Wells College
Encyclopedia
Wells College is a private coeducational liberal arts college
located in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York
, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake
. Initially an all-women's institution, Wells became a co-ed
college in Fall 2005.
Wells College is located in the Finger Lakes
region of New York
. It is about a half-hour drive from both Ithaca and Auburn, and an hour and 15 minutes from Syracuse and Rochester. It is part of the Aurora Village-Wells College Historic District
, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The college has five residence halls, four academic buildings, and an average student body of 550. The student to faculty ratio is 9:1.
The college has cross-enrollment with Cornell University
and Ithaca College
. It is strengthening its off-campus study programs and creating a business center. Undergraduate students are required to participate in off-campus internships during two of their winter recesses.
The Wells motto is Habere et Dispertire - To Have and To Share.
in 1868 by Henry Wells
, founder of Wells Fargo
and the American Express
Company. Wells had the building for Wells Seminary constructed on property he donated. Not long after its construction, Wells Seminary burnt to the ground. The first building was replaced in 1890 by the current Main Building. Henry Wells' mansion, Glen Park, was later donated to the college for its use. It is part of the campus.
After 1965, Walter Netsch
designed the Louis Jefferson Long Library. The design of this award-winning building inspired two other buildings on campus, Barler Music Hall and Campbell Art Building.
in the early 1990s. A website called Wells for Women was established After the college's decision to adopt coeducation was approved by its board, students filed a lawsuit, which the courts rejected. The college adopted coeducation in 2005.
The Washington Monthly
's "College Rankings" (an alternative college guide to the U.S. News and World Report) ranks Wells College as number thirty among all liberal arts colleges in the United States
-- as well as the top such college in New York state—in the September 2006 issue.
In 2006, Wells was ranked 12th in the nation by the Princeton Review for being best at encouraging class discussion. In its 2007 rankings, released in August 2006, U.S. News & World Report put it at #24 on the "Great Schools, Great Price" list of best-value schools. It has previously been listed based on the beauty of its campus and frequently makes lists of the nations most-haunted campuses.
U.S. News ranks Wells at 122 among liberal arts colleges.
Wells college tuition along with room and board has now gone from about $29,000 a year to $38–39,000 a year starting with members of the class of 2013. Singles now cost $1000 a year and $500 per semester.
A new major "Book Arts", previously only available as a minor, became a major in fall 2009. Wells College is ranked #1 in the nation for Book Arts.
In fall 2005, Wells introduced men’s soccer and swimming teams at the club level, and an intercollegiate cross-country team for both men and women. These new programs elevated to varsity status in the 2006-07 academic year, with participation at the NCAA Division III level.
Wells College announced plans in late 2005 to add a men’s lacrosse team beginning in spring 2007. Men’s lacrosse was offered at the club level during the first year, and elevated to intercollegiate level in the 2007-2008 season.
Wells offers indoor and outdoor facilities. The Schwartz Center houses a swimming pool, gymnasium, and two tennis courts. Outdoor facilities include four tennis courts, softball field, boathouse, a 9-hole golf course (partially designed by famed golf course architect Robert Trent Jones
) and game fields for field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse.
The song leaders also supervise the creation of the class banners, as well as the writing of the class song. After two weeks of practice and songs in the dining hall, the first-year and sophomore teams meet in the gym (in front of a packed audience) for the famed game. The victors get first dibs on a side of the "smoke pit," which they paint over. The other team shares this experience and paints the other side of the smoke pit. The very first Odd/Even game was played in 1898 and won by the Oddline.
In the Spring of 2008, the tradition expanded to include a men's tradition. The competitive primary event is a Dodgeball game, which is made up of teams consisting of Freshmen and Sophomores. The competitive secondary event is to be chosen yearly by the Senior coaches. In 2008, the secondary event was a chili cook off. In 2009, the secondary event was a cook out, and in 2010 was a dance off. Thus far, the Evenline is 2-1 in dodgeball, having won in 2008 and 2010, and the Oddline having won in 2009.
Oh(name of student) we sing to you
You are so good and true
We’ll all be loyal to you
We’ll raise your name
And praise you, too
And so we sing to dear Wells and you, hey!
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
located in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York
Aurora, Cayuga County, New York
Aurora is a village and college town in Cayuga County, in the Town of Ledyard, north of Ithaca, New York, United States. The village had a population of 720 at the 2000 census, of which more than 400 were college students....
, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles long. Its average width is 1.7 miles , and it is at its widest point near Aurora...
. Initially an all-women's institution, Wells became a co-ed
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
college in Fall 2005.
Wells College is located in the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
region of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It is about a half-hour drive from both Ithaca and Auburn, and an hour and 15 minutes from Syracuse and Rochester. It is part of the Aurora Village-Wells College Historic District
Aurora Village-Wells College Historic District
The historic village of Aurora, Cayuga County, New York rises on a hill above the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. The village was named by Captain Benjamin Ledyard, who settled there in 1793, in the post-Revolutionary development of the Finger Lakes region...
, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The college has five residence halls, four academic buildings, and an average student body of 550. The student to faculty ratio is 9:1.
The college has cross-enrollment with Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and Ithaca College
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
. It is strengthening its off-campus study programs and creating a business center. Undergraduate students are required to participate in off-campus internships during two of their winter recesses.
The Wells motto is Habere et Dispertire - To Have and To Share.
History
Wells was established as a woman's collegeWomen's colleges in the United States
Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges...
in 1868 by Henry Wells
Henry Wells
Henry Wells was an American businessman important in the history of both the American Express Company and Wells Fargo & Company.-Early life:...
, founder of Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
and the American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
Company. Wells had the building for Wells Seminary constructed on property he donated. Not long after its construction, Wells Seminary burnt to the ground. The first building was replaced in 1890 by the current Main Building. Henry Wells' mansion, Glen Park, was later donated to the college for its use. It is part of the campus.
After 1965, Walter Netsch
Walter Netsch
Walter Netsch was an American architect based in Chicago. He was most closely associated with the brutalist style of architecture, as well as the firm of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. His signature aesthetic is known as Field Theory and is based on rotating squares into complex shapes...
designed the Louis Jefferson Long Library. The design of this award-winning building inspired two other buildings on campus, Barler Music Hall and Campbell Art Building.
Co-education
After 136 years as a women's college, Wells announced in October 2004 that it would become a co-educational institution in 2005. This drew student protests on campus. Some parents of students also became involved in the protests. Some of the students said that their protests were patterned after ones at Mills CollegeMills College
Mills College is an independent liberal arts women's college founded in 1852 that offers bachelor's degrees to women and graduate degrees and certificates to women and men. Located in Oakland, California, Mills was the first women's college west of the Rockies. The institution was initially founded...
in the early 1990s. A website called Wells for Women was established After the college's decision to adopt coeducation was approved by its board, students filed a lawsuit, which the courts rejected. The college adopted coeducation in 2005.
Academics
Classes at Wells are taught seminar-style by professors — not teaching assistants — and 83% of Wells faculty have doctoral degrees.The Washington Monthly
The Washington Monthly
The Washington Monthly is a bimonthly nonprofit magazine of United States politics and government that is based in Washington, D.C.The magazine's founder is Charles Peters, who started the magazine in 1969 and continues to write the "Tilting at Windmills" column in each issue. Paul Glastris, former...
's "College Rankings" (an alternative college guide to the U.S. News and World Report) ranks Wells College as number thirty among all liberal arts colleges in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-- as well as the top such college in New York state—in the September 2006 issue.
In 2006, Wells was ranked 12th in the nation by the Princeton Review for being best at encouraging class discussion. In its 2007 rankings, released in August 2006, U.S. News & World Report put it at #24 on the "Great Schools, Great Price" list of best-value schools. It has previously been listed based on the beauty of its campus and frequently makes lists of the nations most-haunted campuses.
U.S. News ranks Wells at 122 among liberal arts colleges.
Wells college tuition along with room and board has now gone from about $29,000 a year to $38–39,000 a year starting with members of the class of 2013. Singles now cost $1000 a year and $500 per semester.
