Hello, Class of 2025!
Welcome to your section of the Class Notes! If you have any updates to share, please email classnotes@wesleyan.edu. And, if any of you would like to become your Class of ’25 secretary, please reach out. It’s a commitment of twice a year and a great way to keep in touch with classmates as you launch into your lives post Wes.
Dear Class of 2023,
I’m so delighted to share with you all the lovely notes from our peers. It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since we graduated. Whether you’ve moved to a new city, started grad school, or are still figuring out what post-Wes life looks like, it’s heartening to see that there are still threads connecting us all.
Briana Rodriguez-Castillowrites from Denver, where she’s been working as a substitute teacher and speech and debate coach. This summer she’s starting a dual master’s program in public health and social work at Columbia University, while her husband begins law school at the University of San Diego. Running all the way from high school, the two married shortly after graduation in a joyful celebration that also doubled as a mini-Wes reunion. Congratulations!
Quin Steinmetz is based in Chicago, taking classes part time to prepare for a biomedical visualization program at University of Illinois Chicago. In addition to being a caregiver for elderly and physically disabled patients, Quin has also recently adopted a “super cute but pesky” cat named Marshall, who always brings over his feather wand toy each night as a gift.
Justin Nguyen is soaking in the culture and charm of Baltimore. He’s been exploring the city’s diverse and walkable neighborhoods, visiting arts and historical sites, and sampling standout eats—his must-try list includes Ekiben, Charmery, and Cypriana. Reflecting on his time away from Wes, Justin writes: “I’ve grown to appreciate the moments we spend at this present stage of our life. I hope that here, and in the future, I’m working toward a better future—one that positively impacts everyone around me. Take care.”
Dr. Silkfingers Will See You Now, an original musical written and coproduced by Scarlett Long, premiered at the Summer 2025 One-Act Festival in New York City. The queer, time-bending musical follows “Charlotte,” a spiraling college student who escaped into a surreal Victorian clinic, where she was diagnosed with hysteria and treated by the enigmatic masc lesbian physician, Dr. Silkfingers. The production featured Wesleyan alums and current students in the cast and creative team, including April Schwartz ’24, Noah King ’25, Liang Liang ’26, Kiera Moran ’24, Emma Bella Bass-Lawrence ’24, and Orlando Osgood ’26. “It felt like a mini-Wes reunion every rehearsal,” Scarlett said. “The show wouldn’t have happened without this brilliant crew.”
A heartfelt reflection from Andrew Carroll, on behalf of the Rock Lobster Crew, a group of 20 alums from the Class of 2023 who recently reunited at Cape Cod: “When I first got the email about sending in a class note, I wasn’t sure I’d write anything. Nothing I could think of felt like an accurate reflection of what life has really been like two years postgraduation. But then the stars aligned [after the reunion].
“What I realized—maybe not even until I got home—is that every single one of us is in a completely different stage of life. Some of us love our jobs, some of us don’t, and some have even changed careers. Some are heading to med school, others are still in school—but all of us are just figuring it out as we go. Maybe that’s the whole point.
“What mattered most that weekend was that we made the time to be together. People traveled from all over the East Coast just for a few days, and once we were all in the same place, nothing else really mattered—just the joy of being in each other’s company, some cold drinks, and games on the beach.
“Everyone’s on their own path, but we can still carve out moments to reconnect—sharing stories about the ‘good old days’ and all the great things going on in our lives today. I think that’s the beauty of life.
“I can’t speak for everyone in the photo, and I’ll probably send this around and get a few laughs—some might even tell me not to submit it. But I’m willing to bet that 20 years from now, we’ll look at the photo (and maybe this note) and remember that weekend on the Cape. We’ll remember what it felt like to be young, uncertain about the future, and surrounded by the people who knew us before we had any idea what life after college would be like.”
At last, from me (Arthur Chen): Over the past year, I’ve worked on farms across Australia on working holiday, met people from all over the world, and, most recently, have been pursuing my culinary interests. I’m currently based in Melbourne, working at a super hip and delicious spot called Very Good Falafel, which really does live up to the name.
Like many of you have shared, it feels strange to realize it’s been two years since we graduated. Being away from those precious college days feels surreal and distant at times, but I also see how we’re growing into ourselves. Maybe we still don’t quite know what we’re doing, but we’ve come to appreciate the richness of experiencing so many different lifestyles and learning to embrace the unknown as part of the process of self-discovery.
Reading all your updates has been deeply meaningful. It reminds me that even though we’re scattered across the world—living different lives, chasing different dreams—we’re still connected in subtle but powerful ways. That’s the Wesleyan experience. It stays with us, even after we’ve moved on. Thank you to everyone who submitted an update—keep them coming!
The Class of 2022, as always, is making big moves and embarking on sensational adventures.
First up, we’ve got some wonderful news in the arts world from one of our class members!
