What is life at Wellesley really like?

The Wellesley community welcomes you with over 130 student organizations that put on hundreds of events each semester, a rich variety of cultural groups, and traditions that date to the College’s earliest years.

Students outdoors holding signs to welcome incoming class

Do What You Love or try something new.

From the ASTRO Club’s astronomists to Yanvalou’s dancers and drummers, our student organizations, or orgs, have something for everyone.

Student Organizations

Choose from sports, arts, social justice, health and wellness, community service, cultural connections, hobbies and games, farming, local adventures, student government, academic extracurriculars, pre-professional, and residence hall fun.

If you can’t find the right group, head to the Office of Student Involvement, which helps students start and run new orgs as well as plan off-campus trips and on-campus concerts. And they make sure our hallowed traditions—like Lake Day and Hooprolling—continue from year to year.

Education can be a Spiritual as well as an intellectual journey.

At Wellesley, you’ll find many religious and nonreligious traditions. We support your spiritual growth and can help you connect with a community, within or without a religion.

Religious and Spiritual Life

We invite you to any of the weekly programs hosted by the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (ORSL) or student orgs. If you wish to seek counsel, you can meet with a chaplain for confidential, nonjudgmental conversation about spirituality and life. ORSL also facilitates communication between students and professors to arrange for accommodations during religious days of observance.

Houghton Chapel, a central venue for College ceremonies and concerts, anchors our community’s spiritual space. Its Multifaith Center is a place for prayer, meditation, worship, and regular gatherings. The Jewish Life Lounge is centrally located, to create community. To ensure that students have access to prayer and meditation space whenever they need it, a prayer and meditation room is located within the Science Complex.

We’re committed to Inclusion and Engagement

You belong here–and you deserve to feel accepted and embraced. Through advising, advocacy, mentorship, and programs, we support your personal and social growth and discovery.

Slater International Center

The focal point for international activities on campus, Slater welcomes all students, whether you come from abroad or want to expand your understanding of other places and cultures. With a kitchen, dining room, multi-use room, and large living room, Slater hosts a range of events. Its staff help international students and scholars, through programs, advising, referrals, and services related to immigration, employment, and academic, social, and cultural adjustment issues.

Acorns House

Acorns House provides students of Latinx and Asian descent a place to gather and receive social, emotional, and academic support. Acorns also sponsors enlightening cultural activities for the College community. Our many Latinx- or Asian-affiliated student orgs offer further opportunities for engagement.

Harambee House

Harambee House is a place where students of African descent can meet up and receive social, emotional, and academic support. The umbrella organization for the six student orgs dedicated to supporting and engaging students of African descent, Harambee (Swahili for “working together”) also offers enlightening cultural activities for the College community.

LGBTQ+ Programs and Services

Wellesley offers members of the LGBTQ+ community abundant resources and forms of support, as well as LGBTQ+ events and celebrations. You can meet with mentors and advisors, drop in to a support and discussion group, talk to Q-Connectors and/or counselors trained in handling LGBTQ+ issues, and join any of our LGBTQ+ student organizations.

Office of Student Success

The Office of Student Success (OSS) supports first-generation, underrepresented, and underserved students. OSS’s offerings include the First Gen/Low Income Network, the Long-Term Laptop Loan Program, and WellesleyPlus, a program to assist first-generation and under-resourced first-year students. OSS partners with offices across campus to help you develop a deep sense of community and belonging, while benefiting from advising, counseling, academic support, mentorship, and career development.