Russian, Slavic and Central Asian Culture House to pause next year
The Office of Residential Life & Learning notified students on Feb. 25 that the Russian, Slavic and Central Asian Culture House will pause for the next academic year.
“Interest in the house is very low and Residential Life isn’t able to offer the Russian, Slavic, and Central Asian Culture House next year,” ResLife wrote in an email to students who had been offered a place in the house next year.
The house, located at 101 Talbot Ave., has seven beds and five current residents. Three students had confirmed placement in the house for next year before they were notified that it would no longer be offered.
According to Marina Aptekman, a senior lecturer in the international literary and cultural studies department and the faculty advisor for the house who is in charge of reviewing the applications, 11 students applied for the house before the deadline for special interest housing, down from the roughly two dozen usual applicants in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the days immediately after the Jan. 23 deadline, however, she reported receiving “five or six” additional requests to live in the house from students.
ResLife confirmed that they had also heard from approximately five students but wrote in a statement to the Daily that “it was too late to change our decision because we had already made and implemented decisions about how to use residence hall space.”
Aptekman expressed frustration at what she described as a lack of “flexibility” on the part of ResLife to accommodate these students.
“I think that because there is a lack of housing on campus, they need a place for students, and they want as much as possible to take language houses and close them,” Aptekman said. “I was very upset by this because the Russian house was a very vibrant community for many years.”
Julia Appel, a senior who serves as the program assistant for the house, plans events for both residents of the house and the broader Tufts community.
“The special interest houses have more value than just housing,” Appel said. “They’re also community spaces, they’re also academic spaces. … It’s something that’s really special about Tufts. Most schools — maybe they have a Spanish or French language house — very few schools have a Russian language house. It was something that drew me to Tufts because I knew I wanted to study Russian.”
ResLife wrote that the house is “being paused for next academic year due to continued lack of student interest,” noting that “20202021 was the last academic year the house was at 100% occupancy for two consecutive semesters.”
Those involved with the house proposed various explanations for the decrease in applications.
Ilsiia Shakirova, a junior who had applied to live in the house next year, attributes it to a general “rejection of Russian language and Russian culture” in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war.
“A lot of Russian-speaking people aren’t actually Russian. A lot of post-Soviet countries, like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, even Tajikistan … will speak Russian, but that’s because [of] Russian colonialism onto those countries,” Shakirova said.
see LANGUAGE HOUSE, page 2
Tisch College welcomes Cong Tony Sun as first executive administrative dean
financial strategy, operational planning and administrative systems.
On March 3, the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life welcomed Cong Tony Sun as the new executive administrative dean.
As the first executive administrative dean of Tisch College, he is at the forefront of developing the institution’s administrative and financial policies.
“What drew me to this position was the opportunity to build something from the ground up,” Sun said. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to shape the financial and administrative structure of the college.”
Sun will be responsible for overseeing Tisch College’s
“My primary role is … really to [ensure] that our infrastructure is not only efficient and transparent but also aligned with the college’s long-term vision,” Sun explained.
Sun held senior roles at Harvard University as director of administration and finance at the Phillips Brooks House Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship and as finance manager for professional education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
“I would say that these previous positions at Harvard really gave me a multidimensional perspective on what mission-
driven finance is, what institutional strategy is and how to build partnerships,” Sun said.
Sun said that the variety of roles he held at Harvard gave him experience in aligning financial and strategic efforts with institutional goals of social action and community involvement.
“I supported a wide range of student-led service programs so that really deepened my understanding of how to build administrative systems that support civic engagement,” Sun explained, describing his role at the Phillips Brooks House Center.
Sun’s role at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
see DEAN, page 2
Anika Parr Assistant News Editor
Marlee Stout Senior Staff Writer
STELLA JEONG / THE TUFTS DAILY
Barnum Hall is pictured on Nov. 5, 2024.
Russian culture house residents reflect on the loss of a community
LANGUAGE HOUSE continued from the front
Russian classes have seen decreased enrollment since the war began, according to Aptekman, and events hosted by the Russian program have been impacted by anti-Russian sentiment.
Nick Rishi, a junior who lives in the Russian house this year and had planned to live there again next year, as well as Aptekman and Sharikova, pointed to an opinion column published in the Daily in October 2023 that criticized the ILCS department for hosting Russian cultural events.
Aptekman said that, because of the article, “people got upset
and people got nervous, people stopped coming to the events for the time being. Then, slowly, things got back to normal.”
Rishi said that not having the house as a space to host Russian cultural gatherings next year may place more emphasis on department-sponsored events, which the department seems hesitant to coordinate, knowing that they could face backlash.
“If anything, the war in Ukraine should give more impetus to people to learn Russian because the language is not going away,” Rishi said. “And so to see the department become smaller over the years as the
house is shut down, I think is just unfortunate for academia.”
Aptekman also attributes the fall in the number of applications to the house to a change in the way ResLife processes applications for special interest housing. Before the pandemic, Aptekman handled the process herself, soliciting and reading applications, interviewing students, deciding which students would be selected for the house and notifying them of their selection.
Now, Aptekman still conducts interviews, but ResLife is responsible for notifying students, which she says has led to confusion when months pass between the interview and acceptance notification.
Tisch College dean discusses new initiatives
DEAN continued from the front
gave him experience in aligning financial planning with educational goals and creating sustainable revenue-generating programs — skills he plans to bring to Tisch College.
In the past month, Sun was able to build two new platforms that will help the management of daily tasks.
“I look forward to continuing to improve those two systems and then find other ways to enhance this kind of data-driven approach,” Sun said.
Another goal Sun has as executive administrative dean is to expand Tisch College’s pre-college programs as a potential revenue-generating initiative that could help broaden the college’s student base.
“Before students come to the college, we can expand their understanding of what civic engagement means, what civic education involves, and also broaden that student base internationally,” Sun said. “It’s a great way for us to attract international students as well.”
Developing a certificate program within the college,
Sun said, could also work as a revenue-generating initiative and allow people to “walk away with knowledge that they can immediately deploy to their relevant fields.”
Another top priority for Sun will be diversifying the college’s funding base.
“I am thinking [about] reaching out more to the corporate foundations and applying for more creative grants,” he said.
Inter-university collaboration and active engagement with the Office of Budget and Planning and the Office of the
UNIVERSITY
According to Aptekman and ResLife, the house may return for the 2026–27 academic year if ResLife receives enough applications, though she said she is skeptical of whether the house will be the same. “We’re losing a wonderful language and cultural hub for the next year,” she said.
“Language is not just about practical communication, because Google Translate speaks Russian a lot better than I do,” Appel said. “Language learning is about community. It’s about connecting with other people. It’s about belonging. And I think that that is what the language houses do — they let you into that world.”
Provost are crucial, according to Sun, for aligning resource planning and multiyear budgeting with both Tisch College and university-wide priorities. He plans to leverage the university’s expertise in areas like research sponsoring, professional education and external partnerships.
“I think this kind of cross-functional partnership will help ensure that Tisch College will remain financially sound and also fully integrated into the academic and strategic life of the university,” Sun said.
Tufts confirms second student visa terminated by federal government
Originally published April 7.
The visas of two Tufts graduate students have been terminated by the federal government, including the visa of Rümeysa Öztürk. The university confirmed on Monday that the federal government terminated the visa of a second graduate student on April 3 but did not disclose their identity.
“We informed the student and directed them to outside immigration resources for support. We are still gathering information and have no additional details at this time,” Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations, wrote in a statement to the Daily.
The university did not immediately provide additional comment.
In the last week, universities across the country learned that their students’ visa status had been terminated without notice amid President Donald Trump’s recent efforts to deport international students who participated in pro-Palestine activism on college campuses.
The universities learned of the students’ visa terminations through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The system is the Department of Homeland Security’s online information system, which keeps a record of international students’ visa status.
On March 27, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that over 300 student visas had been revoked by the State Department. Öztürk, a valid F-1 visa holder, was not notified that her visa was revoked
before being detained on March 25. After Öztürk was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at approximately 5:15 p.m., her record on SEVIS was updated to show that her visa was revoked at 7:32 p.m., according to an affidavit signed by University President Sunil Kumar.
The DHS did not immediately respond to the Daily’s request for comment.
Samantha Eng Executive News Editor
ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY Ballou Hall is pictured on Feb. 14, 2021.
Lawyers take to District Court to argue Mass. jurisdiction over Rümeysa Öztürk detention
While Öztürk’s legal counsel wants to bring her back to Massachusetts, Trump’s legal counsel is fighting to transfer the case to Louisiana.
Originally published April 4.
In a U.S. District Court hearing in Boston on the afternoon of April 3, lawyers for Rümeysa Öztürk argued over the presiding Massachusetts judge’s jurisdiction over Öztürk’s case while a lawyer from the Department of Justice argued it should be transferred to a court in Louisiana, where Öztürk is currently being held.
Öztürk’s lawyers presented 23 affidavits in support of her release to the U.S. District Judge Denise Casper, including one signed by University President Sunil Kumar.
