University Relations has organized a series of alumni receptions across the country to celebrate the tenure of President Doug Bennet and his wife Midge in their last year on campus.
“We are going around the country to those who have supported Wesleyan and us and I think it’s been really productive,” Bennet said.
Over the last few months, the Bennets traveled to Los Angeles, Calif., San Francisco, Calif., Washington, D.C., and Chicago, Ill.
“It was just huge,” said Bruce Corwin ’62, who hosted the event in Los Angeles that had 230 attendees. “We started by singing the Wesleyan fight song to get everyone in the mood and Doug joined us, then there was the presentation the University had prepared. We all just really had a warm fuzzy feeling about the University and how wonderful it’s become and how popular it’s become.”
According to Vice President for University Relations Barbara-Jan Wilson, the meetings began with the host thanking the Bennets for their leadership over the last 12 years, followed by a short DVD presentation.
“[The DVD] has alumni, students, and faculty talking about what we have done together in these 12 years: doubled the endowment, surpassed our campaign goals, maintained need blind admission, attracted strong students and faculty, expanded the campus and begun a campus renewal plan which includes the new University Center,” Wilson said.
Emily Pfeiffer ’05, who attended the event in San Francisco along with 140 others, thought the DVD’s depiction of Bennet’s involvement with the endowment was particularly strong.
“I think a lot of recent alums don’t really know what goes on at that level and know how much money Doug’s raised and brought to Wesleyan’s endowment,” Pfeiffer said. “ I though the documentary really demonstrated how that was a huge success of his presidency. I think [the DVD] emphasized the changes in the past twelve years, which for the most part have been really positive.”
She also noted the role that Midge has played during her husband’s presidency.
“It was nice to be reminded about how dynamic of a team the two of them are together,” she said. “Being reminded that Midge is so involved and passionate and such a charismatic part of Wesleyan, it’s sad to see her go, too, because she’s such a positive presence on campus.”
Corwin spoke to the significance of maintaining a dialogue with alumni.
“Universities are constantly changing and Wesleyan is right on the edge of change,” he said. “It always has been and always will be, hopefully, and it’s important for alumni to be in touch with what’s going on on-campus today.”
The meetings also included a discussion about what alumni would like to see in Bennet’s successor.
“It’s really important to have alumni in back of the president so I would hope that the new president would take it upon himself or herself to check in with alumni as one of the first things he or she does,” Corwin said.
University Relations plans to hold more meetings with Bennet this spring in Philadelphia, Pa., Hartford, Ct., Boston, Mass., and New York City, N.Y.
“College presidencies change on an average of less than six years and they’re not all happy changes, but this one is,” said Alumni Director John Driscoll ’62. “I think this marks a period of accomplishment within the Wesleyan community that’s good for all of us and I think when you have a chance to thank the people out in the field, that’s what the Bennets want to do. And people want to come together to express their appreciation for what the Bennets have done for Wesleyan.”