Wellesley Wire 3/20/03

Record Number of Applicants Seek Admission to Wellesley -- Wellesley has received a record number of applications for admission to the class of 2007. Janet Rapelye, dean of admissions, notes a 20% increase over last year. At 3,489 applicants, this year's figures are higher than the last record in 1995. Increased numbers of applicants translates into a higher level of selectivity when admission decisions are made, she noted.

Rapelye attributes the surge to newly developed outreach programs including visits to 466 high schools all over the country (vs. 272 last year), letters to more than 30,000 high-school students describing the benefits of a Wellesley education, and increased online chats among Wellesley students and admission candidates. In addition, online applications are now free of charge and the college has had a banner year in the media, including a profile in The Boston Globe and extensive coverage of the filming of Mona Lisa Smile. The Admissions Office also held several "Wednesdays at Wellesley" sessions to guide nearby prospective students through campus tours, interviews, student panels and workshops.

Favorable Review For New Photo Exhibition At Davis Musem and Cultural Center -- The images in the Davis Museum and Cultural Center's current exhibition were called "penetrating, vibrant, and very real" by a reviewer for WBUR, Boston's National Public Radio news station. For more than a decade, American artist Fazal Sheikh has worked with African and Afghan refugees to spread awareness of international human rights issues. "Fazal Sheikh: A Camel for the Son · Ramadan Moon · The Victor Weeps" presents three series of photographs portraying refugees from Somalia and Afghanistan.

Through his art Sheikh challenges the anonymity and cliches of mass-media representations of refugees. The resulting photographs and texts are respectful, graceful meditations on human gazes, gestures, and beliefs. They assert the dignity of those pictured while broadening our vocabulary for understanding ongoing global conflicts. These three series, which span Sheikh's career, were also in part initiated through his pursuit of his familial heritage in Kenya and Pakistan. The DMCC exhibit will run through June 8.

The WBUR review and several of the exhibition's images can be viewed or heard online at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wbur/arts.artsmain?action=viewArticle&id=464970&pid=30&sid=6

A Home For the Humanities, a Boost fo Asian Studies, and the Biggest Campaign Gift -- Did you know that Wellesley's Asian Studies curriculum has received a major boost from two foundation grants? Have you heard about plans for the Humanities Center? Did you know that the largest "gift" to The Wellesley Campaign will be the cumulative gifts of thousands of alumnae through Annual Giving -- a goal of $50 million by the end of the five-year effort?

These and other important updates -- including a letter from the campaign co-chairs -- on plans for the future and changes already underway at Wellesley can be found in the latest issue of the campaign newsletter, which was mailed in late February.

Despite the challenges presented by the economic downturn and world events, giving to The Wellesley Campaign has been strong with $295.9 million in gifts and pledges committed as of February 28. The newsletter can be found online at http://www.wellesley.edu/Resources/pdf/winter_03_newsletter.pdf (Acrobat Reader required).

More information about the Campaign, including how to make an online gift to Annual Giving, can be found at http://www.wellesley.edu/Resources/

Director of Center for Work and Service Offers Advice For Transition From Friend to Manager -- Joanne Murray, director of Wellesley's Center for Work and Service, was featured in a recent New York Times story on the challenges of moving to a management position that entails the supervision of former colleagues or even a former boss. "It's a tricky thing to handle," said Murray, who noted that the new manager should get out the message immediately that he or she will be evenhanded in dealing with subordinates.

The full article is on the Times' web site (free registration required): http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/16/business/yourmoney/16EXLI.html





	~Wellesley Wire - 2003~

	Wellesley Wire March 20, 2003 Record Number of Applicants Seek Admission to Wellesley Favorable Review For New Photo Exhibition At Davis Musem and Cultural Center A Home For the Humanities, a Boost fo Asian Studies, and the Biggest Campaign Gift Director of Center for Work and Service Offers Advice For Transition From Friend to Manager Record Number of Applicants Seek Admission to Wellesley -- Wellesley has received a record number of applications for admission to the class of 2007. Janet Rapelye, dean of admissions, notes a 20% increase over last year. At 3,489 applicants, this year's figures are higher than the last record in 1995. Increased numbers of applicants translates into a higher level of selectivity when admission decisions are made, she noted. Rapelye attributes the surge to newly developed outreach programs including visits to 466 high schools all over the country (vs. 272 last year), letters to more than 30,000 high-school students describing the benefits of a Wellesley education, and increased online chats among Wellesley students and admission candidates. In addition, online applications are now free of charge and the college has had a banner year in the media, including a profile in The Boston Globe and extensive coverage of the filming of Mona Lisa Smile. The Admissions Office also held several "Wednesdays at Wellesley" sessions to guide nearby prospective students through campus tours, interviews, student panels and workshops. Favorable Review For New Photo Exhibition At Davis Musem and Cultural Center -- The images in the Davis Museum and Cultural Center's current exhibition were called "penetrating, vibrant, and very real" by a reviewer for WBUR, Boston's National Public Radio news station. For more than a decade, American artist Fazal Sheikh has worked with African and Afghan refugees to spread awareness of international human rights issues. "Fazal Sheikh: A Camel for the Son · Ramadan Moon · The Victor Weeps" presents three series of photographs portraying refugees from Somalia and Afghanistan. Through his art Sheikh challenges the anonymity and cliches of mass-media representations of refugees. The resulting photographs and texts are respectful, graceful meditations on human gazes, gestures, and beliefs. They assert the dignity of those pictured while broadening our vocabulary for understanding ongoing global conflicts. These three series, which span Sheikh's career, were also in part initiated through his pursuit of his familial heritage in Kenya and Pakistan. The DMCC exhibit will run through June 8. The WBUR review and several of the exhibition's images can be viewed or heard online at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wbur/arts.artsmain?action=viewArticle&id=464970&pid=30&sid=6 A Home For the Humanities, a Boost fo Asian Studies, and the Biggest Campaign Gift -- Did you know that Wellesley's Asian Studies curriculum has received a major boost from two foundation grants? Have you heard about plans for the Humanities Center? Did you know that the largest "gift" to The Wellesley Campaign will be the cumulative gifts of thousands of alumnae through Annual Giving -- a goal of $50 million by the end of the five-year effort? These and other important updates -- including a letter from the campaign co-chairs -- on plans for the future and changes already underway at Wellesley can be found in the latest issue of the campaign newsletter, which was mailed in late February. Despite the challenges presented by the economic downturn and world events, giving to The Wellesley Campaign has been strong with $295.9 million in gifts and pledges committed as of February 28. The newsletter can be found online at http://www.wellesley.edu/Resources/pdf/winter_03_newsletter.pdf (Acrobat Reader required). More information about the Campaign, including how to make an online gift to Annual Giving, can be found at http://www.wellesley.edu/Resources/ Director of Center for Work and Service Offers Advice For Transition From Friend to Manager -- Joanne Murray, director of Wellesley's Center for Work and Service, was featured in a recent New York Times story on the challenges of moving to a management position that entails the supervision of former colleagues or even a former boss. "It's a tricky thing to handle," said Murray, who noted that the new manager should get out the message immediately that he or she will be evenhanded in dealing with subordinates. The full article is on the Times' web site (free registration required): http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/16/business/yourmoney/16EXLI.html Back to top Back to the Wellesley Wire Homepage

	Office for Public Information Date Created: June 25, 2003 Date Last Modified: July 9, 2003

March 20, 2003