Editor’s note: The Daily’s editorial department acknowledges that this article is premised on a conflict of interest. This article is a special feature for Commencement 2026 that does not represent the Daily’s standard journalistic practices.
When graduating senior Chloe Nacson-Schechter arrived at Tufts, she came in with a game plan: She wanted to join the Daily.
“I knew about the Daily before I came to Tufts,” she said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and it seemed like a really cool thing. So, I joined a bunch of sections.”
Ultimately, it was the Video section that stuck for Nacson-Schechter, and although she lacked familiarity with using a camera, she dove in wholeheartedly and quickly gained hands-on experience from mentors like Julia Carpi (LA’25).
“I’ve always been interested in video production, but [I had] never gotten a chance to get my hands on a camera and try it out,” she said. “The Daily made it very accessible for me. [Before the Daily,] I had never touched editing software or really a camera, and then suddenly, I was doing both of those things.”
One early project that she worked on was a video where Tufts professors read their Rate My Professor reviews.
“That was really fun to work on. It felt like I planned it from … start to finish. I got all the gear … and did all the editing,” she said. “It turned out really awesome, and I got to talk to people who I wouldn’t have met otherwise … and getting to work on a creative project was really cool. I just liked getting to see something through, and learning all the new technology and editing platforms.”
Her involvement soon became a steady and meaningful part of her routine.
“Every week, those Video section meetings with the same people started to become really important to me, and a really happy part of my week,” she said.
At the end of her first year, she applied to take on a leadership role as executive video editor. In that position, she gained a deeper understanding of the work behind each project.
“People [don’t] understand how much goes into producing a video, like setting up the cameras and the sound and then making sure you have the right shot,” she said. “To work on [a] video, you have to be very detail-oriented, [while] also keeping in mind the big picture of how an audience member is [going to] watch this.”
Her journey led her to the Managing Board as an associate editor. Although the transition brought difficulties, she found support in her peers.
“I was a little nervous coming into that semester … but I [received] a lot of support [from] my Managing Board,” she said. “It never really felt like a chore. I was definitely overwhelmed sometimes with the amount of time [I] had to dedicate to the Daily, but it was also something I wanted to do.”
Her academic path evolved alongside her extracurricular involvement.
“Before coming to Tufts, I said I was going to be a history and political science double major,” she said. “I’m currently a psychology major and minoring in film and media studies. So it did not go according to plan.”
Her work at the Daily has also helped her develop skills in management, organization and communication.
“When I was on the Managing Board, there [were] just so many things [I needed] to do, and [I needed] to communicate with so many people in order to get these things done,” she said.
The Daily was also very important to her socially, she emphasized. It allowed her to make countless lifelong friends as well as grow as a person.
“Coming into college, I feel I was a completely different person,” she said. “I grew so much.”
With graduation approaching, Nacson-Schechter is still considering her next steps.
“I’m feeling torn between two career paths. I feel this passion for journalism and media and video, [but] I also am passionate about psychology and education,” she said.
Looking to the future, she is keeping an open mind.
“I know it’s all gonna work out,” she said.