When Öztürk, a Tufts doctoral student and Turkish national, was detained March 25 by federal authorities, she was transported to New Hampshire and then Vermont within hours of her apprehension. Öztürk was moved without notice to her legal counsel.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement had already transported Öztürk to New Hampshire when a judge — without knowing that Öztürk was no longer in Massachusetts — ordered, on the evening of March 25, against her removal from the state without proper notice.
The lawyer representing President Donald Trump’s
administration, Mark Sauter, argued that the filed petition is void because it listed Patricia Hyde, the ICE Boston acting field office director, as Öztürk’s “immediate custodian” and respondent of the petition. The Department of Justice argued that the correct respondent would have been an officer in direct custody of Öztürk in Vermont.
Adriana Lafaille, an attorney from the American Civil Liberties Union, now part of Öztürk’s legal counsel, represented Öztürk at the Thursday hearing. Lafaille argued that the “unusual” circumstances of Öztürk’s detainment warrants a standard “unknown custodian” exception to the petition, since her legal team had no way of knowing her true location.
Even if such an exemption wasn’t valid, Öztürk’s lawyers argued that Hyde, as the Boston regional field director, had only relinquished custody once Öztürk was in Louisiana and was thus the right respondent for the petition.
Her lawyers argued that ICE moved Öztürk abnormally fast in order to prevent her legal team from filing a more accurate petition — all in a bid to “forum shop,” and move the case to a court with a stricter attitude on immigration.
Although ICE generally keeps detainees in a Massachusetts facility for at least 12 hours before
moving them, lawyers said Öztürk had been moved to New Hampshire within three hours of her arrest. The judge, pointing out that the unprecedented speed with which Öztürk was moved, asked the defense to respond.
The lawyer for the Trump administration said that “the driving force to move” Öztürk out of the state was that “there was no detainment center to hold a female detainee in Massachusetts.”
“Those decisions were made prior to her arrest,” Sauter said, revealing that ICE preplanned Öztürk’s move to Louisiana.
Though Sauter held that no facility in Massachusetts could hold female detainees, Lafaille said that “there is reason to believe” there was still possible holding space for Öztürk within the New England area.
Considering the possibility of Casper precluding her own jurisdiction, Sauter said that Öztürk’s case may only be tried in Louisiana — the “final destination” of her transfer — as opposed to Vermont.
“There’s only one place where the petition could have been filed and that’s the Western District of Louisiana,” he said.
Lafaille said that the government’s argument against the amended habeas corpus “sets a strange and dangerous precedent.” If Casper rules in favor of
the court’s jurisdiction, Öztürk’s counsel argued, she should be transferred from Louisiana to Vermont, if not to Massachusetts.
“The court doesn’t need to ignore the context in which this was happening,” Lafaille said, citing Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil’s case, among others where academics are seemingly punished for pro-Palestinian activism.
Outside the courthouse, around 50 people protested in support of Öztürk during the hour-long hearing. Öztürk’s lawyers spoke during a press conference against a backdrop of protestors, with her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai, reading a statement provided by Öztürk earlier that morning.
“My life is committed to choosing peaceful and inclusive ways to meet the needs of children,” Khanbabai said, reading for Öztürk, who is working toward a Ph.D. in the Tufts EliotPearson Department of Child Study & Human Development.
“Writing is one of the most peaceful ways of addressing systemic inequality. Efforts to target me because of my op-ed in The Tufts Daily calling for the equal dignity and humanity of all people will not deter me from my commitment to advocate for the rights of youth and children.”
Judge denies government motion to move Rümeysa Öztürk case to Louisiana
Originally published April 4.
U.S. District Judge Denise Casper ruled to move Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk’s case to Vermont on Friday, denying the government’s motion to dismiss Öztürk’s habeas corpus petition and request to transfer the case to Louisiana, where Öztürk is currently held.
Casper’s decision follows an April 3 court hearing where Öztürk’s lawyers argued for her transfer to Vermont, if not to Massachusetts.
“The irregularity of the arrest, detention and processing here is coupled with the failure to disclose Ozturk’s whereabouts even after the government was aware that she had counsel and the Petition was filed in this Court,” Casper wrote in the court order.
Casper ruled that the District of Vermont is the proper court for Öztürk’s case because she was held overnight in Vermont when the petition was filed. Öztürk’s counsel cannot be faulted for filing the petition’s respondents in Massachusetts, the state she was detained in, because Öztürk was unable to communicate her whereabouts to her counsel until she was in Louisiana, Casper continued.
“To ensure that Ozturk has an opportunity to have the Petition considered by the District of Vermont, and to preserve the status quo, this Court’s March 28, 2025 Order enjoining the government from removing her from the United States, D. 16, shall remain in effect unless and until the transferee court orders otherwise,” Casper wrote.
According to her amended petition, Öztürk’s initial immigration hearing was scheduled for Monday. “For reasons that are not known to us, the hearing was cancelled,” Lafaille said at the press release.
Reyyan Bilge, an attendee of the hearing who spoke outside the court, has known Öztürk for over a decade. A student at Tufts from 2003 to 2009, Bilge met Öztürk in Turkey and published academic papers with Öztürk as her professor. She wrote Öztürk’s recommendation letters for Columbia University and for her Fulbright scholarship.
“She’s a really lovely person, not only to be around, but to work with, because she’s really responsible and really passionate about her work,” Bilge said to the Daily. “So over the years, it was really easy for me to write all those recommendation letters.”
Bilge said that knowing ICE had already planned Öztürk’s quick movement from state to state was “really chilling” when combined with Öztürk’s inability to reach her lawyers.
“Just imagine for a second that this is your loved one, your sister, your niece,” Bilge said, suggesting that if Öztürk had not been on the phone when detained and the event had not been recorded, “she would be in thin air. She would disappear.”
MATTHEW SAGE / THE TUFTS DAILY
Öztürk’s lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, reads from statement written by Öztürk outside a U.S. District Court in Boston.
Samantha Eng and Matthew Sage Executive News Editor and News Editor
Samantha Eng Executive News Editor
MATTHEW SAGE / THE TUFTS DAILY
ACLU attorney Adriana Lafaille and ACLU Legal Director Jessie Rossman push past a crowd of protestors outside Massachusetts District Court on April 3.
Tufts first-year housing guide
Miller Hall and Houston Hall
Miller Hall and Houston Hall face each other across the Reservoir Quad: some say in a friendly rivalry. These dorms are mirror images of one another, besides slight differences — for example Miller’s accent color is a fiery orange while Houston’s is a soothing blue. I lived in Miller in a quad-facing room with the perk of beautiful sunset views. Don’t expect the rooms to be gigantic, but many of them come with ample built-in storage. My room’s layout had both beds in an L-shape along the walls; our desks faced each other in the center of the room (get used to studying together). Especially on upper floors, rooms will run hot in the early fall, but a strong fan will do the trick. The elevator is also a nice bonus when doing laundry and moving in!
These dorms were last renovated in 2019. The hallways zigzag, giving certain rooms more privacy but also lacking the quintessential college floor vibe where you can see straight down the corridor. However, the comfortable, well-lit common spaces provide lots of potential for floor community. There are smaller private study rooms and a modern kitchen. In nice weather, you’ll find all sorts of backyard sports ongoing on the quad, and you’re close to lots of other first-year dorms. You can’t go wrong with either Houston or Miller … but for me, it’s Miller forever!
I loved living in Carmichael Hall — in fact, I have had group chats named “Home Sweet Carm,” “Carm House Pancakes” and “Chicken Carm.” The first word that comes to mind is “majestic” — Carm is gorgeous, and walking home there every night always reminded me of how magical our campus is. We were plagued by rats and roaches, but we were blessed with beautiful views, large rooms and a nice sense of community. Living on the Reservoir Quad lent itself to lots of familiar faces, and being able to go to breakfast without stepping outside was a gift. It’s a little dingy and dank on the inside, but don’t let that deter you! Carm is the best.
Wren Hall
While I never lived in Wren myself, my mom lived in Wren her first year, and she has some interesting anecdotes from her time there. She and her friends found some entertainment in throwing buckets of water at the exposed brick (the wall was so dry it soaked it right up). According to her, Wren has excellent acoustics, so she could hear her Beelzebub boyfriend singing from the second he entered the floor. And finally, it was always a fun surprise for her to see what stranger had fallen asleep on her common room couch on the weekends.
Wilson House
Wilson House is a small, white dorm exiled from the shinier buildings on campus. It’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it — and most people aren’t. The furniture is mismatched and a little worn, but that’s never stopped anyone from sinking into the couches after a long day. When people ask where I live and I say, “Wilson, the substance-free dorm,” I usually get a confused look. It’s not on the campus tour route, and it doesn’t carry the legacy or clout of the bigger dorms. But what they don’t realize
is that the very things that make Wilson different are what make it special. It’s the hub for Friday night karaoke, poker games and hot pepper shenanigans. It’s the site of the forgotten flood — that chaotic night when the hallway turned into a river. We should’ve been panicking, but instead, someone brought out water guns, someone else ordered pizza and before long, we were sloshing around in our shower shoes, cracking jokes and turning a minor disaster into a soggy rite of passage. That’s Wilson in a nutshell: a group of people who meet inconvenience with humor, turn messes into moments and somehow make a leaky hallway feel like home. I didn’t expect to find such a tight-knit group of people in the “quiet dorm,” but now, I can’t imagine my first year without them.
