Explore “because” photos

Explore “this is why”

Alok Appadurai ’00

May 21, 2013

This is Why Story:

I had a number of favorite professors who helped shape my mind, my world view, and my beliefs. Professors Kerr-Ritchie and Karemcheti were superb, insightful, and eloquent, taking me on journeys through texts about the lives of slaves, third world writers and more. But it was Professors Ann Wightman… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Zanne Gerrard ’94

May 21, 2013

This is Why Story:

I joined the Wesleyan Concert Choir at the beginning of my freshman year. And somehow—and I’m not really sure quite when Mel [Strauss] kind of noticed me—but he was  really instrumental in allowing me to explore singing and blossom as a singer. … He asked me twice to come… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Zöe Mueller ’13

May 21, 2013

Thesis Title:

The Interstate System in the American Cultural Memory: The Creation and Contestation of the Highway Spaces of Cleveland and Detroit, Postwar to Present

This is Why Story:

I was looking at neighborhoods that got split up by the interstate highway system, and how they recover from that. It got started when I was studying abroad. My host family in Brazil lived above an elevated highway, the Minhocao, and the first morning I woke up and pulled up the window shade, and looked… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Hayley Stokar ’06

May 14, 2013

Thesis Title:

Signs of Change: Cultural Negotiations of a Deaf Jewish Congregation

Favorite Course:

American Sign Language

This is Why Story:

At Wesleyan, while doing a million other things from student theater to curatorial assistance at the Center for East Asian Studies, I was able to study American Sign Language and Spanish simultaneously, and intensively.  I have since become a social worker serving Deaf communities in Guatemala… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Eric Postel ’77

May 7, 2013

This is Why Story:

Amazing coincidence: When I was confirmed as an Assistant Administrator at USAID, one of the political appointees working for me was Christian Holmes '68, the Agency Global Water Coordinator. Soon after, the newly-created water office needed a director so we recruited a USAID foreign service officer… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Ron Medley ’73

April 30, 2013

Favorite Course:

William Faulkner with Joe Reed

Favorite Professor:

Too, too many to choose just one. Seriously

This is Why Story:

I just got back from the First Annual Edgar Beckham Helping Hands Awards ceremony, my second trip to Middletown in a month.  I'm afraid if President  Roth spots me at one more of these events (cough, Reunion), he'll be tempted to charge me tuition.  Nevertheless,… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

James W. Thomasson ’63

April 23, 2013

Thesis Title:

Giffin Prize: "A Reexamination of the Doctrine of Creation"

Favorite Course:

Systematic Theology

Favorite Professor:

John Maguire

This is Why Story:

MLK Day Retroflection [a different kind of professional introduction to my class!]Everyone has special memories that cement historical occurrences in their personal consciousness, whether it be the assassinations of the Kennedys or Martin Luther King, or the Jihadist assaults of 911. Mine relate directly… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Dar Williams ’89

April 17, 2013

This is Why Story:

Last year I was asked to teach a course at Wesleyan, Music Movements in a Capitalist Democracy—so, what is the position of music in our capitalist democracy, which is a very fast-moving economy.  I came in thinking, you know, music—you just use it for fundraisers. That's how it helps… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Cecelia Ruth Bolden ’88

April 11, 2013

Thesis Title:

Be Present

This is Why Story:

I have been blessed by all the wonderful people I have met  throughout my life especially those at Wesleyan.  I was the first in my family to go away to college. I had no frame of reference in terms of what to expect. Wesleyan taught me many things but first and foremost it taught me "TO BE… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Raymond Kardas ’42

April 10, 2013

Favorite Professor:

Russell "Butch" Limbach

This is Why Story:

Dear Wesleyan, I am prompted by your recent "Because" photo request.  It is a pleasure to contribute to the Wesleyan Fund, which I will do earlier than usual. I would like to pay tribute to Russell "Butch" Limbach, art professor at Wesleyan when I returned after more than three years, being drafted… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Beth Calamia Scheckel ’90

April 7, 2013

Thesis Title:

Early Christian Commentary on the Eleusinian Mysteries

Favorite Course:

Ancient Greek

Favorite Professor:

Andy Szegedy-Maszak and Carla Antonaccio

This is Why Story:

