Sophomore year began in a whirlwind for some members of the Class of 2008, as students returned to Tufts in the wake of the deadly and destructive Hurricane Katrina. Tufts responded in kind; the university welcomed over 40 displaced students from Tulane University, and a host of groups and departments at Tufts pitched in to help with the rebuilding effort.
Tisch Library raised over $1,000 to help buy books and supplies for Southern University of New Orleans' waterlogged library, and about 100 students traveled south during their winter breaks to provide relief in areas affected by the hurricane in a trip sponsored by the Leonard Carmichael Society. A similar trip, run by the Tufts Christian Fellowship, brought a smaller group of students to the area during spring break, and Theta Chi and the Leonard Carmichael Society sold beads to raise money for relief.
As Tufts gained 40 new Jumbos from the south (and Dean of Arts and Sciences Robert Sternberg from Yale), it mourned the losses of other members of its community. Senior Boryana Damyanova, a Bulgarian international relations and economics double-major who was known for her intelligence and creativity, was struck and killed by two vehicles near Powderhouse Circle as she departed for her Thanksgiving break.
In the spring, Tufts lost Elizabeth Van Huysen Mayer who served as Tufts' "first lady" from 1976 to 1992. Mayer, after whom the Campus Center is named, was active in community service as a member of the Tufts community. The university also mourned two of its faculty members, as Professor of Computer Science Jim Schmolze and Professor of Physics David Weaver both passed away in February.
Despite these losses, 2005-2006 was a landmark year for Tufts. The university received what was the largest donation in its history, a $100-million gift from alumni and eBay founders Pam (LA '89) and Pierre (LA '88) Omidyar that founded the Omidyar-Tufts Microfinance Fund. Later in the year, alumnus Jonathan Tisch (A '76) gave the university a $40-million gift of his own, which was put toward the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service.
As these large donations were pouring in, Tufts was constructing Sophia Gordon Hall, the flashy, environmentally friendly dormitory that would become Tufts' crown jewel when it opened the following year.
In the spring, Tufts temporarily wondered that it might lose yet another member of its community - none other than President Lawrence Bacow - when rumors arose that he was among the top candidates for Harvard's newly available presidential post (which had just been abandoned by Lawrence Summers, who infamously made public comments about gender roles that were perceived as sexist). Bacow assured the campus that he would not be leaving, and shortly thereafter Harvard appointed Drew Gilpin Faust to the position.
The Harvard rumors were not the only president-related storyline of the year, as ex-presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) spoke on campus about the future of the Democratic party. "You are the grassroots," he told the students in attendance. "You are the future of politics."
Kerry was just one of a multitude of esteemed figures who delivered political lectures throughout the year. Tufts also welcomed State Senate candidate Samiyah Diaz (LA '99), Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Mass.), Democratic National Committe Vice Chair Susan Turnbull, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Columbia Professor Rashid Khalidi, Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi and Saudi Arabian Ambassador Turki Al-Faisal, to name a few.
As always, students finished out the year with spring fling - and for once, mother nature was kind to the Class of 2008. After missing two headliners in a row due to rain, students finally had the chance to see a full concert, as The Slip, Blackalicious and alumni band Guster rocked the President's Lawn.
