CLASS OF 2016 | 2023 | SUMMER ISSUE
Hello friends!
I’m happy to report the following updates from the Class of 2016.
Kota Uno moved to the fertile Aizu region in Fukushima three years ago and joined the largest traditional, regenerative organic farm in Japan. They grow the rice as incredibly nourishing superfood and do the ecoservice at the same time. From Kota: “Swing by when you are in Japan!”
Also in Japan, Kotaro Aoki founded a nonprofit educational organization, KOTOWARI. He has been inspired by his undergraduate studies of philosophy at Wesleyan University, as well as his three years studying yoga and meditation in the Himalayas, to bring unique and powerful methods of exploring the self and the world to today’s Japanese youth. KOTOWARI provides transformative educational experiences for high school, university, and graduate students as well as young professionals in Japan. Since 2021, KOTOWARI has been offering programs annually. Last year KOTOWARI was recognized as a pioneer in the field of education and was awarded a grant from the Mitsubishi Mirai Foundation.
Olivia Glick will be receiving her MBA from USC Marshall School of Business along with fellow Wes alum Danielle Pruitt ’15. Olivia was student body president at USC Marshall and will be heading off to Ernst and Young after she graduates to do management consulting. Danielle was the Business of Entertainment president and will be going to YouTube on the marketing team after she graduates.
Gla aka Gla4 aka Lena Meyerson is living in Providence and Central Connecticut, working on their of arts in teaching and on various film projects. They are hoping to reinvigorate clo$et, master’s their band with G. Foley. They invite you to say hi to them on Instagram, @kissytunnel.
Tahreem Wasti (née Khalied) has settled back in Middletown, Connecticut, with her husband and two children. She works at Yale as a program coordinator and is also in the process of getting her MBA in business analytics. Since she is in Middletown, she keeps in touch with some of her Wesleyan professors. From Tahreem: “My daughters and I regularly pass by the campus and they know this is where mama went to school . . . maybe (hopefully) they choose the same when their time comes!”
Dropping at the end of March (March 31) under his artist moniker, ENYE, Christian Nuñez’s third rap project RAPSTARTAPEZ is an exploration and experimentation of different genres and sounds. Inspired by the uptown, New York City soundscapes that raised him, this Spanglish mixtape breaks away from traditional hip-hop/reggaeton, entering a more underground, experimental subgenre.
Follow ENYE’s creative journey via his Instagram, @newyorkenye. All music streaming links included in his bio.
Sarah Mi and Taran Carr are living in San Diego and soaking up the sun. They have a guest room for Wes peeps to come through!
I recently visited Sarah and Taran and we had a great time eating our way through San Diego. I am still dreaming of the burritos. . . . I came back to Atlanta in time to catch the Wesleyan Spirits concert and alumni event, which brought me right back to my time at Wes and how I would never miss one of their shows. Incredible to think it’s been over five years since we graduated. I am hoping this period of medical school can also pass by as quickly because it’s been the hardest yet while I balance clinical rotations, research, studying for the boards, and thinking about applying to residency! I do appreciate all my Wes friends who’ve gone through the process and have helped me immensely along the way. <3
Stay well,
Mariam