Somewhere between the freshman illumination ceremony and walking across that stage on the academic quad for the last time, Tufts becomes something more than the light on Walnut Hill. The Tufts Tribune asked seniors from this year’s graduating class to share memories, lessons, and advice before they watch Jumbo fade away in the rearview mirror.
Student communities at Tufts do not waver, no matter what the conditions are or how packed their schedule is. Carly Iacullo, a Boston Marathon runner for the Tufts Marathon Team, said that “Even on the days when we had to wake up at 7 a.m. or run during a Boston blizzard, everyone was always proud to be on the team and invest their time in a great community.”
For Layla Hoffmann, president of the Jackson Jills, a cappella was a daily anchor. “We practice three times a week and do several gigs and shows throughout the year, so the Jills have become a huge part of my daily life and my collegiate identity,” she said. To Hoffmann, the Jills will always be one of her foundations: “I can’t believe it is almost time to form a new identity as a Jills alum, but I can’t wait to cheer on the group for the rest of my life.”
Nick Phan, a Film and Media Studies major and former board member of the Vietnamese Students Club (VSC), described student groups as rooted in identity. “Through VSC, I’ve been able to learn about my identity, who I am, and the kind of person I want to be,” he said. As co-president, he sought to build something inclusive: “I strived to create an environment where people could call VSC a home away from home, whether they’re Vietnamese, mixed, or not Vietnamese at all.” To Phan, student organizations are “places of support, accountability, and care. The people in these spaces became my family and helped me see a future I did not fully believe was possible when I arrived.”
For Scott Gyimesi, a National Association of Basketball Coaches All-American First Team member on the Varsity Men’s Basketball Team, community was built inside the team’s daily grind. “Being a part of the men’s basketball team has meant a ton to me personally because it provided me with a group of guys that I had as a social foundation during my time here,” he said. That team was tested this spring when they advanced to the Elite Eight, a run Gyimesi described as “the culmination of a lot of hard work.”
Elsiana Aires, senior captain of the women’s soccer team, two-time NESCAC Player of the Year, and three-time United Soccer Coaches All-American Third Team member, spoke to the breadth of Tufts Athletics. “Tufts Athletics is an amazing, inspiring, and supportive community,” she said. “I remember in our final tournament run, Tufts women’s lacrosse was there to support.” Aires looked back on what the program meant to her: “From winning the NESCAC championship in 2025 to making the Final Four in the national tournament twice, my time with [the team] has been historic and certainly memorable for a lifetime.” Aires, too, found unexpected joy beyond the soccer field, naming Tufts Animal Aid, where she walked two dogs named Brody and Hooch, among her most cherished affiliations.
Memories from seniors come in all shapes and sizes. Some are presidential. David Delvalle, founding member of Tufts University Prison Initiative (TUPIT) and TEDxTufts speaker, said “Receiving the Presidential Award for Civic Life is the moment that best captures my Tufts experience. Coming from incarceration and growing up in Lowell, MA, I never imagined receiving an award from a place like Tufts University.”
Hannah Rappaport, a Girls Inc. leader and double major in cognitive and brain sciences and computer science with a minor in English, found her defining Tufts memories in the everyday. “Sitting on the couch with my engineer roommates and psychoanalyzing ‘The Bachelor’ or conducting several trial rounds to create the perfect themed cocktail…” she said, “…I think that has been my Tufts experience, being with my friends and turning anything into something.”
Phan’s signature memory was a little louder. “I remember playing knockout on a mini hoop in the basement of my freshman dorm with all of my friends, and we’d play ‘til 2 am,” he said. “It was very competitive for no reason; people got bruised, but it was one of my favorite memories from my first year.”
Not every Tufts memory fits neatly into a highlight reel. Jose Armando Rodriguez Sanchez, originally from Stuttgart, Arkansas and a former Tufts Community Union Senator, admitted his first semester was defined by survival mode. “I was such a picky eater that I basically survived off halal chicken breast every day, and my friends thought I was insane,” he said. Around that same time, he fell down the stairs outside the Senate office at the Campus Center in front of a tour group. “So I guess I unintentionally made it into someone’s ‘Why Tufts’ story.”
The transition to college is a challenging time. Remy Bernatavicius, former President of JumboVote and Vice President of Thalia, arrived with uncertainty. “I came to Tufts with no friends, was 2,000 miles away from home, and felt alone,” she said. “I had to trust in the process, put my best foot forward, and try to remain positive as I faced every new thing placed in front of me.” Her advice: “Stay open to any opportunity or experience that comes your way. College is full of surprises, both good and bad.”
Rodriguez Sanchez, who scored 6% on his first physics midterm, is now completing a master’s at Tufts. He spoke to self-doubt: “If you got a bad score in your midterm, just remember that someone managed to get a 6% and made it to the Dean’s List in the future and is walking across the stage very soon.”
Phan urged underclassmen to resist rushing through what cannot be recovered. “Do not hope or wish for your time at Tufts to go by faster,” he said. “You will never be in college with your friends going through tough times together ever again.”
Gyimesi offered a simpler charge: “Take hold of each moment, as they are fleeting.” Rappaport offered the reassurance many first-years need most: “It’s going to be okay! It takes everyone different amounts of time to adjust and find your people, but you will get there.” Iacullo called back to her first days on campus and offered advice to future first-years. “Be more outgoing than you usually are! Even if you join a club, you do not have to stay in it, but if you like it, you just made a whole new group of friends,” she rhapsodized.
Seona Maskera, a TUPIT instructor and JumboVote president, asked students to invest in self-discovery alongside the work: “I would say to throw your hat into a lot of buckets and also take the time to explore your own identity. What does it mean to be you? How can you bring that into your work? [I] am someone who didn’t bring her identity into her work until later, and experienced so much more satisfaction when I did.”
My name is Connor DeBoda. I am a senior at Tufts University graduating with degrees in clinical psychology and quantitative economics. In addition to being a staff writer for The Tufts Tribune, I also give campus tours to prospective students. My last stop is on Tisch Roof. Looking over the Boston skyline, it is the perfect spot to answer the question, “Why Tufts?” To the disdain of the prospective students looking for a more detailed answer, I always simply say, ‘the people,’ and I share a quote from a Tufts professor about what makes Tufts students unique. This professor told me that the hobby, passion, and studies of Tufts students are not separate endeavors, but rather three different enterprises that interact. Tufts students will wax poetic about their studies, they will tell you how their student community helped teach them who they are, and at the end of four years, they will have left their mark on the Boston area.
So be proud, Tufts Class of 2026. Delvalle, the first formerly-incarcerated student to be hired at Tufts, says it best: “Tufts changed my life in ways I am still learning how to fully put into words. I came in uncertain, and am leaving with clarity, purpose, and a deep sense of gratitude for the communities that shaped me. I am proud of the journey, and even more proud of the people who walked it with me.”
Photo by Mia Snyder