On the evening of December 10, Wellesley College seniors who have finished their degree requirements this month gathered with their friends and families in the ballroom of Alumnae Hall for a ceremony to celebrate their achievements. President Paula Johnson, Sheilah Shaw Horton, vice president and dean of students, and Kelly Lewis, one of the class deans, were among those delivering remarks. Soo Lee ’25, president of the 2025 Class Council, also gave a heartfelt address to her fellow classmates.
“This institution was built on the belief that education is not just about personal achievement, but about equipping individuals to make a meaningful impact on the world,” said Lee. “Carry Wellesley’s mission with you. Use your voice to advocate for others, your skills to solve present challenges, and your empathy to build stronger communities. The world needs the kind of leadership and compassion that each of you embody.”
Melissa Jo Zambrana ’15, assistant director of alumnae engagement for the Wellesley College Alumnae Association and a December finisher herself, also spoke at the ceremony. It was Zambrana who, in December 2015, emailed the deans requesting some kind of celebratory event for students graduating in December. Two days later, she was invited to the send-off that she helped create.
“I wrote, ‘There should be some event in which a number of important people acknowledge that my time at Wellesley as a student has come or will soon be coming to an end and it will all be OK,’” she told the graduates. “I could have never imagined that my request to cry into cake would turn into all of this and that I would be one of those important people speaking and celebrating all of your accomplishments nearly a decade later.”
After humorously assuring students that they can choose which class year to associate with (or opt for both), Zambrana encouraged them to stay involved with the Wellesley community: “You are finally joining this incredible network of Wellesley alums that you’ve heard about since before you even came to Wellesley. It is now your turn to make your mark. How will you contribute?” She mentioned multiple ways alums can remain connected, including by mentoring students and joining their local Wellesley clubs.
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President Paula Johnson (center) and Provost Courtney Coile (left) were on hand to read names and congratulate the graduates. -
Family and friends attended the event to celebrate the class of 2024.5
Many December finishers said they felt a mix of emotions as they walked across the stage. Smitha Bhagavatula ’25, who majored in neuroscience with a minor in psychology, said she was both excited and nervous to enter this next chapter of her life. Despite the fatigue that comes with a typical semester at Wellesley, she said, “I genuinely enjoyed my time at Wellesley, and I will be missing it.”
Bhagavatula is celebrating by knocking off as many things from her Wellesley bucket list as she can. She is excited to apply for positions in research labs and hopes to eventually begin a Ph.D. in neuroscience as she begins her journey toward landing her dream job: teaching neuroscience at Wellesley.
Jennifer Lee ’25, a neuroscience major, was in a similar place. “I feel a lot of emotions right now, mainly excitement,” she said. “I also feel a little bit of sadness, but that’s expected, of course, because I feel like this place has become my home and I’m leaving a lot of people who have basically become my family.” Lee has also been focused on crossing things off her bucket list as a way to commemorate her undergraduate experience and spending time with friends.
Lee added that she will absolutely take forward with her after Wellesley the confidence being in this community has given her. She struggled with imposter syndrome throughout high school, she said, but at Wellesley, studying science with her sibs, she developed a solid sense of confidence in her own abilities. “[I realized that] I have all these people here to support me. And … they’re brilliant themselves,” she said. “If I come to Wellesley thinking that I’m not brilliant, with all these brilliant people—then that just doesn’t make any sense.
In her address, Johnson emphasized the importance of confidence in one’s knowledge and abilities, not only for each student individually but for the communities they are about to join. “The self-assurance, the knowledge, and the ability to work across difference that you’ve gained at Wellesley will provide you with the tools and the skills you need to find success and personal fulfillment,” she said. “But this all comes with responsibility. Today, I hope you’ll commit yourselves to use all that you’ve learned to help tackle stubborn obstacles to progress. … We need you, not just your skills and experiences, but your character, your courage and your compassion.”