Metcalf Hall
Metcalf Hall may not be the most modern or conventionally “nice” building on campus, but it is most definitely in the best location. You can’t ask for more, being situated at the very bottom of President’s Lawn and having a 30-second walk to Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center, the Mayer Campus Center, Tisch Library, the Davis shuttle and various other amenities. Nothing beats avoiding the long trek up or down the hill in the midst of winter after a long day of class. The rooms are big (unless you get a forced triple on the eastern side, in which case, I’m sorry), and the amenities are decent. I currently live in a large western side Metcalf triple, and while the tile floors and somewhat questionable bathrooms may give a bad first impression, the location and Metcalf community were crucial to my first-year experience. I have been able to get to know many of the people on my small floor, and most nights, the Metcalf common room is a regular spot for first-year gatherings ranging from study sessions to DJ sets.
The Courts at Professors Row
Yes, the name is literal. The Courts at Professors Row are located on old tennis courts — this is a glaring reality that I was not aware of until move-in day. This also means that they do not look pretty. HOWEVER! I have come to believe that the Courts are actually the best first-year dorm for the following reasons. One, they are brand new. Although the decades-old Tilton Hall or Metcalf might possess some inherent charm, the Courts possess modern amenities, such as a well-furnished kitchen, quality bathrooms and, most notably, air conditioning. Two, the entire dorm is one hallway (around 50 people)! This makes it so easy to meet people in your dorm — since you will literally walk by everyone — and build a community. Finally, they are in a prime location. Being on Professors Row means you are equidistant from the two major dining halls: Dewick and Fresh at Carmichael Dining Center, meaning the options are limitless!
Richardson House
Richardson, oh Richardson. As a consequence of being a remodeled house, the rooms themselves aren’t very uniform: My roommate and I lived in what I believe was one of the smallest dorms on campus and shared the only closet that actually had a rod to hang clothes. By the time our room’s
electricity went out for the fifth time, I was feeling quite annoyed with the dorm; however, what Richardson House is perhaps most known for is its community (for better or worse). I won’t touch on that too much, but I will say that Richardson is where I met my amazing roommate and future housemate. A word of advice for all incoming Jumbos: The dorms themselves all have their quirks, but what’s most important are the people you meet in (and outside) them.
Hodgdon Hall
As far as first-year dorms go, Hodgdon Hall is certainly one of them. Hodge-dwellers enjoy scenic views of downhill Tufts and delight in waking up to thundering trash trucks vacating waste from bins outside. The building itself is laid out in an L-shape, and along with a common bathroom, each floor additionally has a single bathroom, uncommon for many first-year dorms. Are single bathrooms a good thing? Perhaps. But they can make for an incredibly awkward moment when you see your resident assistant and her boyfriend emerge from one, only in towels, while you’re on the phone with your parents in the hallway.
Speaking of hallways, good news! The lights reflect so brightly off the chartreuse walls, that if you are ever relegated (sexiled) to the hallway, you’ll stay awake — avoiding a fate á la Marty from “Gilmore Girls.” If you find yourself in a forced triple, as I did, fear not! Yes, you will spend the entire year tripping over your roommates. But, if they are anything like mine, you’ll snag two lasting friends out of the experience.
Tilton Hall
Don’t get me wrong, I love living off campus. But if I had the chance to live in Tilton Hall again as a senior, I’d have a hard time saying no. Tucked among the trees in a grassy field, Tilton feels private and serene, even though it’s next to several other dorms. Plus, it’s steps away from Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run, and not much further from Dewick or the Campus Center. What makes Tilton truly special, however, is its personality. Each floor has a unique vibe, so whether you’re a member of the queer community, a student-athlete or a film nerd, you’re sure to find likeminded people to hang with. Oh, and did I mention the private unisex bathrooms?
Bush Hall
The thing I loved most about Bush Hall was the people; I built a great community on my floor, and we spent so much time together during my first year. While my room was pretty small, since we were such a tight-knit group, my friends and I would hang out in the common room, which was super spacious and had modern furniture. While the hike to classes often left me heaving for breath, having Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run right next door was a huge win, especially during my first year when we could double-swipe — at least you get Late Lunch (colloquially known as “Munch Time”) now. I’ll always be a downhill gal, and Bush is the reason why.
Carmichael Hall
Tufts Daily Features Staff
PHOTOS BY DYLAN FEE
Two Tufts students take on the Boston Marathon as charity runners
Arielle Flaherty
Features Editor
On April 21, approximately 25,000 runners will gather to complete the 129th Boston Marathon. Around 10% of these runners are charity runners, which means that instead of qualifying with a time, they have fundraised on behalf of one of the 174 official charity programs selected by the Bank of America Boston Marathon Official Charity Program. Tufts graduate student Maggie Roberts and Tufts senior Nika Renshaw are both excited to participate in the marathon as charity runners, raising funds respectively for Tedy’s Team and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
Roberts, who is studying civil and environmental engineering, grew up watching her dad run the marathon and has wanted to run it since.
For Roberts, running this marathon is about more than herself — she is running to fundraise for Tedy’s Team, an organization that works to raise awareness for stroke and heart disease.
“[Tedy’s Team was] founded by Tedy Bruschi 20 years ago. He was my neighbor at the time, and he suffered a stroke and then recovered from it and was able to continue playing in the NFL,” Roberts said.
While training for the marathon, Roberts has raised around $10,000 for Tedy’s Team. She and her older sister, who is also running the marathon for Tedy’s Team, have done several events such as spin class fundraisers and trivia nights. Through these fundraisers, the sisters have spread awareness about the early warning signs of strokes, educating their friends and family about Tedy’s Team’s central mission.
Roberts and her sister couldn’t simply sign up to run the marathon. Tedy’s Team — and many other official charities of the Boston Marathon — require runners to complete an application to ensure that they are connected to the organization’s mission. With so many runners eager to take part in the prestigious Boston Marathon as charity runners, organizations are forced to turn down applicants. This year, Tedy’s Team selected 50 runners from over 100 applicants.
Allison Gianfelice, director of communications at Tedy’s Team, emphasized how runners’ stories are central to the selection process. Additionally, when runners have a connection to the organization, fundraising becomes easier.
The selected runners have trained together and formed a community, gathering on Saturdays for long training runs with a coach and other charity organizations.
“Being really closely connected with the other Tedy’s Team runners has really helped [keep me motivated] … I feel like I’ve gotten to know a lot of them really well, and I didn’t know any of them before,” Roberts explained.
Gianfelice reiterated the same sentiment. “It’s a family vibe over here, and all our runners become part of our family,” she said.
For Tedy’s Team, the Boston Marathon is a core event that raises funds for both their Comeback Assistance Program and Tedy’s Team Center of Excellence in Stroke Recovery at Massachusetts General Hospital while also spreading awareness about the warning signs of strokes. All of their runners receive a race singlet that features the “BE FAST” acronym representing common signs of strokes on the back. Gianfelice shared that she knows people who learned the stroke warning signs from the back of the singlet at the marathon and were then able to help family members experiencing a stroke.
Renshaw, who is studying biology and child studies, is also running the Boston Marathon this year. She has found community in the Tufts Marathon Team and is fundraising for the Friedman School.
Renshaw is a New Hampshire native who grew up watching the marathon and was inspired to run after volunteering at the marathon with Tufts Emergency Medical Services. When Renshaw was offered a bib from Don Mergele, coach of the Tufts Marathon Team, this fall, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
Every spring, the Tufts Marathon Team is allotted a certain number of bibs. This year, the team received 15 bibs, and students selected by Mergele are set to run the marathon. Most selected runners are
seniors or recent alumni. Each runner raises $5,000 individually for the Friedman School — specifically the school’s research in public policy, pediatric cancer and pediatric obesity.
“This year, there was an anonymous donor who for every [Tufts Marathon Team] member that made it to $5,000 … matched [the donation] with $10,000, so all of us are actually donating $15,000,” Renshaw said.
Renshaw has been running and training with the Tufts Marathon Team since her sophomore year. Trainings are twice a week, requiring runners to wake before dawn on Wednesdays to run 7 miles at 7 a.m. while participating in longer runs on Sundays. In preparation for the marathon, members run close to 20 miles on Sundays.
Renshaw emphasized how welcoming and supportive the Tufts Marathon Team community is.
“I feel very lucky to have found them, and I definitely would not be anywhere near the runner that I am, nor able to complete a marathon, without the marathon team, which is awesome,” she said.
Renshaw’s experience volunteering for the past two years at the marathon through TEMS has also given her a unique lens into the marathon’s operations. Absout 20 TEMS members are stationed at medical tents along the course. Under the direction of a leading physician, they help runners with dehydration, cramps and other injuries that arise during the race.
“It’s such an incredible opportunity to do something very different from what TEMS does normally and then also just being at the marathon is so exciting,” Renshaw said.
Renshaw explained how this unique volunteer opportunity originated.