Majors with concentrations
- American Studies
- American Studies: American Cultures
- Biological and Chemical Sciences: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Biological and Chemical Sciences: Biology
- Biological and Chemical Sciences: Chemistry
- Economics and Management: Economics
- Economics and Management: Management
- English: Creative Writing
- English: Literature
- Environmental Studies: Environmental Policies and Values
- Environmental Studies: Environmental Sciences
- Film and Media Studies
- Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures: Spanish
- Foreign Language Education: Spanish
- History
- International Studies
- Mathematical and Physical Sciences: Computer Science
- Mathematical and Physical Sciences: Mathematics
- Mathematical and Physical Sciences: Physics
- Performing Arts: Theatre and Dance
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology and Anthropology: Sociology
- Sociology and Anthropology: Anthropology/Cross-Cultural Sociology
- Visual Arts: Art History
- Visual Arts: Studio Art
- Women's Studies
- Individualized Major: where students design an alternative major of special interest
A new major "Book Arts", previously only available as a minor, became a major in fall 2009. Wells College is ranked #1 in the nation for Book Arts.
Athletics
Wells is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III member. The College offers six varsity women’s sports teams: field hockey, soccer, tennis, swimming, lacrosse, and softball. All six are members of the New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA), while field hockey, soccer, swimming, softball and lacrosse compete in the Atlantic Women’s Colleges Conference (AWCC).In fall 2005, Wells introduced men’s soccer and swimming teams at the club level, and an intercollegiate cross-country team for both men and women. These new programs elevated to varsity status in the 2006-07 academic year, with participation at the NCAA Division III level.
Wells College announced plans in late 2005 to add a men’s lacrosse team beginning in spring 2007. Men’s lacrosse was offered at the club level during the first year, and elevated to intercollegiate level in the 2007-2008 season.
Wells offers indoor and outdoor facilities. The Schwartz Center houses a swimming pool, gymnasium, and two tennis courts. Outdoor facilities include four tennis courts, softball field, boathouse, a 9-hole golf course (partially designed by famed golf course architect Robert Trent Jones
Robert Trent Jones
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was a golf course architect who designed about 500 golf courses in at least 40 US states and 35 other countries all around the world...
) and game fields for field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse.
Community involvement
- In September 2000, Wells held a festival, Return to ChonodoteChonodoteChonodote was an 18th-century village of the Cayuga nation of Iroquois Indians in what is now upstate New York, USA. It was located about four and a half miles south of Goiogouen, on the east side of Cayuga Lake...
, honoring the area's Haudenosaunee past and present. The event was co-sponsored by SHARE, members of the Cayuga Nation and Onondaga Nation, and Ithaca CollegeIthaca CollegeIthaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
. - Aurora Village-Wells College Historic District is considered a historic place.
Honor Code
Like a number of other liberal arts colleges, Wells has an honor code to which all students subscribe. By signing the Honor Code, Wells students pledge "not to lie, cheat, steal, deceive, or conceal in the conduct of their collegiate life". Wells prides itself on its honor code, which permits it to maintain an environment where students are able to have take-home exams, and to work in their dorm rooms, at the library, or on the dock by the lake, rather than in classrooms.Traditions
Traditions and rituals at Wells College are often described as the backbone of student life.Institution wide
-
- Odd/Even
- Upon entering, first-year students are assigned to one of two traditional lines. The Evenline, whose colors are blue and green, consist of students who will graduate in even-numbered years. The Oddline, whose colors are purple and gold, consists of students who will graduate in odd-numbered years. Each line also has its own mascot. Evens have Cleo (the elephant), and Odds have Oddwina (the bear). During the first week of this tradition, tryouts take place and teams are picked for the annual basketball game and sing-off. Each team then selects its song leaders, who then carry the responsibility of preparing the teams for the sing-off competition the day before the basketball game.
The song leaders also supervise the creation of the class banners, as well as the writing of the class song. After two weeks of practice and songs in the dining hall, the first-year and sophomore teams meet in the gym (in front of a packed audience) for the famed game. The victors get first dibs on a side of the "smoke pit," which they paint over. The other team shares this experience and paints the other side of the smoke pit. The very first Odd/Even game was played in 1898 and won by the Oddline.
In the Spring of 2008, the tradition expanded to include a men's tradition. The competitive primary event is a Dodgeball game, which is made up of teams consisting of Freshmen and Sophomores. The competitive secondary event is to be chosen yearly by the Senior coaches. In 2008, the secondary event was a chili cook off. In 2009, the secondary event was a cook out, and in 2010 was a dance off. Thus far, the Evenline is 2-1 in dodgeball, having won in 2008 and 2010, and the Oddline having won in 2009.
