Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month Keynote Speaker - Yvette Modestin
2023-09-29 14:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Mary Lyon Hall – Holman Room, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
Please join us for our Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month Keynote Speaker – Yvette Modestin. Yvette is a local award-winning writer, poet, and activist from Colon, Panama, who focuses on shedding light on the Afro-descendant experience in Latin America.

Hispanic and Latine Heritage Series: A Taste of Columbia
2023-10-04 17:00 - 18:00 | Balfour-Hood – 1962 Game Room, Norton, 02766, United States
Join us to try Obleas and discover fun facts about the Columbia. This event is presented b Wheaton’s Columbian students.

2024 MLK Legacy Celebration
2024-02-22 19:00 | Watson Fine Arts – Weber Theatre, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
The 2024 MLK Legacy Celebration will take place on Thursday, February 22, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in Weber Theater. The keynote address is “Say Yes to Liberation.” It will be led by Mr. William Dickerson II, Co-Executive Director of Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN), a statewide faith-based community organizing non-profit.
As part of our annual event, we will award Wheaton’s prestigious MLK Legacy Award to two outstanding community members. We welcome your nominations for this award. The award is presented to one student and one faculty or staff member who exemplifies Dr. King’s values through their actions and leadership.
If you would like to nominate someone for the award, please email deal@wheatoncollege.edu with the name of the nominee(s) and a brief description (one paragraph is sufficient) of why you believe they should be recognized. All nominations should be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 5, 2024. You are welcome to submit as many nominations as you wish, as there are likely many deserving individuals in our community. The selection committee comprises the President’s Council and DEAL leadership.
The event will also feature the MLK Legacy Student Creativity Showcase winners.

All are Welcome: Collaborative Approaches to Building Inclusive Communities
2024-04-20 10:00 - 15:00 | Mary Lyon Hall, Norton, MA, 02766
Wheaton College’s Network for LBGTQ+ Inclusion, Support and Advocacy will host its first ever educational conference: All are Welcome: Collaborative Approaches to Building Inclusive Communities. The event will take place on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.
A number of community organizations will join Wheaton students, staff and faculty to engage in dialogue around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). Renowned social justice educator and playwright Tobias K. Davis will give the keynote address.
Agenda
9:30 – 10:00 a.m. | Check-In and Light Refreshments
Mary Lyon Hall – Holman Room
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Large Group Opening and Keynote
Mary Lyon Hall – Holman Room
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Session #1
Participants may choose one from the list of workshops to attend.
12:00 – 1:00 p.m | Session #2
Participants may choose one from the list of workshops to attend.
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Lunch (provided)
Emerson Faculty Dining (lounge area)
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. | Large Group Debrief and Closing
Mary Lyon Hall – Holman Room
Workshop options
Empowering Inclusive Collaborations and Initiatives
Explore best practices around collaboratively working on inclusion-oriented projects from start to finish. This includes how to identify needs of the intended audience, build intersectional content, and evaluate the success of shared initiatives.
Facilitated by Mike Pratt and Hartley Torrison ‘26.
Mary Lyon Hall – Holman Room
Affirming Identity in the Workplace
How do DEIB themes and best practices factor into everyday life in theworkplace? Participants will better understand how to appropriately affirm colleagues within professional spaces and productively challenge systems of power therein.
Facilitated by Lyndsey Aguilar and Henley Ballou.
Mary Lyon Hall – Woolley Room
Auditing Existing Systems for Inclusion Gaps
How well do our organizations’ day-to-day operations reflect our ideals for inclusion? Participants will be invited to consider the “small stuff” from client intake forms and communications with students and their families, to employee orientation, training materials and more. Where can small changes in language or policy have a big impact on the welcome message you convey? When you don’t have the power to make changes—for example, if there is outdated language on a state-mandated form—what other options can you explore? This will be a participatory workshop. Participants are welcome and encouraged to bring examples from their organization to discuss.
Facilitated by Prof. Kate Mason and Prof. J Sterphone.
Mary Lyon Hall – May Room
Action Planning Through Everyday Scenarios
Looking to jump right into action? In this session, participants will apply theory to real-world scenarios and learn how to address and minimize harm within professional and academic spaces.
Facilitated by Val Leon Quintero and Mairi Travis ’26.
Emerson Faculty Dining
Register today!
Questions or accessibility concerns can be directed to pratt_mike@wheatoncollege.edu.
Interactive Campus Map | Printable Campus Map (pdf)

