Stay Connected: Community Impact Report for 2020-21

Stay Connected Community Impact Report for 2020–21

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Welcome back.

It feels wonderful to finally say that.

During the past academic year, the ongoing pandemic forced us to restrict public access to the Wheaton College campus.

As a result, much of our in-person community engagement was on hiatus or downsized to ensure the health and safety of everyone on and off campus.

As we prepare for the 2021–22 academic year, we’ll continue to exercise caution and follow public health guidance, but we want to share that we are open for connection.

You may already be familiar with Wheaton. Perhaps you have listened to the Great Woods Symphony Orchestra perform on a beautiful summer night during Symphony Under the Stars, or cheered on Norton police and firefighters at our annual Battle of East Main Street softball game. Or you may have partnered with Wheaton students on community projects or internships.

This year’s Community Impact Report highlights the full breadth of opportunities at Wheaton—some that you may not know about. We hope it inspires you to take advantage of the fact that a world-class academic institution is so close to you.

We look forward to engaging with you.

Sincerely, Dennis M. Hanno

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Get to know us

Wheaton at a glance

1834 founded

1,700

100+

students

academic majors and minors, plus the option to design an individual course of study

study abroad programs

45+

100+

21

countries represented by our student body

2

100+

student clubs and organizations

NCAA Division III men’s and women’s sports teams

Invested in the community

Wheaton College, located in the heart of Norton, is intricately tied to its neighboring communities. In 2020, the college:

Purchased more than $2.1 million in goods and services from Bristol County businesses

Contributed more than $831,125 in property taxes and other fees

Employed more than 550 employees, more than half of whom live within a halfhour of campus

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Giving back to the community

Giving back is a Wheaton tradition. We are a community of volunteers who contribute thousands of hours of community service to local nonprofit and municipal organizations every year.

Helping students develop their skills as citizens and leaders drives the work of the college’s Center for Social Justice and Community Impact, which coordinates campus involvement in volunteer efforts. Some examples include:

• The Wheaton community comes together each holiday season to collect gifts and monetary donations for Head Start, a program that provides comprehensive early childhood education for low-income children and families.

• Wheaton students engage in service projects, including the President’s Day of Service, the Norton Halloween Parade, Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities and 9/11 Days of Service.

• Wheaton students volunteer as tutors, teachers and researchers at a number of educational organizations.

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Local partners These are some of the organizations we have worked with:

495

Cupboard of Kindness

140

Norton Middle School

Edith Read Conservation Area 152

Attleboro YMCA

123

Norton Head Start Nine Lives Cat Shelter

Norton VFW 140

95

Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative

123

152

National Black Doll Museum The Salvation Army

Rhode Island Community Food Bank

The ARC of Northern Bristol County

Interested in partnering with us for your volunteer needs?

Please contact the Center for Social Justice and Community Impact at sjci@wheatoncollege.edu.

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Plan your event with us

Take advantage of Wheaton College’s state-of-the-art facilities.

Meeting and multi-function rooms, classrooms, dining spaces and residence halls all are available for reservations. We offer a range of options, including:

Meeting rooms—from casually decorated locations in our Balfour-Hood Campus Center that can accommodate groups of 12 to 30 guests to more historic rooms in our library that seat 20 to 25 guests

Multi-function spaces that provide open areas suitable for receptions, sit-down meals and exhibits for events with up to 150 people

Use of our Cole Memorial Chapel, which has been the host to a variety of performances, lectures and events for up to 700 guests

Also enjoy recreational areas on our campus, including: Balfour Natatorium, home to our Olympic-qualifying pool during pre-approved “open swim” sessions throughout each semester

The Pappas Fitness Center, which features a variety of equipment for cardio and weight training

Interested in learning more? Please contact Conference & Event Services at events@wheatoncollege.edu.

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Open green spaces, including the Dimple and Chapel Field

Be part of our team

Our Athletics and Recreation Department also provides facility rentals for teams, groups and camps throughout the year.

Facilities available include indoor track, pool, basketball/volleyball courts, grass fields and turf field.

High schools, youth groups and club teams all have taken advantage of Wheaton’s facilities for practices, clinics and competition.

