In light of all the conversations that we have had on this campus lately, it seems fair to deduce one very basic concept: we, as a community, care deeply about each other. Though our community has its flaws, we must recognize and admire our collective spirit for progression.

Wesleyan is teeming with passionate students, faculty and administrators, willing to engage in tough conversations to better our community. The collection of so many energetic, bright, and forward-looking individuals in one location is truly a special circumstance, and we must not lose sight of this.We want everyone to feel like they belong here, and we want to support each other as well as our beautifully imperfect community.

It is from this desire for a means to express our support for our community that WesToWes was formed. This organization strives to raise money and support for financial aid at Wesleyan—a cause that we can all rally around. WesToWes’ primary goal is to collect funds to give to financial aid so we can support the endeavors of brilliant and deserving individuals and further the mission of creating an inclusive institution. No matter how you feel about administrative measures, we can use this opportunity to take matters into our own hands and truly impact financial aid. We want to help all of us make the most of our Wesleyan education.

Perhaps more vital than our fundraising endeavors is the supportive culture that WesToWes hopes to create on campus. By actively striving to make this community an even more caring and inclusive place, we will remind each other and our alumni, parents, and anyone else willing listen how important this cause is to us. Hopefully, this will inspire people with the means to create a larger impact in financial aid funding to do so.

WesToWes will be raising money as an individual group and will also be working with other student groups on campus that aim to work toward the same mission. If we consolidate our efforts, we can build Wesleyan to be an even stronger, more supportive, and inclusive beautiful community than we already are.