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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 09/09/2026

In the fall of 2027, we are launching The Wellesley Tuition Promise: a guaranteed, tuition-free education for students whose families have a total annual income of $200,000 or less and typical assets. Visit this link to learn more: bit.ly/3TiWbuw

A group of people sit together talking. The text reads Introducing The Wellesley Tuition Promise.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 02/09/2026

The Margaret J. Clapp Library renovation has been recognized in the 2026 American Libraries Design showcase. Photo by Marjorie Becker Photography. bit.ly/4qOSjxN

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 15/06/2026

The Pluralism Initiative is a nonpartisan forum that invites speakers whose work “challenges the orthodoxy of liberal, conservative, and centrist positions.” Learn more about the program and its founder, Prof. Liza Oliver: magazine.wellesley.edu/issues/sprin…

A person is sitting on an orange chair in a library, surrounded by shelves filled with colorful, neatly arranged books. The person is wearing a black outfit and looking directly at the camera.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 10/06/2026

Wellesley’s 2026 commencement speaker Ruth J. Simmons received the 2026 Radcliffe Medal. President Paula Johnson gave a tribute to the pioneering educator during Harvard’s Radcliffe Day festivities. Read more: www.harvardmagazine.com/commencemen… 📸 Tony Rinaldo

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 09/06/2026

Inspired by his own struggles navigating college financial aid for his own kids, economist Phil Levine invented MyinTution, a college cost estimator recently acquired by the College Board. Learn the story behind the tool: www.wellesley.edu/news/understandin…

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 26/05/2026

A little rain might have precluded the antique cars, but it couldn’t stop our 1s and 6s from having a blast at the annual Alumnae Parade last Sunday! 📸 Kelly Davidson

A "WELCOME ALUMNAE" banner in white letters on a blue background hangs overhead, stretched between trees and an ornate iron lamppost. Below, a sea of purple, white, green, and red umbrellas fills the frame, with parade participants in rain ponchos barely visible beneath them. The lush green tree canopy frames the scene.

Three alumnae pose together smiling in the rain. The woman on the left holds a purple umbrella and wears a white eyelet blouse, the center woman wears a Wellesley rain poncho with a purple feather boa, and the woman on the right wears a yellow puffer jacket and tan hat. Behind them, the yellow banner of the Class of 1991 is partially visible along with yellow umbrellas.

Wellesley alumnae march in the rain during the alumni parade. In the foreground, an elderly woman in a wheelchair wearing a teal rain jacket and glasses smiles warmly, a red blanket draped over her lap and a name badge reading "MAUD" visible. A younger woman pushes her chair while laughing. Beside them, fellow alumnae in Wellesley-branded rain ponchos and red scarves wave small blue-and-white Wellesley College 150th-anniversary pennants. Colorful umbrellas dot the background.

Two joyful alumnae from the Class of 1961 march behind a large green felt banner with "1961" in cream-colored letters. One woman in a navy jacket raises her hand high in a wave, while another in a blue raincoat lifts both arms in celebration. Behind them, classmates in green "LXI" caps and rain gear smile, with white flowering bushes and a blue-striped umbrella visible in the background.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 18/05/2026

In a commencement speech at Wellesley College, pioneering educator Ruth J. Simmons—a longtime champion of the power of education to transform lives—urged colleges to continue to create spaces where young people can develop freely, through “unfettered learning and authentic self-expression.”

Ruth J. Simmons speaks to the Class of 2026

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 06/05/2026

Chair of the French, Francophone & Italian Studies Department Sara Kippur joined the Lost Ladies of Lit podcast to discuss the glittering life and literary merits of Consuelo de Saint-Exupéry, an often-overlooked 20th-century figure. www.lostladiesoflit.com/podcast/294-...

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 01/05/2026

Jade Kuan ’26 is one of only 39 students from across the U.S. to receive a 2026 Watson Fellowship. The award will allow Kuan to travel around the world to explore how people living with chronic and invisible conditions build networks of care outside traditional medicine. Congrats, Jade!

