Friends and Family Weekend 2023

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wellesley College Bookstore open hours

Stock up on Wellesley swag or buy a bus pass to go to head of the Charles on Sunday!

Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center, 4th floor

3 to 6 p.m.

Check-in and Information Center

Kick off FFW 2023 with a stop at the check-in center to pick up your name tags and some swag.

Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center, Anderson Forum

3 to 4:30 p.m.

Stone Center Counseling Service Open House

Come meet some of the staff of the Stone Center Counseling Service, in their 2023-24 location on the second floor of the College Club. They will share the Counseling support that is available for your student, and answer any questions you might have. 

College Club, 2nd floor

3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Faculty Lecture: Professor Rachel Stanley. Ice in Antarctica: Past and Present   

You are invited to a faculty lecture by Rachel Stanley, Frost Associate Professor in Environmental Science and Associate Professor of Chemistry,  who will share stories and photos of ice sheets, icebergs, seals, and penguins from a recent Wellesley Alumnae cruise to Antarctica. She will also discuss climate change and its effect on Antarctica, and explain how climate scientists are like detectives who have gathered major clues about global warming from Antarctic Ice. 

Science Complex, Hub 101. There will be someone to swipe you into the building at the South entrance doors.

3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Open House at the Book Arts Lab 

Explore Wellesley College Library's Book Arts Lab which contains working printing presses, type, and bookbinding equipment, all of which can be used by students as they learn printmaking and book creation. 

Margaret Clapp Library,  4th Floor

3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Career Education Presentation

Learn about Career Education at Wellesley, including our funded internship programs, career exploration and fellowship advising, civic engagement opportunities, lifelong career resources for alumnae, and more. Panelists include Jennifer Pollard, associate provost and executive director of Wellesley Career Education; Christopher De La Cerda, director of career advising; Destiny Barletta, director of alumnae connections, and Caitlin Roberts Donovan, assistant director for fellowships. 

Collins Cinema  

4 to 5:30 p.m.

Carillon Concert

Hear and see a carillon masterclass with students and a visiting carillon instructor. Please note, you must climb several steep staircases to access the bell tower. 

To access the bell tower, please enter Green Hall from the Academic Quad door.

4:30 to 5 p.m.

Health Professions Advising Session

Join Cindy Seltzer, Director of Health Professions Advising, and Peer Career Mentors  for a presentation on Career Education's advising for patient-facing careers including medicine. We will share how your student can be a strong applicant, trends in the field, and answer your questions. 

Collins Cinema 

4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

2023 Alumnae Achievement Awards

Join us as three alumnae Vanessa Ruiz '72, appellate judge,  Faith Vilas '73, planetary science pioneer,  and Cecilia A. Conrad '76,  philanthropic educator and leader,  receive Wellesley’s highest accolade, given annually to graduates of distinction, who through their achievements, have brought honor to themselves and the College. Hear how Wellesley has influenced their lives, the lessons they've learned along the way, and their advice to current Wellesley students.

Alumnae Hall Auditorium

5:45 to 7 p.m.

2023 Alumnae Achievement Awards reception

Please join us in the Alumnae Hall Ballroom, after the Wellesley College Alumnae Achievement Awards ceremony, to celebrate the 2023 recipients.

Alumnae Hall Ballroom

5 to 6 p.m.

Shabbat Service

Join our vibrant campus community to welcome in Shabbat! A delicious shabbos dinner will follow services; all are welcome .

Multifaith center in Houghton chapel

6 to 7:30 p.m.

Shabbat dinner

Multifaith center in Houghton chapel

7 to 9 p.m.

Whitin Observatory Open Hours

Come visit the observatory and see the night sky through the six and twelve inch telescopes.

Capacity is limited. The queue will close at 8 p.m., or earlier if maximum capacity is reached. 

Whitin Observatory  

7:30 to 9 p.m.

Jazz and a Capella concert  

Join us for a concert with Wellesley's student jazz and a cappella groups.

Jewett Auditorium

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Check-in and Information Center

Come say hello when you get to campus, pick up your name tags and some swag, and grab a snack!

Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center,  Anderson Forum

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wellesley College Bookstore open hours

You know you need a new sweatshirt, tee shirt, hat, tote, mug, water bottle, or other Wellesley gear. You do. 

Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center, 4th floor

9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Faculty Lecture: Professor Olga Shurchkov.  Gender Gaps at Work: Causes, Consequences, and Practical Solutions   

Please join Olga Shurchkov, Professor of Economics,  for an exploration of the challenges women face in the workplace, from pay differences to opportunities for advancement. Discover how the recent Covid-19 crisis shed light on these long-standing gender disparities and on the powerful role that gender stereotypes play in our daily lives. The goal of this lecture will be to dive into the psychology behind the decisions that perpetuate these gender gaps, so that the audience can walk away with meaningful insights on what can be done to bridge the divide. 

Science Complex, Hub 101. There will be someone to swipe you into the building at the South entrance doors.

9:30 to 11 a.m.

Houghton Chapel Open House

Come meet the chaplains and take a self-guided tour of Houghton Chapel.

Houghton Chapel 

9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Pre-Season Varsity Swimming and Diving Meet

Come cheer on the Blue!

Keohane Sports Center, Chandler Pool

10 to 10:45 a.m.

Campus Tour

Meet at Davis Plaza for a student-led tour of campus.

Davis Plaza

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pre-Season Varsity Softball Tournament   CANCELLED due to weather

11 to 11:30 a.m.

President Johnson's State of the College address 

Alumnae Hall auditorium. 

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Rugby vs Smith

Come cheer on the Blue against Smith!

