JOURNEY TO THE HILL
COLE REESE
’25
Having such an effortless and natural conversation with a Tufts student, where you can discuss your shared interests, ambitions, curiosities, and even the philosophical nature of soup, is a unique and special Tuftsy phenomenon. Sitting down with Cole Reese ’25, a bright and enthusiastic sophomore from Las Vegas, he exudes genuine excitement as we discuss his journey to the Hill, his growing fascination with law and policy making, and the myriad ways that he has chased the activities that bring him happiness in the company of motivating and supportive peers. It’s a quintessential Tufts moment. For as long as he could remember, Cole knew that he wanted to be a lawyer. Naturally, in high school, he joined the mock trial team, an opportunity for him to showcase his talents in public speaking and rhetoric, knowledge of case law, and fast-paced objection-raising. Cole’s passion for law and policy making continued to flourish when he became an intern for his local congresswoman, Susie Lee, where he gained valuable insights into the legislative climate he hopes to be a part of someday. In his college search, Cole was determined to continue his mock trial journey at a high-achieving collegiate level, and sought out an intellectually rigorous campus environment where he felt he would be supported in his interests in a career in law, without the hypercompetitiveness. He set his sights on a campus setting far enough away from home that he had the space to expand, explore, and step into his best
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self. Although he had never been to Boston before coming to Tufts, he was certain that Tufts boasted the exact kind of environment that would allow him to succeed as a student and person. Cole’s vision for his college experience has become a reality at Tufts, where he has found purpose, depth, and meaning in his on-campus endeavors. As the student logistics director for Tufts Mock Trial, and preparing for his second year reaching the national mock trial competition (of which Tufts placed second overall in the nation last year!), Cole reflects on all that this program has meant for him. Mock trial at Tufts, he explains, “[was] the first time in my life where it felt like I was really working toward something.” The thrill of working alongside like-minded peers, united by a shared passion, and witnessing the growth and transformation of his team throughout the year, has been one of the most gratifying experiences for Cole at Tufts. More broadly, Cole has found real resonance with the people and community at Tufts that have shaped his experience. Tufts students take what they do seriously, but not themselves, and his friends keep him learning something new every day. “I’ll be in the Science and Engineering Complex as they’re going over psychology homework and we’ll just start having a conversation about the brain.” Cole resonates with the culture of intellectual curiosity that defines Tufts students and shares that last semester he collaborated with students he connected with in a creative writing seminar on a column in the Tufts Daily about all things soup.
Sharing a passion for writing and communicating ideas in innovative ways, his columns are titled “The Art of Good Soup” and with subjects like “Souper grateful” and “Are udon(e) yet?” Smiling, Cole describes the joy in “just sitting down and trying to come up with the worst soup pun possible,” even probing important philosophical questions “like thinking about the bottom of the soup bowl.” Beyond academics and extracurriculars, Cole recognizes that the Tufts community has embraced him in other significant ways. He notes that the vibrant LGBTQ+ community at Tufts has “been super influential in my experience.” He continues, “interacting with queer people has been so great and just being able to share experiences with them is so powerful and important to me because it’s something I haven’t been able to do before Tufts.” He adds that this dimension of community is a significant way that Tufts has become an affirming and empowering home-away-from-home for him. Setting his sights ahead to his bold, bright future, while remaining wholly grounded in the current moment, Cole reminds me of the importance of fully embracing the transformative power of the Tufts experience. “You’re going to change so much over just the first year, let alone over your entire college experience.” His radiating kindness and thoughtfulness motivate us all to embrace this change, seek out the spaces that bring us joy, and fully commit to creating a positive impact in the world. —JOSH COHEN ’24
PHOTO BY KATHLEEN DOOHER
ENGLISH MAJOR WITH A MINOR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE FROM LAS VEGAS, NV