Although I learned so much at Wesleyan, now from my perspective the best part is being an alum. In fact, my director at my second job is a Williams alum and hired me precisely because I graduated from a Little Three school! What makes me feel most connected to Wesleyan is being a teacher myself -- first… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Michael Doran ’88

April 3, 2013

Favorite Course:

Political Philosophy

Favorite Professor:

Victor Gourevitch

This is Why Story:

I took Victor Gourevitch's course on political philosophy in the fall term of my junior year.  We read The Republic, The Politics, Leviathan, Two Treatises on Government, The Social Contract, and The Philosophy of Right.  Gourevitch told us that the course would stay with us forever. … more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Katherine Goldberg ’99

April 2, 2013

Favorite Course:

History of the Southern Civil Rights Movement

Favorite Professor:

Jill Morawski, Joe Rouse

This is Why Story:

As the founder of a veterinary practice devoted exclusively to geriatrics, hospice & palliative care for animals, people are constantly asking me "how did you ever come up with that?!" Each time I tell my story, describing the winding & seemingly bizarre route of my professional career, the… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Makaela Kingsley ’98

March 29, 2013

Favorite Course:

Developmental Neurobiology

Favorite Professor:

Jan Naegele

This is Why Story:

It seems that every time I encounter something impressive in my adult life - an organization doing innovative or impactful work, progressive political or financial policy, a beautiful film, poignant writing - I can somehow trace it back to a Wesleyan alumnus/a. I am proud and humbled to count myself… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Daniel Handler ’92

March 29, 2013

Thesis Title:

Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo, and Vladimir: The Novels of Vladimir Nabokov and the Films of the Marx Brothers

Share Your THIS IS WHY

Joe Giaimo ’11

March 29, 2013

Thesis Title:

Strategies of Leadership

Favorite Course:

American Political Development

Favorite Professor:

Elvin Lim

This is Why Story:

I had never heard of Wesleyan up until January of my senior year of HS. I received a call from one of the football coaches, jumped at the opportunity to visit, and did a quick tour of the school and the rest was history. I loved my Wesleyan experience because of the people I met here. People who were… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Majora Carter ’88

March 26, 2013

This is Why Story:

Wesleyan prepared me to think about things not only as they appear directly in front of me, but also of what they can be. It’s all about how do you nurture it and bring it out so that everyone and everything can be their best selves.  From: Majora Carter ’88: Greening the Ghetto   more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Michael S Roth ’78

March 27, 2013

Favorite Professor:

Henry Abelove

Share Your THIS IS WHY

Ayelet Waldman ’86

March 28, 2013

This is Why Story:

I definitely went through significant transitions at Wesleyan. I think mostly it was a matter of self confidence. I had been a very unhappy kid in high school—I didn't have a lot of friends, and I didn't fit in. I lived in a not great part of a very very wealthy town, so I never had as much money… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Rick Gilberg ’74

March 26, 2013

This is Why Story:

  My second semester there was a visiting professor from Hebrew University in Jerusalem named Shlomo Avineri, who’s still around and still quoted in the New York Times a lot on Israel issues, and he was teaching this course on Marx and Hegel.   As a young sort of anti-war, politically… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Emma Elizabeth Drew ’10

March 25, 2013

Thesis Title:

I Like This Country Fine: A Graphic Novella

Share Your THIS IS WHY

Michael Lewis ’03

March 29, 2013

This is Why Story:

I became a CSS major, and joining the College of Social Studies was definitely a defining moment. I put that in my category of, "I always like being surrounded by people I feel are a lot smarter than me," because it gives me something to kind of strive for. I definitely felt like—I'd be in the… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Bill Wasch ’52

March 29, 2013

This is Why Story:

I had to decide between Chi Psi and Alpha Delt. I joined Alpha Delt, and met a wonderful group of students. In those days, most of the fraternities had eating clubs, and we would have dinner, and we'd learn table manners—can you believe that? We actually had to wear a tie, and it was a little… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY

Ari Brand ’06

March 26, 2013

This is Why Story:

I came into Wesleyan not thinking that I wanted to become an actor, and I came out wanting to become an actor. So although I did all sorts of other things there as well - I played a lot of music, I was a psychology double major, I took classes that changed who I was as a person - Wesleyan was the place… more
Share Your THIS IS WHY