by Jenny Ongele When I first decided to study abroad, I had a clear image in my head of what that “should” encapsulate. I assumed studying abroad meant spending every waking moment travelling across Europe, taking the most aesthetic photos of all the architecture and natural scenery, while somehow, miraculously, transforming my entire identity. However,…
On May 1st, the Office of Fellowships at the Fries Center for Global Studies ended the semester by celebrating Wesleyan University’s 2025 fellowship recipients. A huge congratulations to all of our recipients and finalists – what a beautiful day to gather and recognize all these students’ accomplishments! Thanks also to the faculty mentors and committee…
by Zaynah AlmasriLooking to keep up your language skills over the summer in a fun, low-pressure way?Registration is now open for Summer Language Buddies, a program coordinated by the FriesCenter for Global Studies that connects Wesleyan students, faculty, and staff for informallanguage practice during academic breaks. Originally launched as Winter Language Buddies in 2020, the…
by Julia Gardner While Wesleyan doesn’t (yet!) have an full department dedicated to American Sign Language (ASL), many students have done amazing work in ASL and Deaf Studies during their time at Wes, taking advantage of the coursework offerings as well as other opportunities such as independent research that delves deeper into their interests within…
by Oleksandra Volakova Every year, Wesleyan welcomes new FLTAs (Foreign Language Teaching Assistants) from all over the world – foreign students interested in teaching others their native language and immersing themselves into foreign culture. 11 people, coming from different backgrounds, help Wesleyan students to understand the culture and language better, becoming an irreplaceable support to…
by Tasmiah Akter Wesleyan faculty’s collective expertise spans the globe, and the Office for Intercultural Learning at the Fries Center for Global Studies is pleased to celebrate their international and often multilingual work with great pride here in the Wes and the World newsletter. Last week’s theme was the Arts and this week it’s Social…
by Tasmiah Akter As the year comes to an end, it is important to reflect on and share thanks with people on campus who make Wesleyan the place that it is, especially graduating seniors. This article spotlights three Global Engagement Minors – Julia, Henry, and Kenzie – who have made the most of their time…
By Kate Marriott This year, two Wesleyan students, Antonio Rivera (‘26) and Kaylin Maher (‘26), were awarded the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most prestigious national awards for undergraduates pursuing research careers in the natural sciences. The scholarship, which is awarded to sophomores or juniors pursuing research careers in science, mathematics, or engineering, provides…
by Diana Q Tran Every year when March 8 comes around, I am usually alone, curled up somewhere with a nice book. Last year, I was finishing up a last minute essay in the COL library. This year, I was people-watching in my host family’s salon (an extremely large room for welcoming guests that almost…
By Kate Marriott The Samuel P. Huntington Public Service Award offers $30,000 to graduating college seniors from accredited U.S. institutions for use in undertaking a self-designed, year-long public service project anywhere in the world. Established in 1989 to honor Samuel Huntington—a former CEO of the New England Electric System and advocate for energy conservation—the award…
by Zaynah Almasri On March 5th and 6th, Wesleyan University proudly welcomed members of a binational U.S.-Japan study group focused on advancing non-military cooperation between the two nations. In light of shifting global dynamics—particularly China’s growing geopolitical and geo-economic influence—the symposium emphasized the increasing relevance of “soft” security. This includes collaborative efforts in areas like…
by Tasmiah Akter Wesleyan faculty’s collective expertise spans the globe, and the Office for Intercultural Learning at the Fries Center for Global Studies is pleased to celebrate their international and often multilingual work here in the Wes and the World newsletter. This is the first of a two part series to be highlighted in the…
by Julia Gardner The Fries Center for Global Studies is proud to announce that six Wesleyan students will be participating in Critical Language Scholarship programs this summer! The Critical Language Scholarship is a competitive, fully-funded program that offers immersive instruction in thirteen different languages considered critical to the U.S.’s global engagement. CLS programs cover the…
by Kate Marriott Every year, Wesleyan seniors have the opportunity to apply for the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. The Watson is a one-year fellowship that allows graduating seniors to pursue an independent research project in any field of interest, as long as they do so outside the United States. The grant supports personal exploration through…
By Henry Ewing-Crystal ’26 During the last couple of weeks of my semester abroad in Thailand, we were brought to Koh Tao (or turtle island), where I got scuba certified and started going on conservation dives. Throughout the process of becoming certified, three cardinal rules were drilled into my head, all of which I found…
by Oleksandra Volakova Porcelain War, a multiple award-winning documentary and a 97th Academy Awards nominee for Best Documentary Feature, brings a unique perspective on the brutal Russian-Ukrainian war, now in its 11th year, featuring artists as part of the resistance. The film focuses on Ukrainian civilians who, upon the full-scale war outbreak on February 24,…