2025 MLK Legacy Celebration
2025-02-12 17:00 | Discovery Center – Hindle Auditorium, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
The 2025 MLK Legacy Celebration will take place on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. in Hindle Auditorium. The keynote address is “From the Valleys to the Mountaintops: Leadership for a Time Such as This.” It will be led by Dr. Indira M. Henard ’03, DSW, MSW, Executive Director of the DC Rape Crisis Center. Dr. Henard has worked with organizations across the country and around the world to help organizations respond to sexual violence in their communities. Nationally recognized for her leadership, Dr. Henard is a member of Wheaton’s Class of 2003, and a member of the college’s Board of Trustees.
As part of our annual event, we will award Wheaton’s prestigious MLK Legacy Award to three outstanding community members. We welcome your nominations for this award. The award is presented to one student and one faculty or staff member who exemplifies Dr. King’s values through their actions and leadership.
If you would like to nominate someone for the award, please email deal@wheatoncollege.edu with the name of the nominee(s) and a brief description (one paragraph is sufficient) of why you believe they should be recognized. All nominations should be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2025. You are welcome to submit as many nominations as you wish, as there are likely many deserving individuals in our community. The selection committee comprises the President’s Council and DEAL leadership.
The event will also feature the MLK Legacy Student Creativity Showcase winners.

Dance Fest 2025—Boundless Beats
2025-02-14 19:30, 2025-02-15 19:30, 2025-02-16 14:00 | Watson Fine Arts – Weber Theatre, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
Wheaton’s Dance Collaborative presents Dance Fest 2025—Boundless Beats featuring hip hop, salsa, tap, k-pop, step, and multi-cultural traditions performed by TRYBE, Paraíso Latino, Tap Out Loud, KAOS and special guest S.O.L.E. This annual performance showcases the talent of our student-run dance groups.
Purchase Tickets
$12 general, $8 faculty/staff & seniors, $5 students.
Be sure to watch the following instagram stories for ticket discounts:
TRYBE- trybe_wc
Paraíso Latino- wcparaisolatino
Tap Out Loud- wc_tapoutloud
KAOS- kaosdance
S.O.L.E.- s.o.l.e.stepteam

Otis Social Justice Award Ceremony
2025-02-20 16:30 - 18:30 | Watson Fine Arts – Weber Theatre, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
Join us for an inspiring celebration as we honor Congressman Gabe Amo, Class of 2010, with the prestigious Otis Social Justice Award. This event recognizes his significant contributions to social justice and public service. Mark your calendars for Thursday, February 20, 2025, at Weber Theater from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Congressman Amo, who represents Rhode Island’s first Congressional district, has spent his career in public service. A 2010 graduate from Wheaton, he served in the administrations of President Obama and Biden as well as former Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo.
A reception will follow the ceremony, providing an excellent opportunity to connect and reflect on the impact of social justice in our community. Don’t miss this remarkable occasion to celebrate one of our distinguished alumni.
Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on accessibility should contact the Center for Social Justice and Community Impact (sjci@wheatoncollege.edu) by Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025.

2026 MLK Legacy Celebration
2026-02-10 17:00 - 19:00 | Discovery Center – Hindle Auditorium, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
The role of education in building a society in which all people are respected, cared for, and treated as equals will be the theme of this year’s MLK Legacy Celebration keynote address.
The talk “Education for Liberation: Pursuing the Beloved Community,” will be delivered by Wheaton alumnus Derron O. Wallace ’07, an award-winning sociologist, educational policy analyst and writer, and an Associate Professor of Education Policy and Africana Studies at Brown University.
Dr. Wallace’s research, teaching, and public advocacy focus on the dynamics of, and the solutions to, racial, ethnic and educational inequality, nationally and internationally. He is the author of the widely celebrated book, The Culture Trap: Ethnic Expectations and Unequal Schooling for Black Youth (Oxford University Press).
The event will also feature the MLK Legacy Student Creativity Showcase winners. A reception will follow.