“One of our alumni from many years ago is now very heavily affiliated with running the medical part of all of the Boston Athletic Association and he … gets [TEMS] some volunteering spots every year,” Renshaw said.
With the marathon less than two weeks away, Renshaw expressed excitement as she looked forward to the big day.
“It’s always so inspiring to watch and so cool to see everyone run, so I’m excited to actually be a runner this time,” she said.
Emily Sullivan Boston Book Crawl
Tufts Bookstore
Sat next to the Mayer Campus Center is the Tufts University Barnes & Noble College branch. It may be frequently ignored by students in the months between the very start and end of the semester, but it is still technically a bookstore. Inside the building, you can find a range of items, including sweatshirts, snacks, cold medicine, textbooks, branded mugs and a few regular books.
In the past, you had to push past the overpriced t-shirts and crewnecks to find the ‘bookstore’ part of the Tufts Bookstore. Now that the mailroom is taking over the basement, the nonacademic books have been moved closer to the front. Crowded in between the candy and the unnecessary school supplies is the new leisure reading section, providing Tufts students the chance to give Tufts more of their money rather than supporting a local bookstore.
My visit to the bookstore was quiet, as only a few other people were in the building with me. After several minutes, I had finished browsing the only shelf of books that are unassociated with a course. My favorite section is the one where they highlight the books by Tufts faculty and graduates. We have some pretty cool people, like the guy that cowrote “American Prometheus” (2005), the biography that inspired the film “Oppenheimer” (2023) — any Cillian Murphy fans? — and the guy who wrote “Killers of the Flower Moon” (2023) (We’re big on movie adaptations here.) There is also a small section that has manga, the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, Shakespeare and “The Merriam-Webster Dictionary” all grouped together because, why not?
The other side of the primary bookshelf holds recent bestsellers, with recent being a somewhat relative term. The top section is a small fiction collection, with the other three consisting of general nonfiction. They are all sorted by author’s last name, so you get some awkward moments where the Elon Musk biography is two books down from former Vice President Kamala Harris’s book, and Britney Spears’ memoir is next to a book on the war in Sierra Leone. In the bottom left corner is a collection of “Dungeons & Dragons” books that seem to have been there since I matriculated.
If your younger sibling tagged along for Jumbo Days, then there is a small selection of picture and middle-grade books for them. As the younger sister who’s been dragged to so many college campuses, we deserve a book or some of the aforementioned candy for our time.
Overall, though, I think the Tufts Bookstore has a decent collection of leisure reading for a shop not dedicated to such. If you are looking for your next read, I would recommend checking Tisch Library or reading previous editions of this column for local independent bookstore recommendations. However, if you’re in a time crunch or have the urge to flip through some pages, then a stop in the campus bookstore can be enough.
So, if you need a shirt for college decision day or just to look good in brown and blue, head to the campus bookstore. While you’re there, I recommend checking out the meager selection of books that may be there just to fulfill the legal minimum to be considered a bookstore.
I did not end up purchasing anything at the campus bookstore, but the sour gummy worms were quite tempting.
Emily Sullivan is a junior majoring in clinical psychology and English. Emily can be reached at emily.sullivan654577@tufts.edu.
ARTS & POP CULTURE
Welcome
new filmmakers: Take a peek
into
Film and Media Studies Program at Tufts
As you begin to embark on your journey into Tufts, you may be wondering: What do I even do while here?
For those of you who are storytellers, dreamers and artists, one option is to look into the Film and Media Studies Program.
Relatively new to Tufts, the FMS program was established in 2015. This fall, the program will expand to include new requirements for majors and several new courses, including the new core requirement: “A Cultural History of the Internet” (FMS 94).
The program offers students the chance to deepen their knowledge of the media that surrounds everyday life, using the medium to create a better society. The progran combines looking at the history of film in a national and global perspective and filmmaking practice to
give students skills of analyzing film and media, communicating complex ideas and stories in a variety of ways, expanding critical thinking skills and more.
Tasha Oren, director of the Film and Media Studies Program and associate professor in the Department of Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies, wrote in an email to the Daily: “FMS courses span critical analysis of cinema and media, screenwriting, emerging technologies (including AI and web content creation), filmmaking, media marketing, and PR.”
The program also hosts several different seminars and talks with successful filmmakers throughout the semester. Guest speakers have included film music scholar Giorgio Biancorosso, documentary filmmaker Jeremy Workman and film scholar Patrick Keating. Often paired with a special screening, these talks are a significant opportunity for new filmmakers to
meet and learn from professionals in the field.
Additionally, the FMS community at Tufts is just that — a community. For those of you
Jumbo Eats
eager to jump right in, look into beginning with the first core requirement, “Art of the Moving Image” (FMS 01), to get started. For those interested in exploring more options, make an appointment with Denise Cummings, senior lecturer and director of undergraduate studies. Interested in film equipment and loaning information for production students? Stop by the Equipment Cage in Barnum Hall Room LL25 and ask for Kyle Petty. Simply interested to learn more about the film community and great opportunities? Drop into the office of Gina O’Connor, the program’s administrator.
Regardless of whether you have been a film lover since you were 6 years old or have just a small, peeking interest in media, the film community offers ample space and opportunity to explore the medium.
Furthermore, the Film and Media Studies Program goes beyond simply teaching the traditional film format. A mixture of television, radio, artificial intelligence and marketing courses are offered every semester in addition to theory courses on film history, films of different cultures, film auteurs, religion, philosophy and even a Disney and Studio Ghibli course. This variety of production and theory courses allows students to shape both their experience in the department as well as their own artistic voices. Whether it is to sharpen your writing, critical thinking and analytical skills or to explore a new era of media, this program offers several routes of discovery.
“We look forward to welcoming you to our program and helping you explore diverse approaches to screen arts, studies and industries,” Oren wrote.
A look into these unique voices can be seen through the nine students who will be presenting their
thesis projects at the upcoming annual FMS Film Festival hosted by the program. A mix of narrative shorts, academic papers, feature screenplays and documentaries, these students are able to offer their own personal touch and values to the community through their work. Students are encouraged to collaborate and work on different student projects throughout their Tufts film careers, whether or not they pursue their own work. Introductory and upper-level courses in writing, documentary and production further allow for students to learn from each other and department professionals throughout their Tufts career.
In addition to the Film and Media Studies Program, Tufts hosts a slew of clubs based in film and storytelling, including Tufts University Television, Tufts Institute Sketch Comedy and, most recently, The Film Club at Tufts.
TUTV, the student-run production group, puts together projects such as HorrorFest every fall and Jumbo Night Live — a “Saturday Night Live” parody — throughout the year, encouraging students to develop their production skills, collaborate with other student filmmakers and develop new projects and ideas. The Tufts Institute Sketch Comedy is a student-run group made up of actors, writers and filmmakers on campus, putting on live and video performances every semester. The Film Club at Tufts, officially organized this spring, brings together film lovers to make, learn and discuss films in addition to a variety of screenings of popular films held on campus.
Whether it’s only one class, an extracurricular activity or your main focus at Tufts, the film community is happy to have a new generation of storytellers, creatives, critics and scholars.
Odessa Gaines Executive Arts Editor
NATALIE BROWNSELL / THE TUFTS DAILY
Barnum Hall is pictured.
Treasures
Revive
your
wardrobe at Vivant Vintage
As you embark on your journey at Tufts, be sure to stop by Vivant Vintage at its new location on Newbury Street.
From operating a unique mobile boutique — a tricycle-pulled cart named “Le Pants King and The Traveling Spectacular” — Justin Pomerleau and his wife, Emmy Sawich, transformed their vision into reality with the opening of Vivant Vintage on Newbury Street on March 1. After spending several years preparing for this high-profile second location, their hard work has finally paid off.
“I put every ounce of effort I could back into it over the past 10 years, and now we’re a team of 18 people with three locations — two retail spacing and one warehouse location,” Pomerleau shared.
When Johnny Cupcakes, the previous owner of the storefront, approached Pomerleau about taking over the location, he immediately envisioned an Art Deco, 1920s, theater-inspired shop design.
Remarkably, Pomerleau and Sawich prepared the new store in just 28 days — a feat that had never been accomplished before, according to a landlord who has managed properties on Newbury Street for decades.
For the past two years, the couple has been transitioning Vivant Vintage toward an Art Deco design. They’ve introduced new bag tags and incorporated
a photo booth at their Newbury location. Inside, the cash register and jewelry counter mimic the concessions area of a theater, while a granite-top bar evokes the charm of a speakeasy. The dressing room attendant is set up like a ticket booth, and the changing rooms are complete with crushed red velvet curtains and arched doorways. At the center of the shop, a painted Renaissance-esque ceiling adds a grand touch, creating a luxurious and elegant atmosphere that balances both masculine and feminine elements.
Building on this Art Deco theme, Pomerleau and Sawich crafted the catchphrase “It’s Showtime” for their Newbury location, wanting to switch up from the traditional “grand opening” signage to better reflect the shop’s character. A
striking marquee sign at the back of the shop prominently displays the word “Showtime.”