This year, Esmé Maria Ng began a new position as the company management fellow at Wicked Broadway. They also brought Area D, a Palestinian pop musical, to Ars Nova for the 2025 ANT Fest, where it played to a sold-out house. You can stream the show here: https://supra.arsnovanyc.com/. They’ve also continued their playwriting practice and were selected for the Moxie Incubator this year, which culminated in a public presentation of their play, i know why iris chang died, at IRT Theater in September. Their short play, THE JADE RABBIT IS CRASHING OUT OVER EL*N M*SK, was also featured in two LGBTQ+ centered festivals—Cosmic Cherry Festival and T4T Theater Fest. Later this year, Esmé will return to Breaking the Binary Theatre Company in a new position as line producer at the fourth annual Breaking the Binary Theater Festival. You can always find out more about what Esmé’s up to by checking their website: https://www.esmemariang.com/ or their Instagram: @esmemariang.
Next up, we’ve got an exciting move coming up for a member of Wesleyan’s most phenomenal class.
After three years in New York working in mergers and acquisitions consulting for NERA, Thompson Knuth will be moving to Stockholm! He’ll be looking to continue his career in data analytics across a wide range of fields and reports already receiving some great advice from Wes alums in Sweden.
Last, but not least, we’ve got some stellar academia-related updates!
After completing three years of educational advocacy work for students in foster care at the New York Foundling nonprofit, Sela Adegbile will be pursuing her JD at the University of Michigan Law School this fall and is excited to move to Ann Arbor, where she aims to further develop her advocacy skills on behalf of young people.
Keanu Bryan will be starting graduate school this coming spring, pursuing her master’s in public health with a concentration in community health sciences.
And while William Woodhams “regrets not going to more Sunday Argus meetings,” he reports “that everything has a way of working out,” as he will be starting his second year at Berkeley Journalism School this fall.
Hyped to be y’all’s new class secretary and can’t wait to hear more updates on what everyone’s up to! A bit of info about me: I was an English and government major at Wesleyan with a REES minor, and I’m now working as a paralegal in Washington, D.C.
And while we are all extremely fortunate to be moving forward with our lives postgraduation, I’m very sorry to report the devastating news that Belle Brown died by suicide in March of this year. If you knew Belle and would like to send in a remembrance for our next class note, reach out. Also, if you or a loved one is in need of support, call or text 988. You can find more resources at https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention.
Greetings, Class of 2021!
Langston Morrison recently graduated from Fordham Law School with a concentration in international, foreign, and comparative law. Langston is also the vice president of a nonprofit called Abóbë Cultural Institute and Learning Center; is a certified human rights consultant with the U.S. Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights; and is the author of a book on language learning called The Economics of Language Learning. Since graduating from law school, he has been studying for the bar exam and will go onto practicing law at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP in Kansas City, Missouri.
Andrei Pinkus writes, “In 2024–2025, I traveled to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Peru, and New Zealand. I earned my PADI Divemaster certification in Koh Tao, Thailand, and made unforgettable friends and memories along the way. Now, I’m settled back into the D.C. area working in the environmental field, so reach out to me at andrei.pinkus@gmail.com if you want to connect or grab a bite!”
Kaya Gayon Yang decided to move to Ulanbaatar, Mongolia, where she will be a grade four homeroom teacher at English School Mongolia. If anyone visits Mongolia, please let Kaya know! Kaya can be reached by gyang01@wesleyan.edu.
As for me, I graduated from University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in May. I will be moving to New York City to start a career in litigation. Please let me know if you are around. I am always happy to catch up with Wes alumni.
Thank you for reading! May you stay well and enjoy the rest of 2025.
Saam Niami currently lives in New York and works as an arts and culture writer for publications such as The New York Times,New York Magazine, and Interview Magazine. Last year he founded Ward Gallery, a curatorial project dedicated to young New York artists, from emerging to museum represented, across all mediums.
From Luke Forsthoefel: “After five great years in Boston, I’m moving out to the Bay Area with my partner, Ava, and our cat, Aflie! I will be starting business school at Stanford GSB in September 2025 as a member of the Class of 2027, while Ava will continue her data science job in tech. We are both very excited about moving to California and this new chapter ahead. I’m always excited to connect with Wes alums, so let me know if you’re in the area!”
Emmy Hughes received her PhD in planetary geology in June from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. She’ll stay on at Georgia Tech for the next year or so, working on Mars analogue science! Congrats, Emmy!
From Huiqin Hu: “Five years after graduating, I’ve lived in New York City, San Francisco, Nairobi, [and] Bali. And I’m currently studying Taiji and Qigong in Wudang Mountain, China.”
Sawyer Tennant just graduated from Boston University with an MFA in creative writing (fiction), where he was awarded a Leslie D. Epstein Global Fellowship to write abroad in Istanbul this fall. Congrats, Sawyer!
Lars Babbott-Ward is now the proud dad to a bearded dragon named Banjo and an axolotl named Silly. Teaching elementary music, hosting open mics, and coaching high school rowing has been filling most of their days with laughter and community. “Sending love to all and show up where you can for each other.” <3
Happy five-years postgrad to all, and thank you to those who submitted updates! I am still chugging along in Chicago, enjoying all the Midwest has to offer. Roll cards and let me know if you’re ever in town!