Keohane Sports Center Upper Field

11 am to 4 p.m.

Botanic Garden and Global Flora Open House 

Explore the new Global Flora greenhouse - visit the Durant Camellia, botanical highlights, and student-made exhibits!

Botanic Garden Visitor Center and Margaret Ferguson greenhouses

11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

The Kenner Lecture: Negotiating for Humanity: A Conversation with Ambassador Elayne Whyte 

Join our conversation with Elayne Whyte, a diplomat and academic with more than 25 years of experience in policy-making, diplomacy, international cooperation, negotiation, and governance. She is currently a Professor of Practice at Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies and was previously Costa Rica's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva (2014-20) and Vice Foreign Minister (2000-02). Professor Stacie Goddard will facilitate the discussion. This event will be the first of the Albright Institute’s 15th anniversary programming. 

Alumnae Hall auditorium

11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Community Lunch

Join your student for lunch in their dining hall! As we expect a large number of guests at our community lunch,  we ask that you eat with your student in the dining hall closest to their residence hall to ensure the shortest wait time for everyone. 

1 to 3 p.m.

Varsity Soccer vs Springfield

Come cheer on the Blue against Springfield!

Soccer Field

2 to 2:45 p.m.

Campus Tour

Meet at Davis Plaza for a student-led tour of campus.

Davis Plaza

2:30 to 3:15 p.m.

Sophomore Tree Planting 

Join President Johnson and  the class of 2026 as they host one of the College's oldest traditions, planting the Class Tree.

NEW LOCATION: Houghton Chapel

3 to 4 p.m.

S'mores   CANCELLED due to weather

3 to 4 p.m.

UPSTAGE presents:  Ghost Lights and Family Frights 

Embark on a thrilling Halloween adventure with UPSTAGE's Ghost Light Event! Join us in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Diana Chapman Walsh Alumnae Hall through our interactive, family-friendly story tour. Uncover the story of the mysterious happenings around the hall and learn more about theater lore while having a great time with friends and family! 

Ruth Nagel Jones Theater,  Alumnae Hall

3:15 to 4 p.m.

Meet the Deans

Stop by Schneider and meet some of the deans from the Office of the Dean of Students, the Class Deans' office, and the Office of Intercultural Education.. 

LOCATION CHANGE to Schneider Lobby and Reading Room

3:15 to 4:15 p.m.

The Albright Fellow Experience

Come hear Albright Alumnae Fellows reflect on how their experiences at the Albright Institute shaped their paths on-campus and beyond. The panelists will be Fiona Almeida '15, Monica Naranjo '18, and Ayusha Ariana '22, with Nina McKee '16, program director of the Albright Institute, as the moderator. 

Science Complex, Hub 101  

3:30 to 5 p.m.

Earning the W: 50 Years of Varsity Athletics at Wellesley 

Join Wellesley Athletics for an informal reception with appetizers followed by a panel of former student-athletes who will share stories and discuss the history of Wellesley Athletics. The event is open to FFW guests as well as any alumnae student-athletes that would like to attend. Former student-athletes are asked to RSVP. 

Keohane Sports Center, Dorothy Towne Fieldhouse 

4 to 5:30 p.m.

Music Showcase

Join us for performances by the Wellesley College Choir and Chamber Music Groups.

Houghton Chapel  

5 to 7 p.m.

Taste of the Diaspora

Come meet Dean Patty Birch,  Assistant Dean of Intercultural Education and Advisor for Students of African Descent, and hear the Harambee Singers.

Harambee House  

6 to 7 p.m.

Dead Serious presents: Enemies and Strangers

Join  Dead Serious, Wellesley’s best and only improv comedy troupe, as they present Enemies and Strangers for friends and families. Dead Serious is a student run organization that performs improv comedy for the Wellesley community, as well as with colleges and universities in the greater Boston area. They are very grateful to be performing for the second year at Friends and Family Weekend and apologize that auditions aren’t open to family members.

Jewett Auditorium

8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Information Center

Stop by and say hi before you head out.  We'd love to see you.

Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center, Anderson Forum

8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Mindful Nature Walk

Join Suzanne Langridge, director of the Paulson Ecology of Place Initiative, and Paulson Initiative student interns on a meditative walk using our senses to notice the flora and fauna on campus. No experience necessary, all welcome! 

Meet at the firepit on Lulu lawn

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Head of the Charles Regatta

Join us on the banks of the Charles river and cheer for the defending NCAA division III champions! Wellesley boats begin around 2:45 p.m.  Senate Bus passes are available to purchase at the Emporium all weekend. Buses will leave the from the Chapel, stopping at Alumnae Hall, on the hour beginning at 9 a.m.  The full Head of the Charles Regatta Senate bus schedule can be found here.

Charles River, Cambridge between MIT and Harvard

11 to 11:45 a.m.

Office of International Study Panel Presentation

Learn about various programs and the application process. Hear from students who have studied in 8 countries. 

Collins Cinema  

11 to 11:45 a.m.

Yanvalou Drum and Dance Ensemble

Yanvalou Drum & Dance Ensemble performs the folkloric music and dance of Africa as it exists today throughout the African Diaspora, particularly in Haiti and Brazil.  

Academic Quad tent; Rain location Pendleton  West 201

11 am to 4 p.m.

Botanic Garden and Global Flora Open House 

Explore the new Global Flora greenhouse - visit the Durant Camellia, botanical highlights, and student-made exhibits!

Botanic Garden Visitor Center and Margaret Ferguson greenhouse

4 to 5 p.m.

Catholic Mass

Houghton Chapel

4 to 5 p.m.

Christian worship

Multi-faith center,  Houghton Chapel