-
- Wells Families
- Each first-year student is teamed up with a Wells student from each class to form a branch of the Wells tree. This provides each first-year the opportunity to know a unique group of students from each class year, who often do recreational activities together. Wells families are revealed in the fall by the Traditions Committee. The Traditions Committee also then plans out a designated day to host its annual Wells Families Day. During this time, each family is reunited and joined by its new family members. In the spirit of the Sycamore tree, Wells alumni form the base of the tree and current Wells students are the branches — each part of the Wells family.
-
- Tea Time
- Tea and coffee are served every weekday afternoon in Macmillan Hall’s Art Exhibit Room. Though the long dresses and china cups have long since disappeared, this break from afternoon seminars is still a great time to get together with friends and professors.
-
- Convocations
- Opening Convocation celebrates the beginning of the academic year and is the seniors’ first chance to wear academic gowns. A traditional part of this convocation is the candlelight ceremony. Symbolized by a candle flame, the spirit of the Wells connection is passed from alumni to students, signifying the support that Wells students give one another throughout their lives. The Collegiate Cabinet plans the Convocation that opens the spring semester and welcomes students, faculty and staff back to campus after the intersession. Honors Convocation is held at the end of the year where most annual award presentations for student’s achievements are made.
-
- Weihnachten
- To celebrate the holiday spirit that sweeps through campus each winter, the Freshmen Class organizes a traditional holiday show for all of the community to enjoy. Village residents and their children, students, faculty and staff engage in the activities that take place on the first Monday night of December. The main attractions of the night are holiday skits that are put on by the resident advisors, administrators and elves. Senior elves try to remember and re-create their first-year skit, and the new student elves work the crowd by performing theirs. Singing groups on campus such as Henry’s VIII, Appointed, and the Whirligigs are invited to sing. At the end of the evening, first-year elves introduce Santa Claus and everyone participates in singing carols over cookies and hot chocolate.
-
- May Day
- "May Day, May Day, May First coming!" May Day is a ceremony organized by the senior and first-year classes and celebrates the "Royal Senior Court." Held on or around May 1st, the ceremony includes announcing and crowning of the Senior Royalties. The College held its first official May Day celebration in 1923. Traditionally, the May Queen came from the junior class. Elected by the student body, she was crowned by her predecessor. During the celebration poetry is read, songs are sung, and the first-year student dancers, usually dressed in white, perform a dance while wrapping the May pole.
-
- Commencement
- Since the first graduation activities were held in 1869, Wells has hosted a distinguished Commencement ceremony accompanied by many festivities. A reception on Friday evening is held with a special concert by one of the College’s student singing groups. On the morning of Commencement, seniors ride with their families in the original Wells Fargo stagecoach to the ceremony where degrees are awarded. In the early days, essays (sometimes amusing) were delivered by the graduates on Commencement day, with musical interludes by the students; a dignitary gave the keynote address. Commencement speakers are selected by the senior class.
First Year
-
- First-year student signs
- When first-year students arrive on campus, they receive a small piece of cloth, a piece of string and instructions, usually given by their respective resident advisors. The job of the first-year student is to make a sign from the cloth, including their name and hometown. Students are to wear these signs throughout the first week on campus, to aid the faculty and other students in knowing their names. If a student is caught without his/her sign, they can be made to sing on the senior table in the dining hall during the next meal.
-
- Halloween Hayride
- On or around Halloween night, the freshmen class officersClass OfficersAt educational institutions above Primary education, each grade level or year of study is a class, referenced by the year of graduation, i.e., "Class of 2011". The official activities of these groups are generally organized and controlled by Class Officers, who are elected from and by the members...
are given the task of organizing a hayride for local children and community members. Weather permitting, a hayride carries groups of students around campus where rehearsed skits are performed outside the residence halls and other buildings portraying ghost stories from Wells. After the hayride, the children are invited to walk around the campus supervised by parents or students and go trick-or-treating at each of the residence halls. Students who wish to hand out candy to the children will be asked to make a small sign to put on the door to let the supervisors know where to bring the kids. Afterwards, all are invited to a party at the president's house for snacks and cider.
-
- Caroling
- During the Christmas season, a few days before the start of J-Term (short for January Term), the freshmen class officers organize Christmas events. The officers gather volunteers who wish to go caroling around the village of Aurora, making stops at the Aurora Inn and various other locations. The parade is concluded at the president’s home, where she offers cocoa and cookies to the carolers.
