“Eighth Grade” brings us back to childhood with an honest, raw look at adolescence see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 3
MEN’S SOCCER
Tufts hosts UMass Boston tonight in season-opener
Women’s soccer looks to build on postseason experience see SPORTS / PAGE 11
SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE
THE
VOLUME LXXVI, ISSUE 2
INDEPENDENT
STUDENT
N E W S PA P E R
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T HE T UFTS DAILY tuftsdaily.com
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.
Class of 2022 begins college career with Illumination Ceremony by Daniel Nelson
Executive News Editor
Over 1,600 first-years and transfer students gathered on the President’s Lawn on Saturday night to participate in Tufts’ Illumination Ceremony, according to University Chaplain Reverend Greg McGonigle. The candle lighting ceremony — an undergraduate tradition meant to symbolize university benefactor Charles Tufts’ mission to “put a light” upon Walnut Hill, according to McGonigle — was organized by the University Chaplaincy. Speakers from across the Chaplaincy spoke during the hour-long ritual, including Muslim Chaplain Celene Ibrahim, Buddhist Chaplain Priya Sraman and McGonigle. Each spoke about the tradition of light within their respective faiths, tying that theme back to the candles given to the students as part of the ceremony. Upon the speeches’ conclusion, alumni speaker Sofia Estrada (LA ’18) lit the first candle,
which was then spread from candle to candle until the entire hill was alight. The a cappella group S-Factor sang as the candles were lit. This was the third year that the University Chaplaincy was in charge of organizing the Illumination Ceremony, according to McGonigle. “The orientation committee asked us if we would look at the Illumination Ceremony again with fresh eyes and bring it back to the heart of what it’s supposed to be about,” McGonigle, for whom this was his sixth Illumination Ceremony, said. Part of that “reimagining,” as McGonigle called it, came through integrating diverse traditions — religious, philosophical and cultural, among others — within the ceremony. McGonigle pointed to the candle’s light as a universal symbol. “The idea of setting a light on the hill is really something that is present in all traditions and available to all of us as a community,” McGonigle said. “[The Chaplaincy] tries to
make sure that the ceremony is reflective of some of the diversity of Tufts.” McGonigle noted that this year’s ceremony rearranged the order of events such that the alumni speaker, Estrada, went immediately before the candle-lighting began. McGonigle said that in years past, the alumni speaker went first. “[This year], we have the alum light the first candle,” McGonigle said. “That way they’re actually passing the torch to the incoming students.” McGonigle described the Illumination Ceremony as an important way to kickstart the Class of 2022’s college career. It is one of the few class-wide rituals that Tufts students participate in, according to McGonigle, and a crucial community-building activity. “[There are] some scholars of religion who say there is no community without ritual,” McGonigle said. “In order to build community you need to have some things that you do together.” The ceremony came at the end of orientation week, days before the class of 2022 began
the 2018-2019 academic year. Incoming first-years are spread across Tufts’ undergraduate schools, according to a Tufts Now article on Aug. 29. The vast majority — 1,200 students — enter the School of Arts and Sciences, while 249 enter the School of Engineering and 95 more in the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts. This year’s class was chosen from Tufts’ largest applicant pool in history, according to the article. The university received 21,501 applications and accepted 3,143 of them. The 14.6 percent acceptance rate is Tufts’ second-lowest ever, the article noted. University President Anthony Monaco introduced the incoming students to Tufts during the Aug. 29 matriculation ceremony. “You are on the threshold of an amazing journey,” Monaco said before the matriculating students, according to the Tufts Now article. “One that will help you to develop intellectually, socially and personally, just as it has done for so many Jumbos before you.”
Events on the Hill — Weeks of Sept. 3 and 10 by Daniel Nelson
Sponsor: Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
THURSDAY, SEPT. 6 “Fall Exhibitions Opening Reception” Details: Tufts will hold an opening reception for the fall art lineup. This semester’s exhibitions include States of Freedom: The Figure in Flux and Expressions Unbound: American Outsider Art from the Andrew and Linda Safran Collection. When and Where: 5:30–7:30 p.m., Aidekman Arts Center Sponsor: Tufts University Art Galleries
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12 “Museum of Capitalism Opening Reception and Conversation” Details: The School of Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) at Tufts will be hosting an opening reception for the “Museum of Capitalism,” a temporary installation that explores the philosophy and history of capitalism. This traveling exhibition features art, publications and other materials representative of capitalism. The reception will feature a conversation between the Museum’s founders and Abigail Satinsky, Tufts University Art Galleries’ curator of exhibitions and programs. When and Where: 6–8 p.m., Anderson Auditorium, SMFA at Tufts Sponsor: SMFA at Tufts
Executive News Editor
FRIDAY, SEPT. 7 “Fall Gala” Details: Tufts University Student Council’s (TUSC) annual Fall Gala will be held on the Academic Quad. Featured musical acts include Nate Bash Band and all-female student group Burst into Dames. Food will be provided. When and Where: 7–11 p.m., Academic Quad Sponsor: TUSC MONDAY, SEPT. 10 “Career Workshop with Sarah Cardozo Duncan” Details: The Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences will host a career workshop with career strategist and consultant Sarah Cardozo Duncan. Duncan, winner of the 2014 Mass AWIS Mentor of Excellence Award, will assist Sackler students with a one-day workshop on pursuing careers in the biomedical and biotechnology industries. When and Where: 9 a.m.– 3 p.m., Sackler 221, Boston
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THURSDAY, SEPT. 13 “Linda Nathan Book Talk: “When Grit Isn’t Enough” Details: Author Linda Nathan will hold a book talk on her new work, “When Grit Isn’t Enough: A High School Principal Examines how Poverty and Inequality Thwart the College-for-all Promise.” The book discusses multiple assumptions that society holds about education, and how those assumptions shield inherent inequalities. When and Where: 4–6 p.m., Laminan Lounge, Olin Center Sponsor: Department of Education FRIDAY, SEPT. 14 “Protecting Civilian Institutions and
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Ballou Hall is pictured on April 20. Infrastructure from Cyber Operations: Designing International Law and Organizations” Details: The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy’s Center for International Law and Governance will host a two-day conference on cyberattacks, and the prevention thereof, in peacetime. This is the center’s first conference. When and Where: 12–5 p.m., Sept. 14–15, 51 Winthrop Street Sponsor: The Fletcher School SATURDAY, SEPT. 15 French Film outdoor screening: “Les saveurs du Palais” Details: The Department of Romance Studies will host a French film night. “Les Saveurs du Palais,” or “Haute Cuisine,” is a French-language comedy-drama about a pri-
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vate chef to former French President François Mitterand. The film will be projected with English subtitles. When andWhere: 7:30–9:15 p.m., Residential Quad Sponsor: Department of Romance Studies SUNDAY, SEPT. 16 “Community Block Party” Details: Tufts Housing League (THL) will host a community block party open to residents and students alike. THL will “be talking about [its] mission to provide safe, accessible, and affordable housing to the whole Tufts community, specifically through ending the tiered housing system and by building high density dorms on campus.” When and Where: 4–6 p.m., Nathan Tufts Park Sponsor: THL
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