Wesleyan University, Fairfield University Announce Initiatives Highlighted by Partnerships

Wesleyan University in Middletown is launching a partnership with the Community Foundation of Middlesex County, which serves 15 towns. Through this partnership, announced earlier this fall, Wesleyan will establish a fund to provide grants to local nonprofits with missions aligned with the University’s goals, including education and youth development. The Foundation and a committee of Wesleyan staff will jointly review grant applications to decide how to best use the resources.

The new Wesleyan University Community Fund is a continuation of a long-term involvement with the foundation, which launched in 1997. At that time, the University provided early resources, and since then Wesleyan administrators and staff have served on the foundation’s board. The grant-making partnership builds on this legacy.

“It highlights what Wesleyan does and how Wesleyan cares about the community,” said Cynthia Clegg, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Middlesex County. “We're very humbled that the partnership has continued and we're really honored that Wesleyan thought of us as a good resource for extending what you already do in the community and making more happen,” Clegg added.

Wesleyan also contributes to the community through partnerships with city institutions, including the YMCA and the Chamber of Commerce. While the Chamber is undergoing renovations, it will use swing space on High Street offered by the University at below-market rate. The Y is also undergoing renovations, and for the next three years, will use a Wesleyan-owned facility on Hamlin Street for its day care needs.

“Wesleyan is committed to being a resource and good neighbor for the community,” said Andrew Tanaka, senior vice president, chief administrative officer and treasurer. “We are pleased to offer space to our partners in Middletown to support their needs and the needs of the broader community.” 

In partnership with the city, Middletown Public Schools, the Y, and Russell Library, Wesleyan has also recently secured a grant for the Middletown Community Wi-Fi Expansion Project. This initiative will provide high-speed wireless internet access to local students through the Eduroam platform. The effort will fill a gap in reliable internet access for students at home, and in classes, libraries, and community centers so they can engage in their learning in and outside of school hours.

Another university initiative is unfolding in Fairfield County, at Fairfield University.  The Fairfield University Art Museum has announced a $15,000 grant from CT Humanities in support of an exhibition planned for spring 2026, as part of a series of cultural and artistic events at Fairfield University commemorating the 250th anniversary—semiquincentennial—of the United States.

 For Which It Stands…, will run from January 23 – July 25, 2026, and will feature 75 works by diverse artists across art movements from the early 20th century to the present day, focusing on depictions of the American flag.

The museum indicates that the exhibition will include works ranging from Childe Hassam’s Italian Day, May 1918—lent by the Art Bridges Foundation—to a new textile sculpture by Maria de Los Angeles, being commissioned for the exhibition. Works by Jasper Johns, Faith Ringgold, Robert Rauschenberg, Shepard Fairey, and Julie Mehretu will challenge viewers to consider who the American flag truly represents and whether justice is available to all. Additional pieces by renowned artists like Emma Amos, Eric Fischl, Glenn Ligon, and many others will further enrich the exhibition, offering a broad range of artistic expressions and attitudes toward the flag.

Included works are coming from private collections, artists, galleries, and institutions such as the Forge Art Project, Columbia University Avery Library, Delaware Museum of Art, The Mattatuck Museum of Art, Bridgeport Public Library, Gordon Parks Foundation, Orlando Museum of Art, Westport Public Art Collections, Yale University Art Gallery, the State of Connecticut’s CT Artists Collection, and the Fairfield University Art Museum’s own collection.

“This exhibition is an opportunity for all of us to examine the narratives that have shaped our country, particularly those that have been overlooked or challenged,” said Carey Weber, executive director of the Fairfield University Art Museum and exhibition curator. “Through these artworks, we invite visitors to engage deeply with the pressing issues of justice, representation, and unity—issues that are as relevant today as they were when our nation was founded. We are very grateful to CT Humanities for their generous support of this important exhibition.”

Connecticut Humanities (CTH) is an independent, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org.

The exhibition also aligns with the theme of “for the common good” and its description of “an opportunity for discussions about our democracy and civic institutions (which) can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape our democracy.” Inspiring conversation and thought about the future of our democracy is a key goal of the exhibition.