-
- Elves for Weihnachten
- During the Christmas season, the freshmen class officers gather volunteers or "elves" who, on a designated day, go to each residence hall and decorate the lobbies and common areas in the Christmas spirit. During Weihnachten, the elves are responsible for creating a skit to perform at the Sommer Center amongst all the other class skits. This gathering is open to the entire Wells community.
-
- Talent Show
- During Spring Week, freshmen and sophomore students star in a talent show, showing off their talents to Wells and to the community. The event is hosted by the sophomore class and usually takes place in Barler.
-
- 20 Days
- During the last 20 days before the seniors graduate, the freshmen students choose 20 embarrassing things for the seniors to wear, do, say, etc. for the entire day. This is a playful revenge for freshman signs! If a freshman catches a senior not participating, that senior may be made to sing on the senior table in the dining hall.
Sophomore Year
-
- Spring Dance
- To welcome in the warm weather the sophomore class hosts an annual Spring Dance for Wells students and their guests. This event usually takes place in the Sommer Center in March.
-
- Sophomore Smash
- This annual event is run by the FARGO Board (Friends And Recent Graduates Organization). They throw an appreciation and bonding event during the first semester. Also, sophomores receive their Wells ivy plant which is symbolic of their growth, time and success at Wells.
-
- Sycamore Tree
- On the last day of classes, seniors (in their robes) are joined by fellow students and administration on the front lawn of Main where they dance and sing around the old Sycamore tree. After all the excitement, the sophomores present the seniors with roses to commend them on their accomplishments.
Junior Year
-
- Junior Mugs
- At the end of sophomore year, students receive their personalized ceramic mugs in celebration of being juniors. These mugs are christened at Junior Blast and then used for champagne breakfast during their senior year and other traditions.
-
- Junior Blast
- In the spring, the junior class throws themselves a party—Junior Blast! During the party, the first-year students secretly sneak a junior’s mattress out of her or his room and leave it in a hidden place to be found with clues. Depending on the bribing tactics of each junior to first-years, finding the wanted mattress may prove to be a difficult but always a fun task.
-
- Junior Stunt
- At the end of each spring semester, the junior class creates skits making fun of the seniors. The hilarity is open for the entire student body to watch.
Senior Year
-
- Senior Auction
- At the end of the spring semester, seniors compile a list of individual attributes that they auction off to their fellow students. The basis of this tradition is to exchange an item or a service to raise funds that will benefit the senior class. Some services include cleaning dorm rooms, holding study sessions, and possibly making home-cooked meals.
-
- Caps and Gowns
- Seniors wear academic gowns on the first and last day of classes each semester, at champagne breakfast, convocations, Odd/Even game and singoff, 20 Days, and at Moving Up Day.
-
- Minerva
- Outside of Main, the College’s first building, sits the statue of the Roman Goddess Minerva. Symbolizing wisdom, craft, wit and intellect, the senior class decorates Minerva at the beginning of the fall semester. Minerva remains decorated throughout the school year; then during the morning of the last day of classes and after singing around the Sycamore tree, the senior class takes turns kissing the feet of Minerva, believed to be good luck and bring success and prosperity to all graduation seniors.
-
- Champagne Breakfast
- Seniors are served champagne in their Junior Mugs (big beer steins) during breakfast on the first and last days of classes each semester of their senior year.
Programming Board Annual Programs
-
- Erotic Ball
- This annual event held around in early to mid November is hosted by campus club Sex Collective. Erotic Ball is meant to be a celebration of the sexual- being comfortable in body, with orientation, with the act of sex, and safe sex. The dance is one of the most popular events of the year, well attended by Wells students and their guests. The theme changes every year- past themes being Garden of Eden, Moulin Rouge, Medieval Times, Fetish, and Halloween. Common contests include the Fake Orgasm Contest and a Costume Contest. The event has grown so large that it has to be held in the Dining Hall after hours in order to hold everyone.
-
- Disco Dodge
- This annual event was formerly held in the lounge of Dodge Residence Hall early in the fall semester. It is now hosted in the Sommer Center and run by Programming Board. Wells students and their guests dance the night away to 1970s music and compete for best costume.