Since the launch of their Newbury location, the couple has taken a break from the market scene, having previously participated in around 60 markets each year, collaborating with the mayor’s office, Orchard Skateshop, Boston Main Streets and more.
Opening this storefront has required significant sacrifices. Pomerleau invested nearly his entire life savings into the venture while managing the challenges of having a 4-month-old baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a 4-year-old son at home.
Looking ahead, their primary focus remains on the Newbury Street location, particularly as Open Newbury Street begins in
early June, allowing them to set up shop outside on Sundays and host fun activities with neighboring stores.
However, the couple is also trying to bring back interest to the Allston location by offering 10% student discounts every weekday. Both locations offer the same products, but the Allston location has a larger inventory of denim and pants. They plan to relocate the Allston location to a larger space, which will serve as both a warehouse and an expanded storefront, while keeping Newbury Street as their high-traffic tourist destination.
“Vivant brings a volume of clothing that is curated to a level that transcends vintage stores into more of a retail clothing setting,” Pomerleau explained.
Every piece in the store is handpicked, guaranteeing customers find unique, high-quality pieces.
Additionally, Pomerleau and Sawich aspire to produce their own clothing, jewelry and sunglasses, transitioning from a vintage store to a brand. They hope to introduce an in-house designed silver ring within the next 12 months.
Vivant Vintage stands out as one of the few independently owned vintage stores in Boston. Be sure to also explore other vintage and thrift spots in the area, such as Found and The Attic Cambridge, and keep an eye out for on-campus thrift pop-ups from Past On Vintage.
Fiona Hinrichsen is a first-year who has yet to declare a major. Fiona can be reached at fiona. hinrichsen@tufts.edu.
As someone who’s been there (and learned a few things the hard way), here are a few unfiltered dos and dont’s to carry with you from Tufts’ resident college shopaholic.
The dos and don’ts of starting college
Welcome to the beginning of what will likely be the weirdest, most transformative, emotionally chaotic and occasionally magical four years of your life. You’re probably gearing up for your final summer at home right now — graduation parties, late nights and maybe even a Pinterest board full of ‘dorm aesthetic’ ideas. You’re making lists, buying way too many things from Target and possibly imagining what it’ll feel like to walk onto campus as a brand new Tufts student.
DO NOT: Buy a completely new wardrobe before college.
I know, I know. The idea of showing up on campus with a whole new aesthetic is tempting. You want to look cool and confident — like someone who has their life together. But here’s the truth: You will likely discover new things about yourself — your taste, your identity, your daily routines — within the first few weeks of school. That vintage jacket you bought in July might feel so right at the moment, but by October, you might realize you’re more of a hoodie-and-slippers kind of person. Wait until you settle in, see what people are actually wearing and figure out what you feel best in before doing a full closet overhaul. Save your money (and your suitcase space).
DO: Find your comfort films.
You’re going to need them. College comes with its own
brand of stress — whether it’s from exams, social pressure or just a bad dining hall meal that sends you spiraling — and nothing soothes the soul like a film that feels like a hug. Have a list of go-to movies that you can throw on when everything feels like a lot. My comfort film rotation includes Greta Gerwig’s version (of course) of “Little Women” (2019) and “The Parent Trap” (1998) (yes, Lindsay Lohan is iconic — don’t ask questions). Also, do yourself a favor and watch a few iconic high school movies before you graduate. My top picks: “Booksmart” (2019) for the chaotic best friend vibes, “The Edge of Seventeen” (2016) for the emotional realism and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012) for the tears, Tumblr flashbacks and perhaps the best high school coming-of-age film of all time. Trust me on this.
DO NOT: Buy an iPad.
Unless you’re going into digital art or a very specific major that requires it, an iPad is not a college necessity. It’s a sleek, beautiful device that can cost upwards of $1,199 and which
you will likely end up using to play Candy Crush or stream “Love Island.” Everyone thinks they’ll be the exception — the one person who takes all their notes on Goodnotes and color codes their life. Most people revert to Google Docs by the third week. Just stick with your computer. It does the job.
DO: Invest in good shoes.
This is not a drill. Tufts is a campus of hills, stairs and cobblestone-adjacent walkways that will test your calves and your spirit. Get yourself some comfortable, durable walking shoes. Your feet will thank you. Also, get a pair of waterproof boots or rain shoes for those surprise downpours and New England winters. The first time you have to trek uphill in slush with soggy sneakers is a humbling experience I hope you never have to endure.
DO NOT: Overpack.
It’s so tempting to bring your entire room with you. But let me tell you: Your dorm room will feel half its size the minute you start filling it with stuff. And you will absolutely accumulate more once you’re here — club merch,
event t-shirts, random stuff from the student center. Bring what you need and a few things that make the space feel like home. Everything else can wait.
DO: Call your people. College can feel like a whirlwind — new faces, new routines, new stressors — and in all of that, it’s easy to forget to stay connected with the people who got you here. Call your parents. Call your high school best friend. Call your sibling, your grandma, your dog if someone will hold the phone up to its ear. It doesn’t have to be long or profound — just a checkin, a little reminder that your world is bigger than the bubble of campus. You’ll be surprised how grounding it is to hear a familiar voice when everything else feels unfamiliar.
So, no, you don’t need the latest tech, a suitcase full of trendy outfits or a perfect plan. You just need to show up with an open mind, a sense of humor and maybe a really good pair of sneakers.
Ryan Fairfield is a senior majoring in political science. Ryan can be reached at ryan.fairfield@tufts.edu.
Ryan Fairfield Confessions of a College Shopaholic
Fiona Hinrichsen Trunks Full of
COURTESY VIVANT VINTAGE
The interior of Vivant Vintage is pictured.
Late Night At The Daily
CROSSWORD
Perceive, as with eyes 50 Envelope contents: Abbr.
‘Happy Jumbo Month’ by Arielle Weinstein & Leo Sajkov
Interested in submitting a puzzle? Reach out to production@tuftsdaily.com
HOROSCOPE
MARCH 21-APRIL 19
is your online form on an application portal and the commitment you’re making is to Tufts.
APRIL 20-MAY 20
MAY 21-JUNE 21
CANCER
JUNE 22-JULY 22
Stand out from the crowd this week. Hold
Embrace
LEO
JULY 23-AUGUST 23
LIBRA
SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 23
You’re really observant this week. You’ll be able to spot all the rats aroun on your walks through campus.
SCORPIO
OCTOBER 24-NOVEMBER 22
SAGITTARIUS
NOVEMBER 23-DECEMBER 21
Luck is in the air for you. There’s a surprise meet and greet with University President Sunil Kumar in your future! Everyone’s going to be so jealous.
CAPRICORN
DECEMBER 22-JANUARY 20
Curiosity is taking over this week. Sneak into the middle of a club meeting and pretend that you’re on the e-board.
AQUARIUS
JANUARY 21-FEBRUARY 18
You’re in the mood for a new book this week. Find out if the Tufts Bookstore has what you’re looking for in the review written by Emily Sullivan in the Features section.
PISCES
AUGUST 24-SEPTEMBER 23
You’ll be super decisive this week. Make the choice between being pre-med or an English major, or go
FEBRUARY 19-MARCH 20 Queen, you know you would rock brown and blue. Come to Tufts. Pretty please.
Josh:
a Rolling Stone
Ancient calculators 6 Folk singer Bob portrayed by Timothee Chalamet in "A Complete Unknown"
Top-tier AMC membership
Ultra-masculine
Neighbor of Nor. and Fin.
1 Last name of two presidents
Corporate rule
Wonderland girl
Country singer Johnny who befriended 6A
Sondheim's "___ the Woods" MINI CROSSWORD
Defne Olgun Dear Defne
Where should we eat?
Dear Defne, where can I take my friend who just got into Tufts? I want to show them a good mix of on- and off-campus food options.
Hungry Jumbo
Dearest Hungry Jumbo, Congrats to your friend! You are so delightful for showing them around and introducing them to life at Tufts. I’ve officially hit the point in my semester where I’m getting sick of eating the same four meals over and over again, but here are some of my recommendations from different locations on campus:
Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run: the steak and cheese sandwich, found next to the chicken wings during lunch time Hotung Café: the BLT bagel, which I have found myself lining up for at exactly 10:59 a.m. on several occasions. Avoid the avocado toast when avocados aren’t in season, or you’ll find yourself with a tragically tough lunch.
SMFA Café: the cheeseburger from the hot bar (before 3:30 p.m.), the acai bowls and the frozen meals from the deep freezer bin (which are also great to stock up on for your dorm)
Kindlevan Café: the hibiscus tea and lemonade drink
Pax et Lox Glatt Kosher Deli: the mini egg rolls and potato puffs as sides
Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center : the bowls (I borrowed one when I went on a tour, used it on my Tufts Wilderness Orientation trip and then returned it once I got to campus in the fall)
And some places I’ve taken my friends off-campus:
Davis Square:
Waikiki for a poké bowl
Diesel Café for coffee, hot chocolate and lunch sandwiches
Life Alive Organic Café for vegetarian grain bowls, salads, or noodle dishes
Davis Square Donuts & Bagels for … hand-crafted donuts and bagels!
