Wellesley College

The Davis has two new exhibitions on display for the 2026-27 academic year: Excavating Antioch: The Archaeology of an Ancient City, in the Chandler and Bronfman galleries on the lowest level, and Shi: Stories in Stone, in the Levine Gallery on the second floor. Read more: https://bit.ly/3THEK6W

“Our civic action lab service was not only about reflection and discussion, but about showing up and working together.”—Ellie Walsh ’29, a student writer for Communications & Public Affairs, reflects on the summer Anchor Point Civic Action Lab program experience. https://www.wellesley.edu/news/what-it-means-to-be-a-clinton-fellow

“Diving with the haenyeos on Jeju Island was life-transforming,” says Heid Shin ’00. This community of women, some in their 80s, free dive 30-plus feet under water on a single breath (no oxygen tanks!) to gather abalone, sea urchins, and other shellfish that they sell to support their families. Shin teamed up with Anita Yip ’07 to bring the story of Korea’s legendary free-diving women to Boston. Read more: https://bit.ly/4yf2236

First-year students were introduced to the Honor Code during two new orientation events this year. Read more: https://www.wellesley.edu/news/a-life-of-honesty-integrity-and-respect

ICYMI: This year’s convocation was held indoors, but that didn’t keep the students from having a good time as they kicked off the new academic year together. The event ended with a favorite Wellesley tradition: stepsinging. (Without steps this year.) 📷 : Joel Haskell

As part of Wellesley's 150th celebration, Nyna Cole '28, a studio art major, illustrated five stories selected by judges from the Wellesley in 150 Words project and then created a limited-edition book of the prints in the Book Arts lab. To see the stories alongside their illustrations, visit: https://www.wellesley.edu/news/preserving-stories
(Sorry to say the books are not for sale.)

Gloria Steinem has died at the age of 92. She gave two Wellesley commencement speeches, one in 1988 and one in 1993. From 1988: ”If we accept micro and mega computers, space umbrellas, and cracking the mystery of the human cell, why can't we accept things as small as changing the way we pay each other, honor each other, work together, and raise our children?“
Here are the texts of her speeches:
https://www1.wellesley.edu/events/commencement/archives/1988Commencement/commencementaddress

https://www1.wellesley.edu/events/commencement/archives/1993commencement/commencementaddress

Emily Harrison, assistant teaching professor in Women’s & Gender Studies, on the recent finding that nearly 1 in 4 NFL players in a study sample had CTE at time of death. [Email registration may be required to read article.]

The most shocking thing about the latest statistics on CTE in football is that we find them so shocking The latest study on CTE in football players “quantifies but does not reveal a problem,” writes Emily Harrison, a historian who studies brain injury in football.

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