Senior Dinner at Gifford House

As I've often said, one of my favorite aspects of Tufts is that no student falls through the insitutional cracks--i.e., everyone has the opportunity to feel welcomed into an inclusive community.

Each spring, President Lawrence Bacow and his wife, Adele Fleet Bacow, invite seniors to dine with them at their residence, Gifford House. On eight separate nights, they open up their home to graduating students and active Tufts alumni and trustees, encouraging individuals to break bread, network, and share their fondest college memories.

I've trekked up Packard Ave past Gifford House myriad times over the past four years, but tonight was the first time I crossed the threshold. My friends and I had been looking forward to Senior Dinners ever since we were freshmen. If Tufts were Disney World, Gifford House would be the equivalent of Cinderella's Castle. It's that hallowed and imposing!

So we signed up for the same Senior Dinner night and spent several hours eating falafel and baklava, chatting up recent successful alums, and remembering the wonderful times we've had at Tufts.

On several occasions, I spoke with President Bacow. At one point, he gave me a mini tour of the considerable art collection housed onsite. The Tufts University Permanent Art Collection at Gifford House includes works by Joan Miro, John Singer Sargent, Grant Wood, Henry Moore, Helen Frankenthaler, and Auguste Rodin, to name a few artists!

The Bacows spoke at the podium before inviting several recent alums to briefly speak about their careers and what Tufts has taught them. Following this, seniors were invited to espouse their favorite memories. The anecdotes were funny, inspiring, and as varied as the speakers themselves. I even worked up the courage to share a Tufts story from freshman year!

As we headed back to the coatroom, we were handed pamphlets about how to become active Tufts alumni and the contact information for the professionals with whom we had networked. In all, it was a really enjoyable evening that lived up to the high expectations I had had for the past four years!

Most of all, I loved that I was able to share it with friends whom I have known since my first semester at Tufts!