Near SMFA: The Greek Gyro for souvlaki plates
Phinista Café for the Sea Salt Phin — Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk and sea salt cold foam
Spring Shanghai Fried Buns for their wonton soup or pan-fried buns
If parents are paying and want to explore Boston: Barcelona Wine Bar for Spanish-style tapas
bartaco for three-bite tacos and delicious appetizers
If you have a car and want baked treats:
Colette Bakery for their passion flower
L.A. Burdick for their hot chocolate or tiered cakes
‘Testing the Waters’ by Ezra Holzapfel
OPINION
EDITORIAL
The Daily’s 2025 declassified Tufts survival guide
Welcome to Tufts! If you’re reading this article, you’re likely a newly admitted student — so congratulations! The Editorial Board of the Daily (us!) looks to impart some wise words on you (or current students who are reading this for fun).
1. Don’t overpack before coming to campus. Coordinate with your roommate and buy what you need once you’ve moved in. Also, rent a mini fridge from Tufts because it’ll be a pain to try and haul it back with you or to find somewhere else to store it, and you can get a microwave.
2. Talk to your professors! They want to make sure you succeed and have lots to share with you! Go to office hours. They are not scary, and the professors appreciate these conversations. Meeting with your professors in a one-onone setting is a great way to build connections that will help you in both your academic and professional life (and with recommendation letters down the line)!
3. Spend the warm days outside on President’s Lawn, the Reservoir Quad or the Boston Public Garden. Grab your Hodgdon Food-on-theRun bowl or Pax et Lox Glatt Kosher Deli sandwich, a towel and some friends to enjoy a warm afternoon under the sun! You’ll never feel more college-y than when you’re lounging on the lawn while a tour group walks by.
4. It’s OK if your first friend group falls apart. And it’s OK if your second friend group falls apart. Take time to meet
people and find the people you truly enjoy the company of.
5. Everything is temporary. The lows contextualize the highs.
6. Talk to people! Even if it’s scary, say hi to the person next to you in line or sitting next to you in class. Everyone wants to make friends!
7. Call your parents and loved ones. Call your mom. Call your dad. Call everyone! Your parents want to hear from you and make sure that you’re doing well. Make time to talk with your friends from home too.
8. Don’t lock yourself out. Get a phone wallet and never lose sight of your student ID. This will also help you avoid the potential of your RA having to let you back into your room when you may have things out that you don’t want them to see.
9. Take the reviews on Rate My Professor with a grain
of salt. You may find that a professor with a one-star review is a fantastic lecturer or that a universally beloved teacher is your enemy. Talk to upperclassmen about their experiences with courses. We also highly recommend taking a student- or visiting lecturer-taught Experimental College class!
10. Don’t share all of your personal secrets on Sidechat.
11. Try our favorite food near Tufts: The Holland and the Vegan Club sandwiches from Diesel Café in Davis Square and the mango and salmon bowl from Tasty!
12. Advocate to your RA if your roommate sucks! You don’t deserve to have a sucky living situation. Of course, there is no guarantee you’ll be able to switch rooms, but voice any
concerns about your living situation you may have.
13. Try our favorite on-campus food: the chickpea salad sandwich on a bagel from Pax et Lox and the Korean BBQ sandwich from the Commons Marketplace. Oh, and The Sink — for vibes, not for coffee (but do get the Beesting if you need caffeine).
14. Prepare to see every single person you know at Late Night at Commons after a fun night.
15. Find a hairstylist you like near campus. A lot of upperclassmen on campus cut students’ hair and will charge you way less than any salon in Boston.
16. Find where you study best. You may find that you work best in silence or that you lock in when surrounded by people. The Editorial Board has chosen to keep our favorites to ourselves. We wish you the best of luck in finding yours.
17. Travel outside of the Tufts area! Don’t get us wrong, we love spending time on campus, but it’s easy to get stir crazy too. Luckily, the Boston area has great public transportation to take advantage of. Travel further into Somerville and Medford; go into Boston, Cambridge, Arlington and beyond. And bring a friend!
18. Head to Davis Square for studying and food and to Boston for day trips (specifically Chinatown or the North End for food). For shopping, head to Assembly Row for outlets, to The Garment District in Cambridge for thrifting and to Davis for Goodwill and Buffalo Exchange.
19. Take advantage of MBTA buses. In addition to the subways, the buses can take you to many more areas around Boston and the surrounding region. Get to know the bus routes that go through Medford and Somerville — especially the 80, 94 and 96. The subways can only get you so far — the buses are sometimes even faster than the trains.
20. Visit museums. Take advantage of the free access available to Tufts students, like the Harvard museums or our very own university art galleries. Visit the Museum of Fine Arts to check out special exhibitions and a wide array of pieces, including the work of SMFA students. For the best pictures, go to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum for a more unique art experience.
21. Join The Tufts Daily! The Daily is the independent, student-run newspaper of record at Tufts. We bring together journalists, writers, photographers, creatives, entrepreneurs and more to make the newspaper. We can’t wait for you to join us!
A bipartisan statement on the arrest of Rümeysa Öztürk
Tufts Republicans and Tufts Democrats
On March 25, Rümeysa Öztürk, a member of the Tufts University community, was detained by the Department of Homeland Security near her apartment in Somerville. The next morning, she was transported to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Louisiana. As of the issuance of this statement, a federal judge has transferred Öztürk’s detention case to Vermont.
Though our organizations do not agree on many issues, including the content of Öztürk’s op-ed (Tufts Republicans strongly disagrees with the content of the op-ed in question, while members of Tufts Democrats have expressed varying viewpoints on the matter), we find commonality in our collective belief in the value of free speech and the right of Öztürk to due process under the law outlined by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.
Given the silence of President Donald Trump’s administration
on the specific reasoning for the revocation of Öztürk’s visa, Tufts Democrats and Tufts Republicans are concerned that the recent actions of the current administration target Öztürk for her speech, which risks creating a chilling effect that discourages open dialogue and intellectual exploration. As student organizations committed to the promotion of free political expression, such actions and the resulting consequences are contrary to the mission statements of our organizations and the core principles of a university.
We, the undersigned:
I. Affirm the shared belief amongst Tufts University Democrats and Tufts University Republicans that Rümeysa Öztürk’s op-ed in The Tufts Daily has not expressed any speech that would be considered a threat to the national security of the United States.
II. Call on the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to make public any evidence supporting the claim that Öztürk’s actions posed a threat to national security, violated U.S. law or breached the terms of her visa.
III. Express our joint commitment to promoting the values of free speech and expression for all individuals in our campus community and beyond.
Executed on April 8, 2025, at Tufts University.
Zack Zinman and David Seaton, presidents of Tufts Democrats; Ethan Putlack, president of Tufts Republicans; Justin Lokere, vice president and treasurer of Tufts Republicans; Avery Ohliger, director of outreach of Tufts Democrats.
The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free of charge to the Tufts community. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board.
EDITORIALS: Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily Editorial Board. Individual editorialists are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Editorial Board. Editorials are submitted for review to The Tufts Daily Executive Board before publication.
VIEWPOINTS AND COLUMNS: Viewpoints and columns represent the opinions of individual Opinion editors, staff writers, contributing writers and columnists for the Daily’s Opinion section. Positions published in Viewpoints and columns are the opinions of the writers who penned them alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. All material is subject to editorial discretion.
OP-EDS: Op-Eds provide an open forum for campus editorial commentary and are printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length and submitted to opinion@tuftsdaily.com. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. Authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. ADVERTISEMENTS: All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the editor in chief, executive board and business director.
The Editorial Board
GRAPHIC BY RACHEL LIU
VIEWPOINT
It gets better: Making the most of your college experience
It’s nowhere near revolutionary to say that moving to college is a major adjustment. We are thrown into an entirely new world. For the first time in most of our lives, it is completely up to us to decide how we spend our time, who we surround ourselves with and what we make of ourselves. To put it simply: It’s a lot, especially in tandem with difficult classes and our uncertain futures ahead.
Last year, I found myself having a difficult time adjusting to college, for reasons that I wrote about last semester. Since then, I have fortunately had a better go at living “the best four years of my life.”
At the risk of grabbing at low-hanging fruit, my first piece of advice is to join clubs. Like many Tufts students, I spent my high school career filling my resume with activities like debate, Model UN and mock trial. To be clear: I participated in my extracurriculars out of passion, but they demanded a heavy commitment nonetheless.
Coming to college and feeling the release from the shackles of college applications, I refrained from joining any club that would take up too much time, seeking leisure and repose. What I found instead, however, was boredom and stagnancy. This break from extracurricular activities made me realize that clubs give you a place to be, people to see and nonacademic tasks to complete.
