Davenport Study Grants

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Davenport Study Grants support student research and other student scholarly projects in public affairs.  Grants are awarded to sophomores and juniors who have “demonstrated intellectual and moral excellence and a concern for public affairs” and “who by their personal qualities and vocational and scholarly intentions give greatest promise of leadership in the public service.”

Please see the Davenport website for application information.

All Davenport Scholars will receive between $500 and $3000 depending on the scope of their project, that can be used beginning this summer.  Please note that a separately submitted letter from the faculty member who will supervise the project, carefully assessing its merit and the ability of the applicant to carry it out successfully, must be submitted with the application.

Applications will be judged by a faculty committee composed of representatives of social science departments and programs. Criteria for judging applications include: the relevance of the project to public affairs; the scholarly value of the proposed research; the clarity and suitability of the project design; the feasibility of the proposed project; the applicant’s past academic record; the evaluation submitted by the faculty member; and the realism of the proposed budget. Senior thesis projects will receive priority.

All materials including faculty recommendations must be submitted electronically to Davenport Student Grants (davenport@wesleyan.edu), by midnight, Sunday, March 27, 2022.

Please direct questions to Marie McKenna, Allbritton AA (mmckenna01@wesleyan.edu) or Katja Kolcio, Allbritton Center Director (kkolcio@wesleyan.edu).

These funds are made available through a gift to Wesleyan University from the Surdna Foundation in honor of Frederick Morgan Davenport, Wesleyan University Class of 1889, and Edith Jefferson Andrus Davenport, Wesleyan University, Class of 1897.

New Minor in Human Rights Advocacy

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A new Minor in Human Rights Advocacy to be launched this fall. As a student at Wesleyan, you are eligible to participate in this unique program. Please note that the deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 23.

The Minor builds on the pilot program in human rights advocacy developed over the past several years in conjunction with the University Network for Human Rights. Through this program, Wesleyan undergraduates have studied human rights norms and advocacy methodology, and have participated in supervised documentation and practice with communities facing human rights abuse. Over the past three years, as the Minor has been in development, Wesleyan students have worked with supervisors from UNHR on a range of projects: these include ones opposing mass incarceration in Connecticut, challenging environmental racism in Louisiana; and seeking accountability for those responsible for summary executions in Bolivia. Students engaged in these projects have traveled to work with community partners in the United States and abroad. More about these projects, as well as media coverage of UNHR’s interventions, is available here.

The Minor combines rigorous coursework with concrete, practical training under the guidance of the team of UNHR supervisors. These supervisors developed and oversaw the human rights clinics at Harvard and Stanford Law Schools prior to forming UNHR to expand clinical training in human rights advocacy beyond the law school setting.

Students interested in the program will be required to enroll in a gateway course on human rights standards, seminars on human rights advocacy and on writing for advocacy, as well as other related courses chosen by each student in accordance with their particular area or areas of interest.  Students admitted to the Minor will participate in intensive training and then be expected to travel (with a supervisor) to a location of rights abuse to work with the affected community. All costs of the program will be paid by UNHR and Wesleyan.

Information about the Minor, as well as the application form, is available here.

Further information about the University Network for Human Rights is available here.

Interesting Facts about the Hebrew Program that you might not know of

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Did you know that when you learn Modern Hebrew

  • you can read ancient texts written in their original language.
  • you can listen to hit TV shows and Israeli movies, appreciating the undertones and special humor.
  • your curriculum will include meeting celebrities, discussing their works over lunches, participating in an Israeli film festival and making valuable personal connections.
  • you will earn a full three credits for the year.
  • you can choose whether you use the Humanities or Social Sciences general education designations.

If those facts sound interesting, please consider joining Hebrew courses. Please email the professor Dalit Katz at dkatz01@wesleyan.edu for more information.

Study Abroad Stories 2/23 4:30pm

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Did you know that 40% of Wesleyan students study abroad? At Study Abroad Stories, you’ll hear from four students who studied abroad in France, Sweden, Spain, and Italy during the Fall 2021 semester. You’ll hear about their unique study abroad stories, why they chose to spend a semester abroad, and what advice they have for you. Whether you know you want to study abroad or you just want to learn more about it, this event is for you!

Wednesday, February 23
4:30pm
201 Fisk Hall

Please RSVP through this link.

What is Consulting?

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Enjoy traveling? Want a high impact career? Calling anyone interested in learning about consulting! Learn about management and strategic consulting and see if joining Wes’s consulting club, Consulting Pathways, is right for you! Freshman and sophomores are especially welcome!

Register here!

Tuesday Feb. 15 from 12-1pm ET via Zoom