You have been a member of the Class of 2003’s 5th, 10th, and 15th Reunion Gift Committees while your husband, Evan, served as co-chair. What keeps you returning each reunion?
Volunteer Spotlight: Wesley M. LePatner ’03
Wesley has been a volunteer for Yale since her graduation. We asked her about her service to the university and how her passion for the Yale Library led to a special role in the For Humanity campaign.
Our friends! Evan and I always walk away from our reunions both humbled and immensely grateful for our time at Yale and the friendships made there. The talent and intellectual horsepower of the community is extraordinary.
What was your first significant volunteer role at Yale? What led you to it?
So much of my time at Yale was spent in its libraries, accessing primary research and studying with friends. I have great memories of late nights in Sterling Library and CCL (now Bass), cramming for finals and writing my senior thesis. So when I was asked to join the Yale Library Associates a few years after my graduation, I happily said yes as it was a perfect alignment of my interests and desire to give back to the university.
How has your service as a member of the University Library Council prepared you for your role on the For Humanity Campaign Committee?
Serving on the University Library Council has given me the opportunity to be regularly back on campus and engaged with faculty, students, and a cross section of alums. These interactions have provided me with a clear sense of Yale’s strategic priorities and the direction the university wants to continue to head in.
What pillar of the For Humanity campaign excites you the most?
As a history major who spent much of her time in Sterling Library and the Yale British Art Center, I have to say Arts & Humanities for Insight. Within this pillar, I am particularly excited about unlocking Yale’s unrivaled library and museum collections in a more dynamic and accessible way through innovative technology efforts.
You and Evan are involved in efforts to renovate the Linonia and Brothers Reading Room in Sterling Library. Why is this project meaningful to you?
If you could rewind two decades, you would see Evan and me often in the L&B Room as undergrads. I have always found comfort in the power of a good book and an inviting space, and I loved sitting in one of L&B’s iconic green chairs, enjoying its collection of contemporary fiction. When the opportunity came about to restore this beloved room for future generations to enjoy as much as we did, we jumped at the chance to participate.
Where did you feel most at home as a Yale undergraduate?
The dining room in my residential college. Sitting and talking with my friends and classmates in a relaxed manner for hours on end was where I learned the most and created lasting memories. The endless and all-day access to breakfast cereal was an added bonus.
What is your favorite Yale memory?
Meeting Evan our first evening at Yale on Old Campus. It was the start of the most incredible journey together!