-
- Semi-Formal
- In late November, students and their guests participate in an elegant soirée with the chance to dress in formal attire and enjoy a candlelit dinner. Following dinner, a performance by one of the singing groups is held in the Chapel. After the performance, students head to the dining hall or Sommer Center to dance the night away.
-
- Mainly ’80s
- Mainly ’80s is the perfect chance to break out the spandex and funky hairstyles and dance the night away. Held in the basement of Main Building (or in the Sommer Center), Mainly ’80s is the time where students dress in their best ’80s attire and cut "footloose" to live tunes of the ’80s (which also branches out from the 70's to last week!)! The night is also filled with hula-hoops, break dancing, and costume contests.
Student Publications
-
- The Sycamore
- Wells College's latest publication, a bi-yearly magazine that is available both in print and online.
-
- The Onyx
- Student newspaper, published monthly.
-
- The Cardinal
- Student yearbook primarily for seniors, published yearly and shipped to seniors over the summer.
-
- The Chronicle
- Student literary magazine, published annually.
Institutional Lore
-
- Bells
- The bells in Main Building’s tower are rung to announce dinner every night, on the arrival of the first snowflakes, and other special events. Alumnae often request them rung in honor of a wedding, birth of a child, or other momentous life occasion. The bellringers are all students. To ring the bells, one must climb several flights of stairs to reach the belfry which holds a sort of a keyboard consisting of heavy wooden levers (one per bell) which the bellringer either pounds on or pushes downward, depending on the style of the bellringer.
-
- Singing
- When a Wells student deserves special recognition for an election, birthday, or other accomplishment, friends will often sing the "Wells Congratulation Song" which goes as follows:
Oh(name of student) we sing to you
You are so good and true
We’ll all be loyal to you
We’ll raise your name
And praise you, too
And so we sing to dear Wells and you, hey!
-
- Rings
- Each semester, members of the upper classes may order the traditional onyx and gold Wells College ring. The ring symbolizes the memories that Wells provides. Modeled after Henry Wells’ own signet ring, it was originally gold with black onyx. However, students have the option of having their ring made in white gold.
-
- Lake Freezes Over
- Should Cayuga Lake freeze over, no classes are held that day and a formal holiday pronouncement is made. According to Wells College records, this last happened in 1979. However, other sources suggest that the only time the entire lake froze over in the 20th century was in 1912.
Points of interest
- The campus is three miles from Long Point State Park; the scenic town of Aurora lies a short distance to its north; and Cayuga lake adds beauty to the scenery year round.
- The String Room Gallery is the main location for Art Exhibits. It is located on the first floor of Main Building and features exhibitions from artists. This space is also the site of several student art shows a year, such as the Senior Thesis Art Exhibit, organized and presented each May by graduated studio art majors.
- The docks provide a location to swim or just relax and enjoy the weather. Several events at Wells College are held here throughout the year. You may see the floating classroom docked here at various times throughout the year.
- The Wells College Golf Course is a publicly accessible nine hole course that is free for Wells students to play on. Because of its location near the lake, this course is almost always thawed out before any other courses in this region.
- The Waterfall is a short hike off of the golf course in the forests that surround campus. The region around the waterfall provides great views of the surrounding trees. In the fall the foliage changing colors provides a great location for photographers.
Notable alumni
- Frances Cleveland - First Lady of the United States and wife of President Grover ClevelandGrover ClevelandStephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
- Pleasant RowlandPleasant RowlandPleasant Rowland is an American educator, writer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Rowland is best known for creating the American Girl brand...
- founder of Pleasant Company and creator of the American GirlAmerican Girl (company)American Girl is an American line of 18-inch dolls released in 1986 by Pleasant Company. The dolls portray ten-year-old girls of a variety of ethnicities living in various times throughout American history. They are sold with accompanying books told from the viewpoint of the girls...
brand of dolls, books, and accessories - Laura NaderLaura NaderLaura Nader is an American anthropologist.She has been a Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley since 1960. She received a BA in Latin American Studies from Wells College in Aurora, NY in 1952. She received her Ph.D...
- Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley. Nader’s areas of interest include comparative ethnography of law and dispute resolution, conflict, comparative family organization, the anthropology of professional mindsets and ethnology of the Middle East, Mexico, Latin America and the contemporary United States. - Margaret Pericak-Vance - Professor of Human Genomics at the University of MiamiUniversity of MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
Leonard M. Miller School of MedicineLeonard M. Miller School of MedicineThe University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine is the school of medical education of the University of Miami. The main medical campus is located in the Civic Center, Miami, Florida within the UM/Jackson Memorial Medical Center complex...
