Campus Life

This year, Lawrence Academy introduced the Office of Student Life, Equity, and Campus Life, known simply as “Campus Life.” This newly established office embodies the school’s commitment to providing a dynamic and inclusive student experience: It combines student life, student activities, community engagement, residential life, and equity and belonging initiatives, all aimed at fostering a vibrant and supportive environment for every student.

Campus life is more than an office, however; it represents a mindset and a vision that define the student experience. It captures the rhythms and heartbeats of the school: weekend activities, time-honored traditions, and living and learning together on LA’s beautiful campus. For students, campus life encompasses not only events and facilities, but also the activities they engage in, the dorms they call home, the teams they join, and the stages where they showcase their talents. It’s about seizing every opportunity, forming connections in unexpected places, and leaving the campus better than they found it.

Izzy Prudente ’25 and Kavan Daftary ’25 exemplify this ethos of campus life. For both students, campus life is their way of life.

“It’s not a home away from home; it’s just home,” says Kavan, a boarding student from Newton, Mass., who is deeply involved in campus life. “Every first day is special. I love that first walk back onto the Quad. I can’t help but smile.”

Kavan plays varsity football, is the incoming captain of the varsity boys’ tennis team, serves as a Spartan Leader in the residential program, gives tours to prospective students and families, and holds the position of Student Cabinet vice president. Last school year, he received the Proctor Award and was named an ISL Changemaker, a recognition given to student-athletes with the potential to positively influence their team’s culture.

Kavan attributes Lawrence’s significance in his life to the people he’s met and the relationships he’s built. “Part of being a Spartan is the people around you and the support systems you form,” he says. “You find people that are going to last you a lifetime.” Kavan cherishes the memories he’s made across campus, noting, “I can’t imagine a better place to live for four years. Now, as a senior, I walk through buildings and see a good memory there. There are a million memories everywhere.”

For Izzy, it’s the sense of community that draws her to campus daily. “The relationships I have with my peers and teachers are incredibly rewarding,” says the day student from Acton, Mass., who actively participates in all three annual theater productions, leads the school’s Concordia space for women, serves as a Spartan Leader and tour guide, and plays varsity softball. She also serves on the Faculty-Student Senate, teaches English through the Panda Pals club, and has performed with the Lawrencian Chorale at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Despite the commute, Izzy often stays on campus late for study hours and returns to participate in weekend activities.

“I love being on campus on the weekends. The school makes it easy for me to stay. When you care about the people around you and want to spend time here, it makes you want to come back,” Izzy says, adding that she hopes her experience encourages others to embrace campus life fully. “Looking back on my first year, I wish I had spent more time on campus,” she admits.

Both Kavan and Izzy applied to Lawrence Academy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of touring and visiting during that period, they felt a strong sense of connection and belonging that continues to define their experiences today. “The welcome I received and the sense of community were overwhelming. It just felt like a place I wanted to be,” Izzy recalls. Kavan, meanwhile, remembers walking onto the Quad and seeing “every student wearing Lawrence Academy gear, talking to each other. I didn’t see anyone walking alone. I was struck by the powerful sense of community.”

As they begin their senior year, Izzy and Kavan recognize there is a bittersweet transition ahead. “I’m not ready to go yet. I’m going to miss this place so much,” Izzy admits. “But I’m not scared; I’m ready. This place prepared me well.” While she could leave knowing how much she’s accomplished, Izzy isn’t done yet: “I want to connect with more people outside of my circle. I want to continue to have the important and difficult conversations that will make this place better. And I want to stay in Spoon Hunt for more than a day,” she shares.

Kavan urges others to fully appreciate their time on campus. “Every single year that passes you think, ’I’ve got time’ — but you don’t. It goes quick. Sometimes you get so caught up in your day-to-day lives, you don’t step back to appreciate the place for what it is,” he reflects.

“I’ll never be able to say goodbye,” Kavan says. “When I graduate, it’s ’see you later.’”