Gianna Zuccotti ’88

​​I arrived at Wellesley from NYC, a liberal, Italian/WASP focused on Europe. I didn't know there were people my age who were religious, unabashedly pro-American, Republican, and undecided about the legality of abortion. My freshman roommate was all of these, and brilliant. After a misaligned first semester, we found each other and realized our similarities were far deeper than our differences. She became my best friend, my spiritual guide. Her family became mine. Our careers converged. She trained as an architect and then a hospital chaplain. I became a physician. Both of us cared for dying patients. We gravitated towards the middle and today share most beliefs.

Wellesley made us believe we could achieve anything. It taught us to look deeper than the surface to connect with people and to use those connections to change lives and deaths. To Wellesley and Katharine, my friend of 40 years, thank you.