Jade Kuan
Wellesley College
Project
Invisible Pain
Scotland, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, and Singapore
My Watson year explores how people living with chronic and invisible conditions, like endometriosis, fibromyalgia, and long COVID, build networks of care outside traditional medicine. Engaging with support networks, patient advocates, traditional healers, community organizations, and grassroots groups, my goal is to learn how communities transform individual suffering into collective care

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 21/04/2026

Welcome to the SCREAM TUNNEL!!! 💛💙

Two Wellesley students cheer on the Boston marathon

Wellesley students cheer on the Boston marathon

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 17/04/2026

Congratulations to chemistry and mathematics major Vivian Long ’27 and neuroscience major Tongtong Ye ’27, who both received 2026 Goldwater Scholarships! The awards support talented college sophomores & juniors who aspire to become the nation’s next generation of STEM researchers.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 11/04/2026

Julia Pekowitz ’27 and her teammates competed last week in Bismarck, North Dakota at the Under 21 USA Curling Nationals Championship. Team Pekowitz came away from the week winning gold and Julia and team will be Team USA at the 2027 Junior Worlds in February. Congrats, Julia! 🥌

Four people kneeling on a curling rink, holding gold medals and displaying a trophy. They are wearing matching curling outfits with logos, and there are curling lanes in the background.

A person wearing a sports jacket crouches on an ice curling rink, holding a broom. The jacket displays logos for ABC World Vacations and North Curling Supplies. Two curling stones rest on the ice ahead.

Two people holding a large trophy on a curling rink. They are wearing matching uniforms with medals around their necks. The rink features logos including Essential Health.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 10/04/2026

More than half of U.S. teens use chatbots to answer questions and help with schoolwork. Linda Charmaraman, director of the Youth, Media & Wellbeing research lab, runs digital media workshops for teens: “Some of these teens can teach the adults a thing or two about AI.” bit.ly/4smpfNe

This image shows a Pew Research Center graph about U.S. teens' use of AI chatbots. The bars represent percentages: 57% for information, 54% for help with schoolwork, 47% for entertainment, 38% for summarizing content, 19% for ideas, 19% for casual conversation, and 12% for emotional support.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 08/04/2026

🎧 Kiss 95.1 FM in Charlotte, North Carolina featured a segment on American studies professor Petra Rivera-Rideau and co-author Vanessa Díaz’s new book on Bad Bunny and their Bad Bunny syllabus. Read more: bit.ly/48kCjvf 📸 Frazer Harrison via Getty Images

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 07/04/2026

Wellesley Repertory Theatre’s final performance of the play-in-process Lifted, written by Mfoniso Udofia ’06, was presented on campus on March 29. The event was preceded by a reception celebrating 150 years of creativity on campus. 📸 Annielly Camargo

A group of individuals stands on stage in front of music stands, under bright pink lighting. Musicians are seated in the background with musical instruments.

A group of five people standing together indoors, smiling. They are dressed in colorful and varied attire. The background suggests an event setting.

Two individuals on stage are giving high fives, standing in front of music stands. A table with a potted orchid is between them. The background is a vibrant pink.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 06/04/2026

As a part of her MITEI Energy Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) appointment, Janina Shivdasani ’26 analyzed climate and energy research conducted at MIT and then translated those findings into something digestible for an audience outside of academia. bit.ly/4maOCju

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 02/04/2026

Pioneering educator Ruth J. Simmons will deliver the address at Wellesley College’s 148th commencement ceremony on Friday, May 15. Throughout her distinguished career, Simmons has championed the value of higher education and the importance of expanding opportunities for all students.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 25/03/2026

In the Conversation, Stephen Chen, associate professor of psychology, writes that the ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi can inspire us to shift our focus from competition to contentment. Read more: bit.ly/4rHSppy 📸 Getty Images

A visitor looks at calligraphy by Luo Sangui of the Daodejing, the classic Daoist text, during the Nanjing 2014 Grand Art Exhibition in Nanjing, China.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 23/03/2026

The Conversation asked five scholars from Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Kenya and Ethiopia to answer the question: Is the spike in oil prices hurting your country’s economy? Tsegay Tekleselassie, Visiting Lecturer in Economics, shared his thoughts on Ethiopia: Read more: bit.ly/40Ixnw8

Traders at a market in Nakuru, Kenya. Oil price hikes will push up the price of food.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 18/03/2026

“What does the Earth ask of us—not what more we can take, but what are we asked to give?” Robin Wall Kimmerer, botanist, bestselling author, and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, posed this question to a packed audience at a March 8 event at Wellesley. bit.ly/474W6OQ

