Since announcing the Troy and de Wit Grant Fund for the Study of Guns & Society in early 2026, four Wesleyan students have been named as Troy de Wit Research Scholars. They are collaborating with three nonprofits to engage in hands-on research related to the social and historical implications of gun use, violence, and prevention.
The Weitzman Institute is currently working with Abigail Kim ‘28 and Abigail Price ‘27 on a research project to monitor and evaluate the implementation of a gun violence screener and closed-loop referral intervention within Community Health Center, Inc.
“Having Wesleyan students work with us allows us to extend our reach and take on a broader scope of work, while fostering dynamic, cross-level collaboration that benefits everyone involved.” said April Joy Damian, the Institute’s Chief Scientific Officer and Director. “The students working with us for the past couple of months bring curiosity and energy to the team, and in return, gain hands-on, real-world experience that prepares them for future careers in the field.”
Ivelisse Rodriguez ’29, is engaged in a historical research project focused on Connecticut soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. The J.M Davis Arms & Historical Museum in Oklahoma has an extensive collection that includes firearms from the war, but little information about their owners. Museum director Randy Ramer determined that some firearms were owned by Connecticut soldiers, including Forward Stevens who was born in Danbury and fought as a teenager.
The museum is planning a new permanent exhibition in time for America 250 in July. “We think of the battles and the cause of liberty, but we don’t think so much about the upheaval in individual lives and how people are changed forever.” said Ramer. “They can’t get back what was lost. There was a heavier price than we typically think was paid by people during those times.”
This summer, the Greater Middletown Military Museum will host Julia Weingarten ‘27 as an intern who will assist with researching and writing narrative accounts of selected historical figures from Middletown who served in the military or were involved in the civilian manufacturing of firearms that support the military. Copies of the students’ research will be added to the museum’s collection.