, and Director of the Miami Institute for Human Genomics. She is best known for identifying the Apolipoprotein EApolipoprotein EApolipoprotein E is a class of apolipoprotein found in the chylomicron and IDLs that binds to a specific receptor on liver cells and peripheral cells. It is essential for the normal catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein constituents.-Function:...
risk gene for Alzheimers, helping to develop genomic convergenceGenomic convergenceGenomic convergence is a multifactor approach used in genetic research that combines different kinds of genetic data analysis to identify and prioritize susceptibility genes for a complex disease.- Early Applications :...
, and uncovering risk genes for a number of complex disorders, including Age-Related Macular degenerationMacular degenerationAge-related macular degeneration is a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field because of damage to the retina. It occurs in “dry” and “wet” forms. It is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in older adults...
, Multiple SclerosisMultiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
, Cardiovascular diseaseCardiovascular diseaseHeart disease or cardiovascular disease are the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis...
, AutismAutismAutism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
, and many others. - Helen BaroliniHelen BaroliniHelen Barolini is an American author, born in Syracuse, New York. She married Antonio Barolini, an Italian poet, and lives outside New York City.She has been included in Best American Essays for 1991 and 1993...
, Italian-American author of novels and essays - Edith Kinney GaylordEdith Kinney GaylordEdith Kinney Gaylord , also referred to as Edith Gaylord Harper, was born March 5, 1916 in Oklahoma City to parents Inez and E. K. Gaylord. Her father was editor and publisher of The Oklahoman and The Oklahoma City Times...
- journalist, philanthropist, founder of Inasmuch FoundationInasmuch Foundation- Overview :The Inasmuch Foundation was established in 1982 by Edith Kinney Gaylord . The Foundation is dedicated to upholding the values and interests of its founder...
and Ethics and Excellence in Journalism FoundationEthics and Excellence in Journalism FoundationThe was established in 1982 by Edith Kinney Gaylord . The Foundation is dedicated to upholding the values and interests of its founder. President and CEO Robert J. Ross has led EEJF and the Inasmuch Foundation since 2003. The Foundation is currently headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, and former president of the National Women’s Press Club - Mary Beckerle - Ph.D and executive director of the Huntsman Cancer Institute. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Notable faculty past and present
- Robert P. T. CoffinRobert P. T. CoffinRobert Peter Tristram Coffin was a writer, poet and professor at Wells College and Bowdoin College . He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1936.-Life:...
- poet - B. Bennett - English professor and poet
- Beatrice Farnsworth - Russian History professor
- Scott Heinekamp- Physics professor
- John D. GrahamJohn D. GrahamJohn D. Graham was a Ukrainian-born American Modernist / figurative painter.He was born Ivan Gratianovitch Dombrowsky in Kiev, Ukraine...
- painter - William StokoeWilliam StokoeWilliam C. Stokoe, Jr. was a scholar who researched American Sign Language extensively while he worked at Gallaudet University. He coined the term cherology, the equivalent of phonology for sign language .Stokoe graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY in 1941, and in...
-English professor - Laura Purdy - Philosophy and Ethics
- Crawford R. Thoburn -Senior faculty member, professor of music
- Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo -Professor of Political Science, author
- Robert A. PlaneRobert A. PlaneRobert A. Plane was a chemistry professor and college administrator.Plane graduated with a B.A. degree from Evansville College in Indiana in 1948, and he received a Ph.D. degree from the University of Chicago in 1951. For a short while he was a research chemist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory...
- President and chemist - Daniel Renfrow - Sociology professor
- Thomas J. Preston, Jr.Thomas J. Preston, Jr.Thomas Jex Preston, Jr. was a professor of archeology at Princeton University...
- President pro temp of Wells College. He married Frances Cleveland, widow of Grover Cleveland. - Margaret Floy WashburnMargaret Floy Washburn'Margaret Floy Washburn , leading American psychologist in the early 20th century, was best known for her experimental work in animal behavior and motor theory development...
- psychologist - Ernest Olson - anthropologist
- Linda Lohn - lesbian of note