Of the more than 1,200 seniors graduating this year, only one will be selected to receive the prestigious Wendell Phillips Award and given the opportunity to speak at graduation. As of Friday, the list of award candidates has been narrowed to eight.
The Committee on Student Life (CSL), the student/faculty body that selects the candidates, notified eight students of their selection last Friday. This year, the committee chose seniors Tommy Calvert, Michael Ferenczy, Seren Levinson, Jesse Levey, Alethea Pieters, Erin Ross, Michele Shelton, and Anoop Swaminath.
On Monday, March 4, the finalists will give a three- to five-minute speech at a public event in Ballou's Coolidge room.
The topic will be a response to one of two observations made by Phillips, the famed Boston orator who championed the cause of abolition and women's suffrage in the late 19th century. "Seldom ever was any knowledge given to keep, but to impart; the grace of this rich jewel is lost in concealment," is one option; the other: "The best education in the world is that got by struggling to get a living." Candidates will explain how education will be a part of their efforts to make a difference in society.
The Wendell Phillips winner also receives a monetary award of approximately $400.
All seniors may apply for the honor, and many of them receive nominations. The CSL reviews all applicants, who tend to be influential leaders on campus. Last year's winner was Thea Lavin, a former organizer of Tufts Students Against Discrimination (TSAD).
The award was established in Phillip's honor in 1896 by a memorial fund association. Winning students are selected based on their speaking abilities as well as their sense of public service and social activism. Harvard University shares the honor with Tufts - each school selects one winner annually.