Want to inquire about renting athletic spaces for your team or group? Contact Lisa Yenush at yenush_lisa@wheatoncollege.edu.

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Innovate with us

Innovation labs

Did you know that Wheaton is known for its innovation spaces? The college, in fact, earned a spot on Great Value Colleges’ list of U.S. institutions with the “50 Best Maker Spaces.” The college is home to several labs that facilitate immersive opportunities through a network of both high-tech and traditional creative hubs. These spaces, which are open to the public through an appointment, include:

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Digital Lab: A multimedia lab with an Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headset

Fab Lab: Our central lab home to 3D printers, a laser cutter, electronics and more

Fiber Lab: A space dedicated to textile work that includes a digital loom, digital embroidery machine and a vinyl cutter.

The Shop: A lab (with two locations) focused on woodworking, metalworking and digital tooling

Interested in creating something new? Please contact Madison Dunaway, coordinator of innovation spaces and programs, at dunaway_madison@wheatoncollege.edu.

Do business with us

Wheaton is dedicated to promoting business education within the liberal arts. As part of that mission, our business and management program connects students with local companies and nonprofit organizations to develop marketing plans, conduct market research and facilitate internships. A sampling of companies that have worked with us:

• B.Good

• Cold Stone Creamery • Juice on Main

• Mansfield Bio-Incubator • Marathon Sports

• Personal Best Karate • Tasty’s Bagels • Thai Orchard

• White’s Bakery and Cafe

Are you a small business or organization interested in learning more? Please contact Leanna Lawter, associate professor and coordinator of business and management, at lawter_leanna@wheatoncollege.edu.

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Learn with us

A win-win for both Wheaton and the community is our internship program. Our students provide their energy and skills, and businesses help set up our students for success after college through real-world experience.

With support from Wheaton scholarships, our students have interned with local businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.

Here are a few of them:

• Attleboro Arts Museum • City of Taunton

• Land Preservation Society of Norton • Marathon Physical Therapy • New Hope

• Reach and Rise

• Southwick’s Zoo

• Total Achievement

Interested in our internship program for your business or organization? Contact the Filene Center for Academic Advising and Career Services at careerservices@wheatoncollege.edu.

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‘Play’ with us

Arts and culture abound here at Wheaton.

Enjoy a concert, a theater or dance performance, or visit the Beard and Weil Galleries in Watson Fine Arts—all of which showcase our incredible student talent.

Some of our recent plays include “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Glass Menagerie,” “Our Town,” “Rumors” and even student-written productions. Our musical ensembles include the Great Woods Symphony Orchestra, the Southeastern Massachusetts Wind Symphony, the World Music Ensemble and the Wheaton College Jazz Band, among others.

For more information and calendar listings, visit our website at wheatoncollege.edu/ arts/ or contact the Watson Box Office at boxoffice@wheatoncollege.edu.

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Cultural events

Wheaton offers a number of cultural events suited for all tastes and interests. Some favorites: Our Evelyn Danzig Haas ’39 Visiting Artists Program brings artists to campus to deliver public lectures, mount gallery exhibitions, collaborate on installations and perform for the campus community and the public throughout the year.

A summer staple, “Symphony Under the Stars,” features the Great Woods Symphony Orchestra performing classical and pop favorites.

The Mary Bloor Loser ’42 Musical Series brings major musical performers to campus.

For the latest listings, visit our Events Calendar online at wheatoncollege.edu/ events regularly.

Recognition for Wheaton

50 53 200 15 100

Among the top 50 liberal arts colleges in the 2021 College Rankings, Wall Street Journal/ Times Higher Education Ranked #53 in the U.S. as a “Best Value Liberal Arts College” and among the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the United States in the U.S. News and World Report 2021 Best Colleges Listed as one of the top 200 Best Value Colleges by The Princeton Review Best Colleges for 2021 Ranked in the top 15 in the U.S. for gender equality and in the top 25 in the U.S. for reducing inequities, both in 2021, by Times Higher Education Secured a spot in the top 100 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in America and among the Best Colleges for Film and Photography in America in Niche 2021 Best Colleges