The Honors College, housed in Russell House, was a program for distinguished students in the Wesleyan community. In addition to informal lectures by young men and women, the Honors College hosted a series of music concerts and poetry readings by distinguished, young American poets. The poetry series at the Honors College also came to include an opportunity for Wesleyan students to share their own work for an audience. The Connecticut Poetry Circuit is a non-profit organization that provides three poetry reading programs for colleges and some preparatory schools. The intention of the circuit was to bring established yet unpublished poets to colleges and universities, as well as a competition among students throughout Connecticut to travel the circuit as student poets. The winners of the competition are chosen by a selection committee to tour the state reading their poetry. The connection between the Connecticut Poetry Circuit and Wesleyan University is that Jean Maynard, the assistant director of the Honors College, was the director of the Connecticut Poetry Circuit.
Connecticut's Archives Online