Clubs offer an enriching experience by providing a
so-called third place: a place outside one’s home and workplace (or classes, in the case of college students) to build connections and gain meaningful experiences. Third places allow people to develop and affirm their identities, fighting off the omnipresent shadow of imposter syndrome — the persistent doubting of one’s identity and abilities — that occurs frequently on college campuses. Spending time at club meetings and events achieves just that, creating opportunities to both foster and bolster your sense of self. This ultimately benefits not just your resume but your mental health as well. Tufts boasts over 350 organizations, offering various unique third places to discover. While many of them are similar to those offered in high school, I have found the most enjoyment in trying completely new activities. Joining the Tufts Dance Collective, for example,
was an experience that truly defined this past semester. As Tufts’ no-experience-required, all-inclusive dance group, TDC provided me with a fun and new third place to explore a creative aspect of my identity that no other organization has matched. While dancing may not be for everyone, trying new activities is something that I have found vital to making the most of my college years.
Experimenting with new activities extends beyond joining clubs. Even within my class schedule, finding time to take new and interesting classes — even a two-credit Experimental College course — has made me feel like I am truly getting my dollar’s worth out of college, especially at a school known for its liberal arts education.
As an English major, which only requires ten classes, I recognize my privilege of having more space to take non-major classes — a liberty not possible
VIEWPOINT
for every major. Still, another way I’ve enriched my experience is by simply cultivating my interest in the major that I’m studying. I’ve spent more time talking after classes with my professors, joined the Tufts English Society and made an active effort to — for a lack of better terms — romanticize my studies. Shifting my perspective on my academics, which are typically a source of stress, has definitely improved my overall academic experience.
Apart from these specific avenues, getting more out of my college experience comes down to simply leaving my dorm more often. Taking that first step of reaching out to friends to meet for meals, get coffee at The Sink or study together can very well be the difference between spending hours spiraling and spending hours being content. Being a part of a 10-person suite in Wren Hall has also been
a major source of positivity for me (hence my devastation after learning that it will be converted into first-year housing). Having study partners, friends to talk to and people to get meals with at almost any time of the day has given me the emotional support system that I truly need. Still, even with this wonderful living situation, it is the intentionality and effort that I put into my friendships that truly made my year.
College is not a passive experience: If you want something to happen, chances are that you are responsible for making it happen. This might sound scary, but it’s also what makes college such a unique and enjoyable place — a place that allows you to constantly make mistakes and keep exploring until you find what you truly enjoy. At the end of the day, college is what you make of it.
How the Trump administration targets education to push its fascist policies
Monica Reilly Opinion Editor
We’re all familiar with the book burnings of Nazi Germany, with the images of bright fires engulfing literary works clear in our minds. In the generations since, this depiction of extreme fascism is often used to discuss the idea of censorship — the silencing of ideas that the fascist government found to be dangerous. While this discussion is true and continues to be relevant in our modern day, these burnings are more specifically emblematic of an attack on education. Now more than ever, we need to remember that a fascist government can only become successful through the spread of misinformation.
We have seen similar attacks on the truth and access to information under the most recent administration of President Donald Trump. He has significantly limited research funding for the National Institutes of Health, planned to dismantle the Department of Education
and wiped public research databases. At first glance, trying to decrease the overall education of your country seems counterintuitive. People with higher levels of education are needed to help run the government, come up with new medical cures and treatments, innovate safer and more efficient energy sources and otherwise drive the economy forward. Therefore, these harsh, unprecedented cuts against research do not seem to make sense if you are trying to better the state of the country. This piece is not out to compare Trump to Adolf Hitler — his vice president already did that. I am instead trying to point out recent fascist trends our government has been moving towards. Not only have there been extreme budgeting changes, but the heightened Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests that Trump promised in his campaign have been targeting higher education. ICE has detained or terminated the
visas of multiple Columbia University students, including graduate student Mahmoud Khalil who had a valid green card, and junior Yunseo Chung who was a legal permanent resident. Rümeysa Öztürk, a graduate student right here at Tufts, was also abducted by ICE and sent to a detention center in Louisiana despite a judge’s orders. Prestigious universities, including members of the Ivy League, are being investigated for antisemitism, with millions of dollars being held over the heads of university presidents in exchange for giving in to the administration’s demands.
It’s no coincidence that the administration is targeting this population. Studies have shown time and time again that with further education, people are more likely to vote Democratic and thus oppose both the Trump administration and its far-right policies. This phenomenon also means that a less educated population is easier to control.
A fascist government doesn’t just limit access to information to control a population — it also employs fear. The students detained by ICE were not randomly selected: Khalil was allegedly a pro-Palestinian protest organizer, Chung had attended numerous protests and Öztürk wrote an op-ed asking the University to adopt Tufts Community Union Senate resolutions to formally recognize genocide in Gaza and divest from Israeli corporations. All of these actions are examples of the kind of defiance that education breeds and that fascism is structured to prevent. Trump appears to be using them to make an example of anyone thinking of doing the same thing.
The helpful part of recognizing the fascist undertones of the current administration’s policy decisions is that we are able to fight back. There are valid reasons to be afraid right now, but there are also valid reasons to be hopeful. Elon Musk, general secretary of the Department of Government Efficiency,
allegedly performed the Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration and spent $21 million on the Republican-backed candidate for an open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat. However, those millions of dollars were wasted as the Democratic-backed candidate Susan Crawford persevered, winning in spite of Musk’s donation. Additionally, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have been drawing record crowds with their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. Millions of protesters gathered nationwide in the “Hands Off!” protest that took place on Saturday, decrying Trump’s policies. One hundred thousand people gathered in Boston alone, filling up the Red Line with signs like “Hands off our democracy.” In Somerville, Tufts students participated in a protest against the detainment of Öztürk, with over 2,000 people in attendance. The American people have not given in to the grasp of fascism; if anything, we have been fighting back harder than we have in a long time.
Max Lerner Opinion Editor
GRAPHIC BY JAYLIN CHO
Tufts baseball resets, responds, rolls over Amherst
For the Tufts baseball team, the weekend against Amherst was about doing the hard things well. No frills, no fireworks — just a group of players digging in, fighting back and finding something that had been missing in the early part of the season. A quiet Friday gave way to a spirited Sunday, and the Jumbos dropped the opener but roared back with a doubleheader sweep to take the series. It was a weekend that showed Tufts still has the fight — and the talent — to compete when the margins tighten.
Friday’s frustration
The tone on Friday afternoon at Amherst’s Memorial Field was set early. Graduate student pitcher Silas Reed worked his way through a couple of clean innings, but the wheels came off in the third. Four consecutive Amherst hits plated two runs and gave them control of the game. Tufts managed one run — first-year
catcher Nick Banner knocked in sophomore first baseman AJ Lysko after a defensive miscue — but that was about all the offense the team could muster.
Reed battled through six innings, allowing 12 hits and four runs, but kept Tufts within striking distance by limiting the damage in later frames. Still, the offense faltered. Tufts hitters struck out five times, and only three times did they advance a runner into scoring position. First-year pitcher Emmet Christian allowed one more run in relief, and the Jumbos’ final three innings at the plate were forgettable, only recording one hit.
Amherst’s aggressive approach at the plate paid off, scattering 16 hits overall, with infielder Tyler McCord leading the way with a 3-for-4 day and two RBIs. Meanwhile, Tufts’ bats never found a rhythm. Final score: Amherst won 5–1.
It wasn’t the way they drew it up. But Tufts would have two chances to flip the script on Sunday.
Doubleheader Game 1: A walkoff to remember
Senior pitcher Connor Podeszwa got the nod in the seven-inning opener and, despite a few bumps, delivered when it counted. Amherst outfielder Leo Foust greeted him rudely, launching a solo homer to left field in the first inning. Podeszwa settled down quickly, mixing his pitches effectively, though Amherst added two more in the fourth after a leadoff walk and a two-out rally. Tufts began chipping away in the bottom half of the fifth. Graduate student catcher Connor Brala recorded a single, made his way to third after a fielder’s choice and came home on a wild pitch to make it 3–2.
In the bottom of the seventh, still trailing 3–2, Brala led off with a single up the middle, and sophomore catcher Pierson Cooper entered as a pinch runner. Lysko followed by drawing a walk, advancing Cooper into scoring position. After a fly out and a foul out, senior outfielder
Ben Leonard was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That set the stage for senior outfielder Cooper Smith, who ripped a double to left-center field, scoring Cooper and Lysko and sealing a dramatic 4–3 walk-off win for the Jumbos.
Doubleheader Game 2: Lapp’s gem If Game 1 was dramatic, Game 2 was clinical. Senior pitcher Jacob Lapp took the mound and authored a masterpiece. Nine innings, one run, just one hit allowed. Efficient and ruthless, he mowed down 23 straight Amherst batters after allowing a second-inning RBI groundout.
The offense backed him early. In the second, first-year infielder James Henshon doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lysko. Banner was hit by a pitch and eventually came around to score on a two-out RBI single from graduate student infielder Ozzie Fleischer, giving Tufts an early 2–1 lead.
In the fourth, junior outfielder Owen McKiernan doubled to lead off the inning, and after a walk to Lysko, senior infielder Henry Fleckner delivered an RBI single through the left side to extend the lead to 3–1.
Tufts tacked on one more in the fifth. Smith was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a single by Henshon and scored on another clutch RBI single by McKiernan, making it 4–1.
Lapp took it from there. He closed out the 4–1 win on just 89 pitches.
