The Tufts Alumni Association (TAA) honored 13 seniors for their achievement at Tufts during their four years on campus at its annual ceremony last Saturday.
TAA President Bill O'Reilly (LA '77) gave awards to seniors Jennifer S. Brown, Leslie Crofton, Sarah Deeb, Patrick Girvin, Andrew Maclennan, Randee McArdle, Carmen Mikacenic, David Moon, Benjamin Oshlag, Moira Poe, Greg Propper, Jason Wang, and Margery Yeager.
As a group, the award winners represent a diverse mix of interests and activities, ranging from political activism to performing arts and sports teams. Nominated by faculty and administrators, the recipients are considered for academic achievement, participation in campus and community activities, leadership skills, and potential for future alumni leadership and service.
Moon recently finished his year as Tufts Community Union Senate president, and has been lauded for his ability to accomplish his goals and reduce senate infighting. In addition to his work on the Senate, Moon has served as a peer leader for the Experimental College's Explorations program. Moira Poe, whose active Senate career culminated in a run for president last year, coordinated the Omidyar Scholar award program, has been active in the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS), and has served as a campus tour guide.
Also active in the Senate, Margery Yeager has led this year's effort to organize the Culture Coordinating Committee, while helping to coordinate April Open House and teaching through the Explorations program. "I have really enjoyed my four years here at Tufts, and I only regret not getting more involved earlier," Yeager said.
Greg Propper, another politically active recipient, has been involved in a plethora of activities on campus. He has served as president of the Tufts Democrats, and has been active in LCS, Tufts University Television (TUTV), and the University College of Citizenship and Public Service. "Tufts has helped me to realize that there are equally as important, if not more important, things in life than earning a living, such as being a good citizen, making positive change, and being actively involved in the community," Propper said.
Jason Wang and Ben Oshlag represent the campus media; both have spent much of their years at Tufts in Curtis Hall, with Wang helping to produce shows on TUTV and Oshlag serving as Editor-in-Chief of The Tufts Daily. In addition, Wang has taught an Explorations class titled "Creating Television," and Oshlag is a former general board member at Tufts Hillel.
Jennifer Brown has served as artistic director of Sarabande and is a child development and psychology double major. She has also worked with the Tufts-Malden Summer Literacy Program. Next year, Brown plans to relocate to Italy, where she will conduct a study on the integration of non-native Italian speaking children into the Italian school system.
Though Andrew MacLennan's years on campus were in large part consumed by his involvement in the performing arts - he participated in both the Chamber singers and various drama department productions - upon graduation he plans to teach science for two years in the Peace Corps. "The senior award ceremony tonight was a wonderful reminder that attending Tufts isn't just a path to get a piece of paper, but it's also membership in a larger family," MacLennan said.
As head of Tufts Dance Collective this year, Patrick Girvin has helped the organization grow in popularity among both dancers and audiences. He has also been a member of the diving team for four years.
Leslie Crofton and Sarah Deeb are tri-captains of the women's track team, and both will be competing next month in the Division I National Championships. This year they helped lead the indoor team to an impressive 12th-place finish at the New England Championships. Both Crofton and Deeb were chosen for the NESCAC All-Academic Team in recognition of their hard work in the classroom. Next year, Deeb plans to study education at Tufts Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and revisit the track team as a graduate assistant.
Also tri-captains, Randee McArdle and Carmen Mikacenic helped lead the women's soccer team to its first ever NCAA Championship game, hosted at Tufts this past fall. McArdle also serves as co-captain of the softball team and appreciates the unique experience Tufts has given her to participate in both sports. "I'm truly grateful to have had the opportunity to play multiple sports, something I could not have done at a Division I or II school."
Award recipients receive a set of Light on the Hill books, a certificate and citation, and a place on the list of Alumni who have received the award since its inception in 1955.
