Wellesley College listed as one of top liberal arts schools in nation
This week, U.S. News and World Report released its annual rankings of colleges and universities across the nation. The website ranked Wellesley College as third in the nation for liberal arts colleges behind Williams College and Amherst College. This is the highest the institution has been ranked by the website in years. Wellesley College was also noted among the lists for Best Undergraduate Teaching (tied for 10th place) and Best High School Counselor Rating (tied for fourth place). The website also included a note that Wellesley College’s ranking of first place in Best Value Schools for Liberal Arts Colleges from the 2017 edition of Best Colleges had changed to being unranked, based on a data reporting error. The data has been replaced with new data provided by the school.
Flower Sunday festivities mark famous Wellesley tradition
Wellesley College celebrated its longest running tradition, dating back to its founding in 1875, on Sunday, Sept. 18. The event took place in the Houghton Chapel with performances by the Wellesley College Choir, the Tanvalou Dance and Drum Ensemble and AnscenDance Dance Company. The service, which began at 10:30 a.m., also included readings by and welcomes from President of Wellesley College, Paula Johnson; Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life, Tiffany Steinwert and members of the Multifaith Student Council, among others. Additionally, the service included a performance and offering by the visiting Hawaiian cultural group, Hālau o Keikiali`i. Brunch was served in dining halls across campus following the service.
Update on East Side campus renovations
With the unveiling of the project nearly here, the addition of two decks and four patios is nearly complete on the East Side complex of Freeman, Bates and McAfee residence halls. After a major storm this summer damaged several large trees across campus, including two in the Freeman/Bates courtyard, a new tree has been included in the renovation plans and was planted this past week outside near the Bates Dining Hall. Additional plantings will continue to take place during the next two weeks, with plans to complete remaining installations next spring. The renovation of the courtyard is expected to be completed within weeks.
Graphic design symposium results in great success
This past Saturday, Sept. 10, the Library Lecture Room in Clapp Library was filled with over 100 attendees for a symposium planned by Simon Grote, assistant professor of History, and Sarah Wall-Randell, associate professor of English. The symposium was titled “Graphic Design in the Digital Future: Lessons from the Renaissance Book,” and was centered on discussing how centuries-old design principles are still relevant today and able to inspire and inform current designers. The symposium included a panel discussion, a question and answer session, workshops in web design and letterpress printing and a typography exhibit.
New book by faculty members receives national praise
A book published by Wellesley College Professor of Sociology, Lee Cuba; Senior Lecturer for Sociology, Joseph Swingle and two of their colleagues from Bowdoin College is receiving national recognition from outlets like Inside Higher Ed, Huffington Post and The Chronicle of Higher Education. The work, titled “Practice for Life: Making Decisions in College,” discusses liberal arts colleges and how students can make the most of their time at these institutions. The book uses data collected from a five-year study that followed more than 200 students at seven colleges to make the argument that a liberal arts degree is the most practical education a student can receive. Wellesley College students assisted the authors by participating in several research stages for the book, serving as interviewers, drafting interview questions, analyzing data and joining professors for meetings and presentations.
