Reports from Around Campus
On a rainy Sunday in May, the clouds parted at sunset long enough for a gorgeous rainbow to arch above campus.
At the final Academic Council meeting of the year in May, Wellesley thanked four members of the faculty as they left the College, including:
Wellesley’s annual Lip Sync event is usually held in Alumnae Hall, with a raucous crowd cheering and laughing at groups’ performances. This year, House Presidents’ Council reimagined the event for the Zoom era, asking competitors to submit lip synced videos, which were then evaluated by punning judges Helen Wang, director of residence life and housing; AJ Guerrero, coordinator for LGBTQ+ programs and services; and Matthew Kaliner, visiting lecturer in sociology.
“The intense energy and screaming that is usually contained in Alumnae Hall, something I love, was more spread out across campus and the world. I know lots of students and some family members who got to engage with the event in a way they would not have normally because of the virtual platform,” says Katharine Conklin ’22, HP of Bates, who helped coordinate the event. Conklin’s team, Bates House Council, drove away with first place with its rendition of a mashup of “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo and “Getaway Car” by Taylor Swift. A number of Swift songs made it into the competition. “She has always been a big part of pop culture and releasing two (arguably three if you count her re-release) big albums over the quarantine period has solidified her greatness,” says Conklin.
“waiting for the prof that’s gonna say ‘let’s do breakout rooms LOL’ when we go back to in-person classes”
Number of students who attended commencement on campus
Number of students who attended commencement virtually
Number of students participating in the event from China
Number of stoles for seniors of African descent, Asian descent, Latinx, and/or from LGBTQ+ communities funded through gifts from alumnae
Dimensions, in feet, of the two screens broadcasting the ceremony on campus as well as students live from around the world