Rejuvenated Jumbos
This was a series the Jumbos needed. Heading into the weekend, Tufts had floated below the .500 mark, struggling to string
together consistent play. Friday’s loss could have snowballed. Instead, it steeled them.
Lapp’s complete game was inarguably the team’s best pitching performance of the year so far. Podeszwa’s resilience set the tone early Sunday. And offensively, while the big innings weren’t there, Tufts manufactured runs with gritty, heads-up baseball: aggressive baserunning, clutch situational hitting and smart execution when it mattered.
They’ll need more of it. The schedule ahead only gets tougher, as they head back into NESCAC play after a difficult loss to No. 5 ranked Endicott.
Big picture
At 10–12, the Jumbos still have plenty of room to grow. Consistency — both at the plate and on the mound — remains the goal. But winning a weekend like this, against a capable Amherst squad, shows that Tufts has more in the tank than their record suggests.
Leonard wrote to the Daily about the importance of the bounce-back effort. “Having a day of practice in between the games was a good time to reset and regain focus,” Leonard said. “Stealing two games from a good baseball program in a day is the exact direction we want to be trending. Going forward we obviously look to take all three games, starting with striking first on Friday.” Podeszwa, Lapp and the pitching staff showed they can anchor games. The lineup, while still finding its full identity, proved it can manufacture enough offense when it matters most. The road ahead doesn’t get easier, but Tufts heads into the heart of their schedule with momentum finally on their side.
Ready to rally, women’s tennis jumps into second half of spring season
Josh Solomon Staff Writer
After a weekend of traveling, the Tufts women’s tennis team returned to Medford after taking down Hamilton 5–2 and falling just short to Amherst 4–3. The team, composed of seven underclassmen and seven upperclassmen, is eager to dive into the final stretch of their regular season with a busy April filled with NESCAC opponents. Matches are determined by six singles matches to the best of three sets and three doubles matches in a one-set format. Each singles match counts for 1 point, with an additional point awarded to the team that takes at least two of the doubles matches.
The Jumbos have been training hard, focusing on applying their skills during matches and minimizing thoughts about winning or losing. “We have been focused on our preparation and staying in the moment throughout each match,” head coach Kate Bayard wrote in an email to the Daily. “We work to have the same expectations going into every match, approaching each match with productive thoughts and actions about things we can control, while throwing any categorizations or end result expectations out the window.”
The Hamilton match featured a sweep in the doubles matches and wins from the No. 2, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 seeds in singles. No. 1 junior Ellie Gershaw pulled out a fight of a first set 7–6 going 9–7 in the tiebreaker, but then fell 6–2, 6–2 in the only three-setter of the match. No. 2 junior Lucy Mitchell and No. 4 sophomore Natalie Hu came home with twin winning scores of 6–2, 6–3, while No. 3 firstyear Athena Li fell 6–1, 6–0. No. 5 junior Nikki Kintiroglou topped her opponent in two nailbiter sets, winning both tiebreakers to secure the match in a 7–6, 7–6 thriller. Finally, No. 6 senior Sophie Wax took down her opponent with a pair of 6–4 sets, bringing her personal season singles record to 6–1.
“Hamilton has super fast courts and so we wanted an extra long warmup on their courts before the match,” Mitchell wrote in an email to the Daily reflecting on the match.
“That definitely paid off and helped us ultimately secure the win.”
While the Jumbos fell in the battle of large mascots against the Mammoths, the match was up in the air, especially in the No. 1 doubles spot with Hu and junior Stephanie Woodbury. With a one-set format to decide doubles matches, the team fell 7–6 in a tiebreaker that went to 7–5. The team split the other two doubles
matches, giving a point to Amherst. First-year Melanie Woodbury took the win at No. 1 singles in a 10-point tiebreaker to decide the third set after battling in a second-set tiebreaker to stay alive. The two other wins came from Li at No. 5 with a three-setter and Hu at No. 6.
Going into the Amherst match, preparation was more mental, according to Mitchell. “We’ve had close losses to them the last two years, so it was a matter of belief and also of making sure to keep our energy up after a long weekend on the road. We lost a close one to Amherst—losing the doubles point
is always a difficult way to start the match—but we’re hoping to face them again later in the season and get it back,” Mitchell wrote. Heading into the rest of the season, Tufts will face Wesleyan, who has won the NESCAC championship trophy for six straight years. “I’m looking forward to playing Wesleyan this weekend,” Mitchell wrote. “They’re usually the strongest team in the NESCAC and I think it’ll be a good challenge for us. I’m also excited for the NESCAC tournament, and hopefully qualifying for NCAA’s afterwards. We’ve narrowly missed out on qualifying
the past two years, but we’ve come back with a much stronger team this year.”
Already having moved from the No. 16 spot to No. 11 since the beginning of the year, according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III rankings, the Jumbos look to remain one of the best teams in the country. Their strategy of staying in the moment and focusing on one match at a time will soon be put to the test against tough NESCAC competition, with home matches against No. 52 Trinity on Friday at 1 p.m. and No. 4 Wesleyan on Saturday at 10 a.m.
COURTESY TUFTS ATHLETICS
Graduate student catcher Connor Brala is pictured on Sunday. Luke Fredericks Staff Writer
COURTESY TUFTS ATHLETICS
Senior Sophia Wax is pictured on March 29.
Jumbos thrash
Cardinals
15–4, move to 11–0 on the season in best start since 2019
Tufts women’s lacrosse returned to Bello Field on Saturday, coming off their most difficult result of the season — a scrappy 10–8 win on the road at Williams on April 2 — for a matchup with Wesleyan, a team that had been their nemesis in the previous two seasons. When the final whistle blew, No. 2 Tufts had avenged the demon, blowing out No. 6 Wesleyan 15–4. The Jumbos handed the Cardinals their first double-digit loss since the 2022 NESCAC tournament. This victory held extra meaning for the Jumbos, who were playing “Scooter’s Game” in honor of their late teammate Madie Nicpon, whose number they wear on the shoulders of their jerseys.
The much-anticipated matchup started off very evenly. After a turnover on the first Jumbo possession, the Cardinals quickly scored, thanks to an incisive cut from their first-team All-American midfielder Kiara Tangney. The Jumbos responded a minute later when junior attacker Allie Zorn scored her 29th goal of the season on a free-position chance, which pushed her past the century mark for career goals. The two teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the quarter. A goal a few minutes later from senior midfielder Ella Lesperance gave the Jumbos a lead before Tangney’s second goal tied the game minutes later. Finally, with four minutes left in the quarter, senior midfielder Caroline Conaghan gave the Jumbos a 3–2 lead, one they would not relinquish.
The second quarter belonged almost exclusively to the Jumbos, who controlled every draw of the quarter as part of a 7–1 run
that turned the tight game into a Tufts blowout. In the quarter, Conaghan recorded her second goal of the day; senior attacker Margie Carden recorded her first of the day and 26th of the season; and Zorn grabbed two women-up goals to complete her first-half hat trick and send the Jumbos to the halftime break with an 8–3 lead, after senior goalie Pascale de Buren committed an own goal on a bizarre play toward the end of the quarter.
In the second half, the Jumbos showed more of the same, quickly putting the game away. They continued to be unstoppable at the draw circle, at one point keeping the Cardinals from winning a draw control for more than 30 minutes
of game time. Additionally, they implemented to great effect a 10-women ride for the first time all season. Not having any film of head coach Courtney Shute’s new defense before the game, the Cardinals panicked and struggled on clear attempts, failing seven of their 22 tries while committing 19 turnovers. This increased the frustration felt on the Cardinal sideline as discipline became an issue down the stretch, with the Cardinals being called for 33 fouls to the Jumbos’ eight, with five different Cardinals being carded and with the Jumbos scoring on three of their four women up opportunities. In the midst of their dominance in the gritty part of the game, the Jumbos
In Photos: Signs of Spring
hit the Cardinals with another 7–1 run to end the game, as the Cardinals were only able to manage five total shots in the second half, while the Jumbos had 15. Zorn led the Jumbos’ scoring with four goals; four teammates (Lesperance, Conaghan, graduate student midfielder Emma Joyce and junior midfielder Elsa Schutt) finished with two apiece.
The Jumbos’ success can be directly correlated with their dominance at the draw circle, winning 17 of 22 draws on the day, with graduate student midfielder Madeline Delaney recording eight draw controls and senior midfielder Genna Gibbons adding five more to bring her team-leading total to 73.
Conaghan explained the draw unit’s dominance from the center circle.
“They just focus on each individual rep at a time,” Conaghan said. “They don’t get ahead of themselves, they don’t think about past reps, they only focus on … getting their body to the ball, not on the other team.”
Conaghan received the honor of wearing the retired No. 2 jersey in honor of Nicpon for Scooter’s Game.
“It’s a huge honor. She was such a special person, the best teammate you’ll ever have,” Conaghan said. “Our goal going into today was to channel her energy, her joy and her passion for the game, and that’s exactly what we did.”
Riley Daniel Staff Writer
COURTESY TUFTS ATHLETICS
Members of the Tufts women's lacrosse team are pictured on Saturday.
