Cups of sparkling cider sat on a long table, awaiting the toast to be given to celebrate success. On another table, cupcakes drew the attention of the younger friends and family members. A third held trinkets like keychains and pendants, tiny emblems of accomplishment.
The December Finishers ceremony, now in its 10th year, recognizes students who complete the requirements for their Wellesley College degree at the end of the fall semester. It doesn’t replace commencement, but it does provide a platform for acknowledging achievements that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.
Speakers at the December 10 program included President Paula A. Johnson; co-class presidents Claire Schultz ’26 and Vivian Lee ’26; Maryellen Kiley, associate dean of students for academic integration and advising; and members of the Wellesley College Alumnae Association.
Friends, family, and community members arrived with flowers and joy. Kiley captured the festive mood in her remarks, saying she understood that a wide range of journeys brought students to this point. “We know some of you have transferred into Wellesley,” she said. “Some of you came to Wellesley and took a look at options and returned. Some of you are Davis Scholars. Some of you are accelerated, and you’re ending early.” Each path, she said, holds value: “[W]hatever your path, whatever your story, we’re glad you’re here tonight, and we’re really excited to celebrate you.”
The ceremony was small but filled with warmth on the cold evening, and it felt quintessentially Wellesley in its ability to create a space of comfort. As Lee reflected, these “small moments of togetherness are what define the Wellesley experience.”
“You have what it takes to succeed and to embrace a life of purpose that is characteristic of Wellesley graduates.”
Schultz and Lee encouraged them to acknowledge the unsettled, shifting feelings about what lies ahead. “Wellesley asks you to lean into discomfort, to listen, to stretch yourself and challenge those around you,” Lee said. They reminded their classmates that Wellesley “asks you to be kind in a world that can be unkind, and to believe in justice when that feels unfair, and somehow, miraculously, it gives you people who are friendly, passionate, and committed to being good and doing good.”
December finisher Min Jeong (Rachel) Seo ’26 shared that although she was sad to leave her friends a semester early, “it’s not a forever goodbye but a ‘See you soon.’” Now, she said, is the time “to go on to my future.”
Erin Corcoran ’13, assistant vice president for alumnae relations and global engagement, echoed that sentiment: “Enjoy celebrating this moment at the end of your Wellesley student experience, knowing that this is just the beginning of Wellesley. You will discover all the ways that this community will continue to support you and the ways that you make a difference in the lives of others.”
Mukhlisabona Nematova ’25 walked at graduation last spring and came back for the fall both to finish her major requirements and “because I liked being seen here, and I’m grateful that I got to have another semester of experiences.” She reminded everyone that “the journey itself—that’s great,” and that’s what matters most.
As students discover what awaits them in the world beyond college, they will carry a confidence shaped by their time on campus that Johnson said proves “you have what it takes to succeed and to embrace a life of purpose that is characteristic of Wellesley graduates.”
Sheilah Shaw Horton, vice president and dean of students, had the honor of toasting the class of 2025.5, as it is unofficially known, recognizing that these graduates forged their own ways forward. “The Wellesley student community is richer for it,” she said, adding that the “knowledge and skill, resilience and courage that you’ve cultivated at Wellesley helped you grow in your commitment to social justice, to personal wellness, and to making a difference in the world.”
Cheers to the class of 2025.5!