<p>There is a certain rhythm to the life-cycle of a university, it has peaks and valleys just like any corporation – or, natural person, for that matter. Vassar’s high water mark may have been in the 1940s and 50s when Jacqueline Bouvier (later Kennedy) attended there and Mary McCarthy penned her acid limned novel, “The Group”, clearly with Vassar in mind. </p>
<p>Wesleyan’s may well be now. With half the endowment of its nearest rivals, Swarthmore and Williams, Wesleyan is widely recognized as perhaps the nation’s premier progressive college. It has managed to produce three Academy Award nominated screenwriters, an NFL coach, the CEO of Sun Microsystems, and the host of public television’s premier current affairs program (“Now”)-- all within the last twenty-five years. Some, myself included, believe this may well be a product of Wesleyan’s expansion following its decision to co-educate in the early 1970s (the other Little Three colleges, Amherst and Williams chose to cut back slightly on the number of male students in order to accomodate the influx of females.) </p>
<p>Wesleyan’s combination of hot-house science research being conducted cheek-by-jowl with innovative programs in the performing arts has led to an intellectual synergy that is perhaps unique in the nation.</p>