Three individuals are seated on stage in a panel discussion. The person on the left holds a microphone, wearing a dark outfit. The person in the center has long, curly hair, wears a red patterned skirt, and also holds a microphone. The person on the right has long hair, wears a blue top, jeans, and boots. A bare tree branch decorates the stage area. An audience is visible in the foreground.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 03/03/2026

Sick of the freezing temperatures? Tired from sledding or shoveling? Then take some time to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and a recent book by a member of Wellesley’s faculty! www.wellesley.edu/news/a-dozen-new-…

A person is sitting on the floor of a library, leaning against a bookshelf while reading a book. Nearby, there are books titled on the carpet. The shelves behind are filled with more books.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 02/03/2026

As fertility rates plummet in much of the world, Wellesley experts explain why it’s happening and what might be done to address it, and alums tell their own stories about their winding paths to becoming parents—or not. magazine.wellesley.edu/issues/winte…

Illustration of a mobile with hanging objects, including a model house, a roll of money, a baby bottle, a calculator, and a positive pregnancy test against a gradient background.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 27/02/2026

Thanks to cross-registration programs, Wellesley students can take classes at several of the College’s neighboring institutions: MIT, Babson College, Olin College of Engineering, and Brandeis University. Read more from Chaewon Han ’29: www.wellesley.edu/news/education-ro…

Two people boarding a well-lit bus on a dark street. The bus has patterned blue seats visible through the open door. A cityscape with buildings and streetlights are in the background.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 17/02/2026

Congratulations to Amanda Lahikainen ’02, who was recently named the new executive director of The Concord Museum! Read more about her and her journey from The Boston Globe: www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/03/arts…

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 15/02/2026

With Linda Charmaraman, Wellesley students work with middle school girls and nonbinary youth on digital wellbeing. Read the full story by Colleen Heaslip ’28: www.wellesley.edu/news/the-heart-of… 📸 Vivian Huang ’26

Wellesley students who helped with Linda Charmamaran’s Youth, Media & Wellbeing (YMW) Research Lab workshops for middle school girls and nonbinary youth pose for a group photo.

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 09/02/2026

Nancy Gist ’69, Yvonne Smith Madlock ’70, Alvia Wardlaw ’69, Karen Williamson ’69, and Francille Rusan Wilson ’69 created Ethos, Wellesley’s first Black student organization, through their on-campus activism fighting racism. 📸 Richard Howard #BlackHistoryMonth

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 08/02/2026

Finishing up your big game prep? Listen to Wellesley Professor Petra Rivera-Rideau explain what we can expect to see at today’s halftime show on NPR’s Morning Edition! www.npr.org/2026/02/06/nx-s1-556390… 📸 Getty Images

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 03/02/2026

Wellesley has been recognized among The Fulbright Program’s 2025-2026 Top Producing Institutions of #Fulbright U.S. Students! We’re proud of our 11 Fulbright awardees whose dedication and accomplishments made this distinction possible 📚

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 29/01/2026

Michele Sison ’81 returned to campus this month as the Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs 2026 Mary Jane Durnford Lewis ’59 Distinguished Visiting Professor: www.wellesley.edu/news/michele-siso…

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 27/01/2026

The leading Colombian newspaper, “El Colombiano,” writes about American studies professor Petra Rivera-Rideau’s new book, “P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance.” www.elcolombiano.com/cultura/musica…

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 26/01/2026

In his new book “Bernie for Burlington: The Rise of the People’s Politician,” Professor Dan Chiasson recounts the early days and inexorable rise of the young Bernie Sanders. www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/01/26/bernie-for-burlington-the-rise-of-the-peoples-politician-dan-chiasson-book-review

When Bernie Sanders Headed for the Hills
Early in his life, Sanders left the streets of Brooklyn for the woodlands of Vermont. What did the man bring to the state—and what did the state bring to the man?
By Jill Lepore
January 19, 2026

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 23/01/2026

Sue Hwang ’99 was a busy single mom juggling three kids, three dogs and a career in radiation oncology specializing in treating breast cancer. Then the 46-year-old doctor was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. people.com/breast-cancer-doctor-on-…

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 21/01/2026

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Kellie Carter Jackson, the Michael and Denise Kellen ’68 Associate Professor of Africana Studies, shared her thoughts with The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2…

Martin Luther King Jr, and protesters in Minneapolis

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 14/01/2026

Who gets to be a parent has been reshaped by IVF: Single women in their 40s are increasingly opting to become moms. There are many reasons for this rise, says Professor Rosanna Hertz. Read more from NPR: www.npr.org/2026/01/12/nx-s1-564776…

