August 2022
Dear Parents and Families of students in the Class of 2024,
As the end of summer approaches, campus is gearing up to welcome the Class of 2026 into the Wesleyan community. For returning students, housing opens on Saturday, September 3, at 9:00 a.m. and classes start September 5. Fall Break takes place from the end of the day Friday, October 21, through Tuesday, October 25, and Family Weekend is scheduled for Friday-Sunday, November 4-6. Please be sure to remind your student not to finalize travel plans for Fall Break or the end of the semester until they have consulted with professors about the timing of exams and finals, as faculty are not obligated to accommodate student travel plans when there is a schedule conflict.
Having declared their majors in the spring, juniors are now settling into their new academic homes. Before getting too comfy, however, it is important for every junior to understand that time will pass quickly between now and graduation. The more thought a student puts into their graduation plans at the beginning of the junior year, the more fruitful their senior year will be. If your student is planning to undertake an honors thesis, it is a good idea to encourage them to begin the process of lining up an advisor and narrowing down the research topic before the end of this semester, especially if they are planning to apply for a Davenport study grant (a highly competitive thesis research grant that is due in late March). The fall is also a good time to drop by the Gordon Career Center to begin making preparations for life beyond college.
This fall, over 150 members of the Class of 2024 will be studying abroad in places as far afield as Jordan, Nepal, Madagascar, and Australia. Study abroad can be a wonderfully transformative experience. For families and friends, having a student on study abroad is an opportunity to travel vicariously and explore the nuances of a foreign culture through familiar eyes. While most students are well-prepared for this experience, life in a foreign county can nevertheless present unforeseen challenges that may seem especially daunting when half a planet away from home. This is why it is important to remember that every study abroad program provides support resources to help students meet the personal, cultural, and academic challenges they may face while in a foreign country.
I will be writing to you again mid-semester. In the meantime, please feel free to call or write if you have any questions or concerns. If you are planning to be on campus for Family Weekend, I will be holding drop-in hours for parents on Saturday, November 5, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, so please stop by if you have the time.
Best wishes,
David Phillips
Dean for the Class of 2024
T. (860) 685-2757 | dphillips@wesleyan.edu
Class of 2024 Blog
Academic Advancement
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Middletown, CT 06459