On Campus
Wheaton offers many opportunities for active learning outside the classroom. Students, faculty and administrators serve together on college committees that formulate college policy and organize campus events. Elected student representatives serve as members of a variety of administrative groups, including the Student-Trustee Liaison Committee, the Educational Policy Committee and the college's Budget Advisory Committee. Students are regularly asked to serve on search committees and task forces of the college.
All students are members of the Student Government Association (SGA) at Wheaton. The SGA Executive Board is composed of elected student officers who oversee a variety of campus functions, including the Student Senate, Programming Council, Educational Council, College Hearing Board, Intercultural Board and Finance Committee. The SGA administers a budget from student activities fees, which supports an extensive program of educational, social and cultural events, campus communications and more than 60 student organizations each year.
Activities abound in the arts, athletics, academics, politics, religion, service and communications. Special-interest clubs enrich intellectual and social life, and new organizations are formed by students every year to accommodate the changing needs of the campus population. Among them are academic interest clubs, global awareness groups, foreign language clubs and, cultural organizations, such as Black Students' Association, Asian American Coalition, International Student Association, Latino Students’ Association and Hillel. Additionally, political organizations, religious groups, and various men’s and women’s groups, such as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance and the Wheaton Organization for Women, contribute to the richness of our campus culture. Finally, a variety of sports clubs are funded and administered by the Student Government Association. Students who participate in sports clubs are required to sign a waiver of liability and participate at their own risk.
Wheaton students also find opportunities to discover or expand upon their creative talents. They become active in the theatre company, which often produces the works of student writers, or act in major productions of the Theatre Department. They perform with student bands and read their original poetry and prose in the campus coffeehouse. The Wheaton Dance Company, Trybe Dance Group, Chorale, Jazz Band, World Music Ensemble, Voices United to Jam and the Orchestra all sponsor major productions each year. Four a cappella singing groups entertain at campus functions: the Whims, the Wheatones, the Gentlemen Callers, and The Blend. Many students write for one of the student publications: the Wheaton Wire, the campus newspaper; Rushlight, the literary magazine; or Nike the yearbook. Students interested in broadcast media take part in managing and operating Wheaton’s campus radio station, WCCS.
Among college- and student-sponsored events are drama and dance presentations, concerts, art exhibitions, scholarly colloquia, films and lectures.
Wheaton students also celebrate a number of annual events, including Homecoming, the Academic Festival, the Boston Bash, Spring Weekend, Relay for Life and class-sponsored events such as Class Weekend and the Rosecliff formal.