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 13/01/2026

Over Wintersession, while most of campus is quiet, the fourth floor of Founders has been humming with activity. In room 423, students sound out Cyrillic letters and memorize nouns in an attempt to learn all of RUSS 101 in 12 days. www.wellesley.edu/news/the-russian-department-80-years

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 06/01/2026

Petra Rivera-Rideau, associate professor of American studies, says the fact that Bad Bunny is a reggaetón artist is particularly noteworthy because institutions often ignore marginalized genres. Read more from AP News: apnews.com/article/bad-bunny-2026-grammys-bc54a3352951b13ff2f0c8907c8deb16

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 17/12/2025

Cheers to the Class of 2025.5! www.wellesley.edu/news/on-to-their-… 📸 Catherine Yang ’29 and Raaya Ferdous ’27

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 09/12/2025

Ismar Volić and Andy Schultz, math professors at Wellesley, say ranked choice voting outperforms the winner-take-all system. Read more from The Conversation: theconversation.com/ranked-choice-v…

Ranked choice voting outperforms the winner-take-all system used to elect nearly every US politician

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 24/11/2025

Congratulations to Pashtana Durrani, International Scholar-in-Residence at the Wellesley Centers for Women, who was just awarded Amnesty International’s Ginetta Sagan Award! www.amnestyusa.org/about-us/grants-…

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 17/11/2025

It’s official! Wellesley’s newly constructed Vivian A. Kao ’04 Health and Counseling Center has officially earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification! 🌱

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 12/11/2025

This year, Wellesley’s annual Friends and Family Weekend included a celebration of the College’s 150th anniversary. Alumnae were invited to join parents, siblings, and friends for two days of special events. 📸 Joel Haskell

A mom and her daughter at Wellesley's family weekend

Sophomores plant their class tree at Friends and Family Weekend

a panel with the 2025 Alumnae Achievement Award recipients

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 22/09/2025

Happy First Day of Fall, Wellesley! 🍁 🍂

Two students hang out in a hammock by Lake Waban

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 20/09/2025

Professor Petra Rivera-Rideau was included on the 2025 ALX100: an annual list of 100 Latino leaders making a difference across Massachusetts, named by nonpartisan, collaborative nonprofit We Are ALX. Congrats, Petra!

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 26/06/2025

Taking inspiration from her experiences as a globetrotting researcher and a parent “constantly looking for opportunities for her kids to have learning experiences,” Lorena Ramirez ’02 developed WipalaBox, an activity box for children. bit.ly/45zoDMx

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 27/05/2025

Shirley Young, class of 1955, graduated from Wellesley with a degree in economics and began working at Grey Advertising, where she was one of the few women and Chinese Americans. 📸 David Hsieh #AAPIHeritageMonth

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 15/05/2025

Every year, we ask faculty and staff members to nominate members of the senior class who have gone above and beyond during their time at Wellesley. Check out the Class of 2025 Senior Snapshots: bit.ly/2025SeniorSnapshots

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 09/05/2025

“I loved Wellesley,” Heesu “Ally” Kim ’21 told the Career Education department. Kim is pursuing a joint M.D.-Ph.D. at the Stanford University School of Medicine, the first Wellesley alum chosen for the university’s highly selective Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program. #AAPIHeritageMonth

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 28/04/2025

A little bit of rain couldn't stop the Class of 2025 from participating in the classic tradition of hooprolling! On Saturday morning, seniors raced down Tupelo Lane with Arushi Ghosh ’25 named the winner! She was promptly picked up by classmates and dunked in chilly Lake Waban, as per tradition 🥶

Arushi is picked up by a fellow classmate

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 24/03/2025

“Be prepared. Do your research. Know what you’re talking about before you open your mouth. And go for it—you can do it. That’s what Wellesley taught me,” said bestselling author Malinda Lo, class of 1996, in a 2017 interview. 📸 Sharona Jacobs

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Wellesley College @wellesley.edu · 17/03/2025

Activist & academic Sophonisba Breckinridge, class of 1888, was the first woman to pass the Kentucky bar, but she found little work as a lawyer. Miserable, she visited a Wellesley classmate at the University of Chicago and met Marion Talbot, who persuaded her to pursue a Ph.D. in political science.

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