use your Wesleyan email account from now on.
Dean Thornton
Academic Highlights
Preparation for Pre-Registration
Last week, I advised you to think in terms of a building manageable course of study that offers challenge as well as flexibility for you to explore the curriculum and discover new interests. As you pursue your educational goals, keep in mind the idea of constructing a schedule that is balanced, challenging, and interesting. What exactly did I mean?
An academic schedule is balanced when:
- There is a combination of small and large classes, lecture and discussion, and variations in course content and focus (e.g., reading, writing, quantitative work, artistic activity). This can provide breadth and stimulate academic curiosity while keeping a schedule manageable yet challenging.
- There is variation in class days and times. For some students, this is as important a consideration as what courses to choose. Without sacrificing intellectual rigor or interest, students should try to distribute their courses across the week and through the day in the way that works best for them.
Message from Orientation Interns
Hello, incoming students!
This week, we’d suggest getting familiar with some academic resources. In a couple days, you’ll begin selecting courses. To prepare for that moment and avoid the anxiety that sometimes accompanies it, use WesVising to get acquainted with various departments. Additionally, whether you foresee needing advice from the STEM Zone or information about stress relief from WesWell, you will find other resources easily accessible through the Wesleyan University website’s resources page.
As a Wesleyan student, you can use a plethora of resources to expand your virtual library, as your Wesleyan email will grant you access to JSTOR, Lynda.com, the Mango Languages program, and a free New York Times subscription, among many other things you’ll find when exploring your WesPortal in depth.
We hope you find this helpful over the long and exciting summer between high school and college. 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 (as of 6/28)
Thursday, July 12 – NY, NY
Saturday, July 21—Los Angeles, CA
Sunday, July 22 – Bay Area, CA
Wednesday, July 25— Mamaroneck, NY
Saturday, July 28 – Washington, DC
Thursday, August 2— Boston, MA
Thursday, August 9 – Seattle, WA
Monday, August 13 – Chicago, IL
Tuesday, August 14 – Fairfield County, CT
Wednesday, August 15 – Philadelphia, PA