WSAS Events
Save The Date - WSAS Annual Celebration May 24, 2025
We are pleased to announce that the WSAS Annual Celebration will take place on May 24 during Reunion Weekend 2025. Please join friends and supporters of the Wellesley Students' Aid Society in celebrating the work made possible by contributors to the Society. Watch our website for details coming soon!
Wellesley College Alumnae of Boston - Holiday Party and Collection for the WSAS Clothes Closet
The WCAB will be collecting donated items for the WSAS Clothes Closet at their Holiday Party on 12/4 from 6:00-8:00 PM in Tishman Commons on campus. WCAB will be collecting items including winter clothing (gloves, scarves, boots, jackets, socks) and new, unopened toiletries. We thank the WCAB for their partnership in supporting the WSAS Clothes Closet and WC students!
Thank You for Attending the WSAS Annual Celebration May 25, 2024!
Thank you to everyone who attended the WSAS Annual Celebration on May 25th! If you were not able to attend, the text of the speeches for Isabella Chung '24 and Sumaiyea Uddin '24 follow.
Isabella Chung ‘24
Isabella Chung graduated this May with a B.A. in Biological Sciences and a minor in Environmental Studies. Throughout her time at Wellesley, she served on the executive board of GenerAsians and the Asian Student Union, worked at the Botanic Gardens on campus, conducted research in several labs and interned at an education non-profit in the greater Boston area. This summer, she is excited to travel home to see family before starting work.
"Hello everyone. I just want to start off by thanking all of you for being here today. And a special thank you to everyone who helped to plan this event. I’m very honored to have been given the opportunity to speak about my experience at Wellesley and to share how much the Wellesley Students’ Aid Society has meant to me.
I first want to tell you a little bit about myself, and the journey that I took to reach Wellesley. I grew up in Honolulu, and am the daughter of Korean immigrants. For most of my life, I was raised by my single mother, who became a widow when my father passed away in 2012. Although neither of my parents completed college, and despite her own struggles, I always felt pushed by my mother to pursue a higher education. She knew what a degree would mean not just for me, but for my family. I attended an under-resourced public high school, and heavily relied on my older sisters’ knowledge as I navigated the college admissions process. Like many others, I was drawn to Wellesley because of the strong alumnae network and the unique campus. Through the Questbridge Scholars program, I was able to apply to over 25 schools, unsure of which was the best choice for me. Ultimately, I chose Wellesley not just because of the many things it had to offer, but largely because of the generous financial aid package I was given.
As I started my undergraduate journey, I found myself astounded by the ways in which I felt supported on campus by the Wellesley Students’ Aid Society. Being from Hawai’i, I had never experienced a real winter, and was grateful for the funds from the winter clothing grant that I used to purchase a bright pink coat that has continued to keep me warm. Every Fall, the Amazon gift cards were used to purchase school supplies that I inevitably used up in my courses. When I needed clothes for an interview, I headed to the Clothes Closet in Stone-Davis and knew I would find what I was looking for and more. And recently, I received the senior gift for financial aid students that I will be using to place a deposit on my future apartment. These resources have been immensely helpful for supporting me throughout my journey as a first-generation, low-income student on campus.
Like many other students, I also held a work-study position on campus for a majority of my college experience. I sought this position out because I knew my mother worked hard to support our family, and wanted to be able to provide for myself, even if just for little things. Because of the support from the Students’ Aid Society, many of my necessities, like winter clothing, toiletries, etc. were supplied by this team, which is a privilege that is not available at most other schools.
However, the most meaningful aid I received from the Students’ Aid Society occurred this past Fall. In September, I flew home due to a family emergency. When I came back to campus, I returned as an orphan, with no guardians who could support me financially during my final year at Wellesley. Whilst trying to stay on top of my coursework, I discovered that my laptop was no longer functioning. After getting it checked out, I was told that it could not be fixed, and I needed to buy a new one. At this point, I was extremely overwhelmed. My sister was over 500 miles away, and we were navigating medical bills, funeral planning, and our finances on our own for the first time. On a whim, I called the Wellesley Students’ Aid Society, and found myself on the line with Kat. She assured me that I could apply for a grant. Within a couple of days, my request was approved, and I found myself with a brand new laptop at no cost. I was able to finish out my last semesters at Wellesley feeling supported, despite the tremendous loss I had just experienced.
I stand before you today as an alum who not only received support from the Students’ Aid Society, but actively sought it out during some of the hardest periods of my life. I would not be one of the first college graduates in my family, receiving magna cum laude honors, and flourishing both on and off campus, without the hard work and dedication of this team. I will always be immensely grateful for what they do, and I hope to one day be able to provide my own support to students such as myself through the Wellesley Students’ Aid Society. Thank you."
