Author Archives: Alex

Be a writing tutor for the Prison Education Program

Calling All Writing Tutors!

Interested in working as a writing tutor for Wesleyan students in prison?

The Wesleyan Center for Prison Education Program is currently seeking trained writing tutors for next year.

Come to an info session to learn more about the program and to hear more about this opportunity from this year’s writing tutors, Áine McCarthy ’10 and Paolo Speirn ’10.

Date: Wednesday, 5/12
Time: 4:15 pm
Location: Albritton 311

Creativity, Consciousness and Environmental Activism

Reid Higginson ’09 returns to campus this Saturday to lead a workshop called Creativity, Consciousness and Environmental Activism:

At Wesleyan, people hate “the binary,” and the environmental movement has an elephant of a binary sitting in its closet—the dualism between natural and unnatural. What is natural anyway? What makes organic foods, all of which have been engineered by farmers and would never survive in the wild, more natural than GMOs? When you get down to it, the split between natural and unnatural doesn’t really hold.

At the same time, there is something very unique that most environmentalists have experienced outdoors—a sense of beauty, connectedness and value that’s so meaningful it’s inspired many become farmers, climbers and activists.

The goal of this workshop is to question how we think about environmentalism; to unpack unconscious assumptions that usually come hand-in-hand with being Green while staying true to the awe and inspiration that make one interested in the environment in the first place. And, I’ll share some of the ways I’ve started to think differently about environmental activism. (For example, I am pumped up about the potential of nuclear power and GMOs right now, so be warned!).

Date: Saturday, 4/24
Time: 5 pm
Location: The Shapiro Creative Writing Center (in Albritton)

PS: Happy Earth Day!

Sustainability talk with Bill Nelligan

Interested in Sustainability at Wesleyan? No idea of what’s going on or want to get involved?

As part of Earth Day Week 2010, Come learn about Wesleyan’s Green House Gas Report and Climate Action Plan at a lunchtime discussion with Bill Nelligan, Director of Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability and chair of SAGES (the Sustainability Advisory Group for Environmental Stewardship). Bill will detail what we’ve been up to and what’s in store for the future. Bring your lunch!

Date: Tuesday, 4/20
Time: 12:00-1:00 pm
Place: Usdan 136

While you’re at it, check out more Earth Day Week events.

5K for Earth Day

Come join the fun at Wesleyan’s first

5k for Earth Day

11 a.m., Saturday, May 1st

An off-/on-road benefit walk-jog-run for the CT Coalition for Environmental Justice and a great way to recognize the 40th anniversary of Earth Day!

Early bird specials:

  • The first 25 people to register can do so for FREE and get a t-shirt in the size of their choosing!
  • The next 50 people to register pay just $5 and are guaranteed a t-shirt, though perhaps not in the size of their choosing.
  • Registration will be capped at 100 participants, so bring your friends and sign up early!

How to sign-up:
Look for the “5k for Earth Day” table at Usdan next week during the following times:

  • Monday, 4/19: 12-2 and 5:30-7:30
  • Tuesday, 4/20: 12-1 and 5:30-7:30
  • Wednesday, 4/21: 12:30-2 and 5:30-7:30
  • Thursday 4/22: 12-1 and 5:30-7:30
  • Friday 4/23: 12:30-2
  • Saturday 4/24: 11-2

For more info, email emknight at wes.

Earth Day Network Rally in DC

On Sunday, April 25, Wesleyan and Conn College will be taking a bus down to Washington D.C. to attend an Earth Day Rally at the National Mall to demand that Congress enact climate and clean energy legislation in 2010.

The Climate Rally is the capstone of the Earth Day Network’s nine-day event on The National Mall with speeches from environmental stewards Reverend Jesse Jackson, film director, James Cameron, AFL-CIO President, Richard Trumka, Olympic gold medalist, Billy Demong, producer, Trudie Styler and author, Margaret Atwood to bring the issue of climate change to an international stage.

The Climate Rally will also feature live music from:

Sting
John Legend
The Roots
Bob Weir
Patrick Stump
Mavis Staples
Passion Pit
Booker T
Jimmy Cliff
Joss Stone
Robert Randolph
Willie Colon
Honor Society
Tao Rodriguez-Seeger

We will be leaving campus around 5 am and returning around 11 pm. Best of all, its free!!! Please email weseon at gmail.com as soon as possible if you would like to attend or have any questions.

Turkish Music with Dünya this Saturday

This Saturday, Dünya will be rounding out this year’s Crowell Concert Series. Dünya is a performance and educational group dedicated to preserving and interpreting Turkish musical traditions. Their two guiding principles are
renk (color), which emphasizes the variety of Turkish music from popular to classical and secular to sacred, and sohbet (conversation), which emphasizes the value of presenting that music in conversation with other traditions. The group is particularly interested in exploring and rethinking relations with surrounding cultures with whom Turkey has traditionally been engaged in conflict, such as Greek and Armenian traditions.

Dünya features Robert Labaree, who earned his MA from Wesleyan in 1980 and his PhD in 1990, ceng (Middle Eastern harp) and voice; Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, voice, ney (end-blown flute), ud and saz (Middle Eastern short and long necked lutes); Cem Mutlu, percussion, voice; and Panayotis League, kemence (spike fiddle), voice.

Date: Saturday, March 27
Time: 8pm;
Pre-concert talk at 7:15pm by Cem Duruöz
Location:
Crowell Concert Hall
$$: $22 General, $18 Seniors/Staff, $6 Wesleyan Students

Co-sponsored by the Middle Eastern Studies Certificate Program.

Orientation Leader Apps due March 24th

The New Student Orientation Program is now accepting applications for 30 Orientation Leaders for the Class of 2014.  Orientation Leaders (OLs) will work for both International Student Orientation (ISO) and New Student Orientation (NSO).

Orientation Leaders are expected to return to campus on Wednesday, August 25, 2010.  All Orientation staff must attend training sessions from August 26-27, participate fully during both ISO and NSO (August 28-September 5), and must assist with all assigned events.

Successful candidates must be reliable, enthusiastic, and compassionate with good verbal communication skills, a positive attitude about campus life, culturally sensitive and experience working with diverse student populations.

Click here for the complete Orientation Leader job description and a link to the online application.  Students receive a $200 stipend. Applications are due by March 24.

Power plant support meeting

There will be a meeting tonight at 10 pm in Usdan to figure out how Wesleyan students can help and support Middletown residents affected by the power plant explosion. Come to figure out plans, logistics and future projects.

Date: Monday, 2/8 (today)
Time: 10 pm
Location: Usdan 108