Yale

Yale’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions has completed its review of the 35,306 applications for the Class of 2022 and has offered admissions to 2,229 students. This marks the second year with a larger first-year class after the opening of Pauli Murray and Benjamin Franklin colleges; like the Class of 2021, the Class of 2022 will be approximately 15% larger than previous recent classes.

It’s first-year move-in day for the Class of 2021! 

Congratulations to the Yale Class of 2017! 

Yale is committed to making an undergraduate education affordable for everyone. Yale invests more than $120 million each year for Yale College financial aid. Parents earning less than $65,000 annually are not expected to make any contribution, and more than 85% of the Class of 2016 graduated debt-free. Beginning in 2017-2018, qualifying freshmen will receive an annual allowance to help with purchasing a computer and other expenses.

Driving down Whitney Ave in New Haven you might see a T-Rex next to the Yale Peabody Museum chomping on some concrete. It seems some very creative folks at the Peabody Museum fabricated magnetic dinosaur eyes to make a concrete crusher appear to mimic a Tyrannosaurus rex! The dinosaur eyes are affixed to the concrete crusher on the hydraulic excavator involved in the demolition of J.W. Gibbs Laboratory next to the museum. (Photo: @yalepeabodymuseum)

With admission letters going out last week to the largest class in Yale College history we’re getting excited about the opening of our two new residential colleges, Pauli Murray and Benjamin Franklin, next fall. (Photo: @VisitYale)

Yale undergraduates and alumni have a record of service to their country that dates back to the founding of the Republic and continues to this day. Yale College men — and, since 1969, women — have continued to make their mark upon the nation, many of them beginning their service through ROTC, which originated during World War I. This story highlights Yale’s contributions to the American WWI effort. Today marks the 100-year anniversary of the U.S. entrance into the war. 

Congratulations to the newly admitted Yale College Class of 2021.

For Women's History Month, we asked Yale students to reflect on their sources of inspiration.

Alexis Payne ’19, Berkeley College Who is your role model/inspiration?

Lorraine Hansberry

What kind of inspiration/role model has this woman been in your own life?

When I think of Lorraine Hansberry I am simultaneously reminded of Nina Simone's song "To Be Young Gifted and Black" which was written in remembrance of her and released in 1969. This song alludes to the ways in which knowledge acted as a powerful threat to the institution of slavery upon which this country was founded; for awareness of one's own enslavement with an ability to write or speak about it, functions as a serious hazard to a system that relies on the free labor of Black bodies and the defeat of Black minds and spirits. Hansberry, the first Black woman to write a play produced on Broadway, died at 34 and stands as a symbol of resistance against this system of silencing. Her magnum opus, A Raisin in the Sun—a partially autobiographical work that illuminates the effects of restrictive covenants and redlining on Black families—stands as a testament to both the power of the theatre and to the imperative of speech for those of us who have experienced the trauma of institutionalized racism. In many ways, Hansberry reminds me of the infinite resilience of my own grandmother, my namesake, a poet who died at 36 with no record of her life. As a playwright and a student, she reminds me of my responsibilities to my people and to our narratives. She reminds me to never forget the perilous and revolutionary nature of my mind. She reminds me to never take for granted the opportunities that I have had to write and to learn, to criticize and to challenge.

Why should others know about this woman’s contribution?

Lloyd Richards, the director of A Raisin in the Sun recalled a Black woman who before seeing the show remarked: "The word's out in my neighborhood that something's going on down here that concerns me." When it comes to the American theatre, Hansberry's influence is paramount. The minstrel show had long-reaching effects as blackface tropes proliferated the stage and culture at large. In a cultural space where Blackness became equated to and synonymous with images of a blackened Al Jolson or the "mammy" in Birth of a Nation, the significance of a play on a Broadway stage that stood as a reflection of a true Black experience became revolutionary. Hansberry's work considered the ways in which performance can serve as force against the systematic powers that sought to silence her peoples' nuanced realities. Her work not only provided countless opportunities for Black actors to imagine themselves as artists and for Black people to see themselves reflected on the American stage; it also revealed the importance of Black writers championing their own stories.

For Women's History Month, we asked Yale students to reflect on their sources of inspiration.

Jackie Honet ’19, Ezra Stiles College

Who is your role model/inspiration?

When I think of my female inspirations, so many different women come to mind. However, overall, I think my “big sister” at Yale is my role model.

What kind of inspiration/role model has this woman been in your own life?

I always say to other people that she has been one of the best things that happened to me since coming to this campus, and I always introduce her not only as my mentor, but as just one of my best friends. She leads by example, but also pushes me and helps me grow and become a better person. She has taught me to be unapologetically myself and to venture outside of my comfort zone. She has shown me that it’s okay to have insecurities because everyone does, just so long as you don’t let them hinder you.

Why should others know about this woman’s contribution?

Perhaps her impact is less tangible because she influences people with her kindness and endless support, but she has a silent strength and has become such an important person for me on this campus and in my life. I admire and appreciate her endlessly, and I hope she knows how much she inspires me just by being herself.

For Women's History Month, we asked Yale students to reflect on their sources of inspiration.