Sumaiyea Uddin '24
Sumaiyea Uddin is a first-generation low-income student from Fall River, Massachusetts. During her time at Wellesley, she majored in Education Studies and Peace and Justice Studies, with a concentration in urban policy and violence prevention. Sumaiyea joined the Wellesley Teacher Scholars program, pursuing her teaching licensure in history at the secondary level. She completed her student practicum at Brighton High School in Boston and taught grades 9-12 in a full-inclusion classroom. Sumaiyea was a member of the Bangladeshi Student Association, Students for an Accessible Wellesley (SAW) and a tutor for the Petey Greene program, tutoring incarcerated juveniles and adults.
In just one week, Sumaiyea will be continuing her educational journey at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in the Human Development and Education Program. There, she will concentrate on education in non-traditional settings, and specifically, prison settings. Following Sumaiyea’s masters program, she plans to become a high school history teacher and a prison educator, bridging the gaps between traditional education and rehabilitation and fostering understanding and growth in diverse learning environments.
"Hi everyone! Thank you so much for joining us on this sunny afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here and to share some of my story with you all! As Jamie mentioned, my name is Sumaiyea Uddin, and I am honored to be part of the Red Class of 2024. I vividly remember the day I found out I got into Wellesley. My SAT score was, admittedly, quite low, so I decided to apply through Early Decision II to increase my chances. I was so anxious that day that I decided the only way to cope was to take a big, fat nap. After struggling to fall asleep, I finally did, and when I woke up, I opened my portal and saw the first word: "Congratulations!" Shortly after, my mother cried and told our family, “Zudee desho taktam, amee chance failam na one.” “If I was in Bangladesh, I never would have had this chance.” She was talking about her own experiences, yet she was also highlighting the privileges we now have. My parents immigrated to America in their twenties for a better life and opportunities. With only a middle school education, neither graduated from high school, let alone college. This was their dream for us.
The first two years of my college education were… rough. Coming from an inner-city, I dealt with culture shock and imposter syndrome as I saw peers whose parents/caregivers could read over their essays, pay for all their necessities, and enjoy other privileges that I was never afforded. I so deeply sought to transfer. But, I just graduated. So, clearly, there was something that kept me here. I found belonging and community through 3 main things: the teaching program, particularly with the support of Ken Hawes and Noah Rubin; my friends whom I adore; and, of course, the unwavering support of the Aid Society.
There have been many times the Aid Society has helped me. Whether it was offering to pay for my wisdom teeth surgery when I was in between health insurances, keeping the clothes closet stocked with formal wear, covering months of my phone bill when I couldn’t, or most recently, helping me with a grant to repair my laptop broke, the Aid Society has been a constant source of unwavering support for its students, who otherwise, have nothing to fall back on.
On one particular occasion, the Aid Society helped me “see.” During the spring of my junior year, I broke my glasses and I was walking around like a blind bat. I’m not exaggerating; my eye strength is a -5 and without glasses, I cannot see anything. If I took off my glasses right now, I would not be able to see anyone here. Without glasses, I also lack depth perception. So, as one could expect, I fell. A LOT. I fell outside of Tower, Jewett, Lulu… basically everywhere and anywhere. After having already used loans and grants from the Aid Society to fund an eye appointment, I felt ashamed to ask again. But, my Medicaid already covered one pair, so they wouldn’t cover another. I posted on mutual aid groups, fought with MassHealth, and tried using years’ old contacts. I borrowed glasses from a few different professors, even though they were not the right strength. I avoided the Aid Society with everything in me, because of my embarrassment. But, after speaking with Karen Shih, the Assistant Dean of Intercultural Education and Advisor to Students of Asian Descent (and my professors needing their glasses back), I reached out to the Aid Society. Almost immediately, Kat and Cathy (who are the loveliest of people), notified me that I was given a grant, allowing me to purchase quality glasses (shoutout to Warby Parker). And not only did the Aid Society grant cover the glasses I’m wearing right now, but also a spare (which I haven’t had to use). If not clear, this grant was essential to my thriving as a student. It was essential to me just getting up and moving around, and it was essential to me quite literally, seeing.
My friends and I have all had terrific experiences and immense support from the Aid Society. Though we are unsure of where life will take us, we are all in agreement that, one day, when we have stable jobs and income, the Aid Society will be a place we contribute to- as our way of giving back to the community that gave so much to us. It is a privilege to have had the opportunity to earn my Bachelor’s from Wellesley, and it is a privilege to have had the Aid Society’s support throughout so many difficult times during my four years. So, from the bottom of my heart (and my family’s), thank you, Kat and Cathy, and everyone else part of the Aid Society, for everything you’ve done for a countless number of students, including me. I look forward to giving back and supporting future students, just as I was supported. Thank you."