Dear Class of 2025 and the Tufts community,
Congratulations on an impressive finish to your undergraduate journey here at Tufts. All of your hard work has culminated in this moment of celebration and accomplishment. Your contributions over the years, in the classroom, on the field and in the studio, have enriched the Tufts community and our collegiate experience. Thank you.
As you reflect on your time on the Hill, I hope you can look to the pages of the Daily for a record of what you and your peers have done.
This semester, the Daily closely followed the detainment of graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk and the subsequent response from the community. We reported on activism at Tufts and within the community, student statements and judicial proceedings.
The Daily published a statement by the managing board, affirming our commitment to the First Amendment and our intention to defend independent journalism. Additionally, and importantly, you all made your voices heard. The Daily published a number of op-eds regarding the detainment authored by alumni and other members of the Tufts and surrounding communities. Looking to the future, the Daily remains committed to reporting and seeking answers on the details of the detainment.
This semester, the Daily also celebrated its 45th anniversary, examining the past 45 years with our Daily Week edition; reported on the NIH funding cuts to the university; hosted a panel in which we interviewed journalists and lawyers about student journalism and constitutional rights; and debuted a column written in Spanish, the Daily’s first non-English article. This academic year, we launched The Tufts Daily Magazine, a collection of longer-form stories crafted over many months, publishing the first and second installments at the end of the fall and spring semesters, respectively.
The Daily is the epitome of a team effort, and I know that our achievements are only made possible by our incredible leadership. I want to first thank all of the graduating seniors of the Daily — thank you for the work you have put into the Daily, your wisdom and your constant encouragement. Thank you to the executive board — Samantha, Dylan, Odessa, Gretta, Max D., Carmen, Kunal, Aaron, Lia, Rachel, Trey, Jake, Julia, Jaylin, Shea, Aisha, Josh, Evelyn, Grace L., Max A., Grace J., Max L., Matthew, Henry C., Gunnar, Josué, Julieta, Shannon, Max S., Siya, Henry B., Marlee and Arielle. Your passion and commitment are the reasons that this publication can exist. Thank you for being brave this semester and for encouraging bravery in the Daily.
Thank you to the managing board — Liam, Nate, Ellora, Erin, Alex and Claire — for your tireless leadership, advice and support. This has been an extraordinary semester, filled with unexpected challenges, and I am so grateful and glad to have faced them with you.
To the new alumni, standing on the cusp of an exciting new journey: Your Tufts education — inclusive of both a thorough study in your particular field and an exploration of a breadth of subjects — has given you the skills necessary to navigate nuance and change minds. Participating in thoughtful debate and articulately expressing one’s ideas is vital in this moment. This past semester, many alumni made a conscious effort to make their voices heard, and I hope you follow in their footsteps by submitting to the Daily through op-eds and letters to the editor.
As the year closes this May and I walk around Tufts’ campus, I see the trees have turned pink with flowers, and tulips grow at the base of lamp posts. After a long, cold winter, it finally feels like summer. To the rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors, I can't wait to see you all again in the fall. To the graduating seniors, please keep in touch!
Pax et Lux,
Arghya Thallapragada
Editor in Chief, Spring 2025