Hello, Class of 2024! Please enjoy these postgrad updates from our classmates!
Sam Anderson has been working as a project assistant for a lab at USC, using novel machine-learning models to identify risk factors for Alzheimer’s via a combination of neuroimaging (MRI and CT) and genetic data.
Rachel Wachman is working as a journalist at the Concord Monitor in Concord, New Hampshire, where she moved in August. Rachel says, “Missing my Wes friends but enjoying the mountains!”
After graduation, Luka Netzel began working in professional theater. Luka says, “A few weeks after graduation, I got a last-minute company management gig at a small theater in Lincoln, New Hampshire, for their summer stock season. After this, I headed south to Sarasota, Florida, where I am currently working as the company management apprentice at the Asolo Repertory Theater.”
In other professional news, Lucas Hughes got a job as a clinical research coordinator at MHM research in the Hudson Valley, Rebecca Drucker moved to Bethesda, Maryland, to begin a teaching fellowship, and Savannah Ryan got a job as a biochemist at a biopharmaceutical company and a new car!
Naomi Whitlock spent her summer after graduation working in Yellowstone National Park and recently moved to Colorado to work as a dogsled musher and guide. Naomi says, “In other news, the manuscript I wrote about my genomic research in Barry Chernoff’s lab was published in Scientific Reports in December!”
Other Cardinals continued their education postgrad. In the spring, Emma Dhanda will be graduating with an MA in psychology through Wesleyan’s BA/MA Program. Sara Beth Bouchard is in the PhD program in chemistry at UConn, in a lab that studies proteins as polymers. Sara Beth says, “I never saw myself joining a synthetic polymer lab . . . so I will have plenty to learn! I am hoping to kick-start my research project this spring. Missing the Wesleyan sailing team and looking forward to the Parent Alumni Regatta!”
As for travel, Max Fan, Chris Noh,and Oliver Wang took a road trip across the U.S., while Naya Jorgensen moved overseas. Naya says, “Hello, fellow Wes alumni! Thanks to the support of the Wesleyan French department, I’m currently living in Paris and teaching English at a university, which gives me a new appreciation for what our professors went through with us! I hope to cross paths with some continental Cardinals as time goes on. Hope everyone is having a great start to 2025!”
Happy New Year, everyone!
Please send news and updates to your class secretary.
Last summer, Amy Guaman-Dumancela was a summer associate for the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) in Alexandria, Virginia. She worked in the Operational Evaluation Division of IDA’s Systems and Analyses Center. Amy graduated with a psychology degree from Wes and is currently working toward her master’s in clinical psychology at Columbia.
Happy New Year. I hope you had a warm holiday season. Here are some updates from Class of 2021:
Gayon Yang is working as a grade 5 homeroom teacher in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The international school is going through expansion at the moment; please let Gayon know if you are interested in learning more about their employment opportunities. Gayon can be reached by gyang01@wesleyan.edu.
Leah Seldin co-founded The Girls NYC, an exclusive social group for NYC women in their 20s looking to make meaningful friendships. In the past two years, The Girls NYC have amassed 1,400 active members and hosted over 150 events, including private movie screenings, brunches, dinners, book clubs, and more. The events offer a safe, friendly environment where all women attend alone with bravery, vulnerability, and a desire to meet new people.
The Girls NYC have partnered with multiple brands and grown a social media presence of more than 3,400 and consistently receive over 400 applications a month. Through The Girls NYC, lifetime friendships have been created from best friends to roommates.
On November 2, 2024, The Girls NYC was featured on ABC News Nightline. In addition, The Girls NYC was featured in a Bon Appétit magazine article, which can be read here. Congratulations to Leah and the group for their achievements!
You can learn more about The Girls NYC on Instagram and their website: www.thegirlsnyc.comwebsite.
Garrett Kaufmann is happy to organize a Wesleyan meet-up for the greater Detroit/Michigan area and keep a greater network connected. If you are in Detroit (or the rest of Michigan) and would like to join, you can contact Garrett at gkaufmann@wesleyan.edu.
Thank you for reading! Please feel free to send me updates throughout the year and look out for new submission requests.
Congratulations to Gabrielle Bennett who was awarded the Obama Foundation fellowship for the 2024–2025 academic year, as a master’s of social work candidate at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice!
Nick Ticali is finishing up the final semester of his physician assistant master’s program. He will be looking to practice family medicine in a medically underserved area. He asks that you reach out if you have any contacts in the Brooklyn, Queens, or Manhattan areas. Nick would also like to give a quick shout-out to Sam Petersen and Shana Laski ’19 who just announced their engagement. He sends love to both!
From Jiayao Chen: “I recently got certified as a mental health coach by Headspace. Simultaneously, I am completing my last semester of [a] psychology and virtual reality master’s based in Paris and Barcelona.”
Thank you to all who submitted updates! As always, I love hearing from y’all. Though my mom did not win her race for Georgia State House District 53, I do appreciate the continued support I’ve received from the Wesleyan community. As for my life updates, I am defrosting from Chicago winter and staying busy trying to bring good energy with me and others into the future!