Genevieve Simmons ’18, Ezra Stiles College

Who is your role model/inspiration?

Tamora Pierce, author of fantasy fiction for teens that usually have a female heroine

What kind of inspiration/role model has this woman been in your own life?

I remember going to a book signing (shout-out to my mom for surprising me and waiting in line to get a copy!) where Pierce talked about how there needed to be more female main characters in young adult literature, and being so inspired that I went and re-read all the series she had previously published.

Why should others know about this woman’s contribution?

Especially if you’re into bad-ass female knights and mages, everyone should all read her books! Either that, or recommend her to a younger friend or family member who could use some reading inspiration.

For Women's History Month, we asked Yale students to reflect on their sources of inspiration.

Emily Ge ’19, Berkeley College

Who is your role model/inspiration?

Ursula K. Le Guin, writer and world-maker

What kind of inspiration/role model has this woman been in your own life?

Ursula K. Le Guin is one of the rare marginalized geniuses who succeed in transforming the mainstream. Not only does she write science fiction, but she’s also a woman writing science fiction.

Why should others know about this woman’s contribution?

She’s strange, she’s singular, and she’s proud. She says things in words that cannot be said in words.

For Women's History Month, we asked Yale students to reflect on their sources of inspiration.

Joey Lew ’17, Berkeley College 

Who is your role model/inspiration?

Gertrude Stein

What kind of inspiration/role model has this woman been in your own life?

Stein is a Jewish poet that loves to play with rhythm and with the quality of words. She influences my writing not only through her work but through transcripts of interviews, in which her vibrant personality can be appreciated. She wrote for herself, and aspired to lofty aesthetic and literary goals. Her confidence, talent, and determination inspire me. 

Why should others know about this woman’s contribution?

Stein’s literary presence in America cannot be ignored — she is read in college classrooms across the country. The fact that she is a lesbian and a Jew makes her fame even more impressive, given the frequent suppression of minority narratives in the U.S. People should know about her because she was a true artist, introducing new ideas and principles into the realm of poetry at a time when famous female authors were few and far between.

For Women's History Month, we asked Yale students to reflect on their sources of inspiration.

Isabel Cruz ’17, Davenport College

Who is your role model/inspiration?

Reina Gossett, activist, writer, and filmmaker

What kind of inspiration/role model has this woman been in your own life?

I think about words she shared when the Women’s Center hosted her every time I get frustrated with the trials and tribulations of activism, or when I get down on my own contributions: perfection is an oppressive construct. We can always learn more, do better, think bigger, but there is no perfect or right way to move forward; you have to celebrate the act of taking action and be caring of ourselves and others in how we learn from trial and error. It’s amazing to think about how much she has been able to accomplish while emphasizing self-care and empathy. 

Why should others know about this woman’s contribution?

Reina has made incredible contributions towards shaping a better tomorrow for people of all identities and backgrounds through her activism, and highlighted the work of other amazing activists through her filmmaking. Her work as an economic justice, trans rights, and prison abolition activist has genuinely embodied intersectionality since before the term became a buzzword. Her upcoming film "Happy Birthday, Martha!" will help tell the stories of Martha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera to highlight the role that trans women of color like herself have played in shaping history and fighting to make the world a more just place.

For Women's History Month, we asked Yale students to reflect on their sources of inspiration.

Mindy Le ’19, Ezra Stiles College

Who is your role model/inspiration?

Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier

What kind of inspiration/role model have these women been in your own life?

Jointly, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier have been recent role-models in my life for their collaboration and discovery of a new form of genome editing, CRISPR-Cas9. These two scientists are known for their work on this breakthrough technology, which has inspired me because I’m also interested in conducting genetics research. Their success acts as a great motivator in my own academic life.

Why should others know about these women’s contribution?

The lack of representation of women in STEM fields is still a global problem, so the presence of these two female scientists leading current work in genetic engineering is a great step towards bringing awareness to gender bias. I find this exciting because such awareness can extend even beyond the field of science.

For Women's History Month, we asked Yale students to reflect on their sources of inspiration.

Raeven Grant ’19, Silliman College

Who is your role model/inspiration?

Serena Williams 

What kind of inspiration/role model has this woman been in your own life?

Growing up, I watched Serena playing tennis on television. I saw how hard she worked and all the effort she put in. She was one of the only black tennis players that I saw on TV. Seeing someone who looked like me playing the sport encouraged me to start playing in high school. Tennis is a very white-dominated sport and Serena has excelled in this space, making it her own. She has overcome so many obstacles and continues to be her best self. While I don’t foresee myself becoming a tennis goddess anytime soon, I try to embody her strength and positivity in other areas of my life. Being a black woman in STEM requires that I take up spaces that were not created for me, like Serena on the tennis court, and I hope to overcome my own obstacles with as much grace as she does. 

Why should others know about this woman’s contribution?

I think most people recognize Serena Williams as the best tennis player ever, but I think it’s also important to be cognizant of her efforts to spread body positivity and self-love. I teared-up when I watched Beyonce’s “Sorry” video because I saw Serena being unapologetically beautiful and black and woman. Serena continues to show the world how important it is to be comfortable with who you are.