Harmony Hoogs ’27 has supported both Wesleyan students and Middletown youth through their campus jobs at the Resource Center, the Office of Residential Life, and the nonprofit Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet. They are proud to have bridged the gap between Wesleyan resources and the Middletown community, fundraising for Ekklesia to promote access to the arts for underprivileged public school youth.
In what ways have your campus jobs contributed to your personal, academic, or professional growth and aspirations? What skills have you gained?
Working multiple jobs on campus has definitely grown my skillset a lot and taught me what I like and don’t like. At places like the Resource Center and ResLife {the Office of Residential Life}, I learned how to plan campus events and lead my peers. Recently, I’ve learned how to fundraise and edit videos! I got the chance to edit a short film for Ekklesia Ballet that was screened at a fundraising gala and helped secure over $3000 in donations.
Fundraising dance classes for kids who can’t usually afford them combines my interests in economics, dance, and human rights, which surprises a lot of people since these are typically such different lines of work. Dance is something that is super close to my heart, and I’m so happy that I can help make it accessible for young artists.
Can you share any memorable experiences or achievements from your campus employment journey?
Fundraising for Ekklesia Ballet is definitely the highlight of my time at Wes. Ekklesia is a nonprofit that provides free ballet classes to underprivileged public school students in the Middletown area. I was recently awarded the Student Innovation Fund from the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship, which helped me secure uniforms for students who earn scholarships to stay at Ekklesia and a water filter for the school. I’m also now working on setting up a donation system between Wesleyan and Ekkelsia in collaboration with the existing program Play It Forward!
What advice would you give to students who are seeking or starting their campus employment journey?
I would say don’t be scared to explore. I’ve held so many positions here that are all so broad in the scope of what I do, and the first campus job you get will definitely not be your last.
Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet is an off-campus organization that partners with Wesleyan University Campus Employment through the federal work-study program.
Updated April 28, 2026.
