The Year in Pictures

Over the course of the past year, the staff of Tufts Photo has shot thousands of photographs on the Medford/Somerville, Boston and Grafton campuses—from the joy of Match Day at the medical school to the poignancy of move-in day for undergraduates, from the struggle of making it to the finish line at the Boston Marathon to the fierce competition on the soccer field.

We asked our photographers to choose their favorite images—and tell us why. Below is a small sample of their work, ranging from sports to alumni events and many things in between.

To see more of the year’s photos, go to the Tufts Now homepage, and click on the “Photos” tab in the middle of the page. Also be sure to check out the team’s Spotlight photos on Tufts Now.

A Happy Match

On Match Day, March 16, a joyful School of Medicine couple celebrate their future residencies near each other. Michael Blea, M12, was matched with Tufts Medical Center, and Terra Cederroth, M12, with Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital. Photo: Alonso Nichols

“Match Day is always full of emotion. These medical students have reached a major milestone in their careers. The contents of that envelope indicate where their lives and careers are going. In the case of this couple, it was a joyful instant of matching in the residency of choice and remaining in the same area.”—Alonso Nichols

Hard on the Brain

Philip Chan, M15, consults books and model skulls as he studies for his gross anatomy final exam in the anatomy classroom at the School of Medicine on April 10. Photo: Emily Zilm

“One of the great common struggles every first-year medical student goes through is gross anatomy, so when I was assigned to document medical student life, I knew I had to find a way to capture that. I made about a dozen frames with a similar composition as Phil worked on memorizing parts of the skull, but this single expression really said it all.”—Emily Zilm

A Marathon Soak

Local children at Mile 9 of the Boston Marathon squirt Joe Lessard, E12, of the Tufts Marathon Team with water guns on April 16. Photo: Alonso Nichols

“It was incredibly hot for April here in Massachusetts. With temperatures in the 80s, about 16 percent of registered runners opted out of the race. When I saw the kids with their water guns, I had a feeling there could be some fun reaction coming up. Joe Lessard and the other runners were very happy to get some relief from the heat.”—Alonso Nichols

Making Music

Nate Harada, E14, demonstrates his in-progress app called Impact for the School of Engineering’s music apps for iPad course during class on April 26. Photo: Kelvin Ma

“As much as technology has become part of our lives, it’s rare that we get to see how that hot new app gets created. When I was invited to Ming Chow’s computer science class on developing iPad music apps, I really didn’t know what to expect. I was treated to a whole host of innovative ways of making music, but this one, called Impact, stood out in particular, with users drawing their own drum pads. It certainly helped that the demonstration was rigged up to an overhead projector to make for a cool backdrop.”— Kelvin Ma

Smile!

Alumni gather for pictures during the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine reunion in Boston on May 5. Photo: Emily Zilm

“The picture-of-a-picture concept isn’t new. In fact, I’ve probably made it too many times. But this is one of my favorite pictures from this year because it captures the spirit of the event so vividly. The two photographers’ arms create a frame that draws you into the couple being photographed. The Tufts dental community loves to smile, and there’s such an energy about them that really comes through in this photo.”—Emily Zilm

Something to Celebrate

Catherine Dahl, D12, who was diagnosed with breast cancer during her first year of dental school, celebrates to a standing ovation from her classmates at the School of Dental Medicine’s commencement ceremony on May 20. Photo: Kelvin Ma

“Thanks to the support of her classmates, Catherine Dahl was able to complete her coursework on time, despite her health issues, and the Tufts Dental Class of 2012 made a record-breaking class gift before commencement in May in her name. The support of Dahl’s classmates was evident as they all rose for a standing ovation as she crossed the stage, and the energy under the tent that day was unforgettable.”—Kelvin Ma

Sign of the Jumbo

A contractor carries a ladder past the Jumbo shield in the main entrance of the under-construction Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center on July 26. Photo: Kelvin Ma

“Passing by the new athletic center as it was being built this summer, I thought, ‘When will this thing be done already?’ I think we’ve all been there when something is so close to being done that the only thing left to do is be impatient. That said, it was a treat when I got the assignment to walk around the Tisch Center when it was just about finished. While the assignment mostly involved photographing empty rooms and unboxed exercise equipment, I was able to snap this frame of a contractor getting ready to put some finishing touches on the main entrance.”—Kelvin Ma

Wide Open Road

Tufts faculty members Miriam Nelson, John Rush and Jeffrey Hopwood arrive at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Grafton from Medford on the first leg of a 105-mile bike tour of Tufts’ three campuses with the university’s new provost, David Harris, on Aug. 22. Photo: Alonso Nichols

“The Locust Barn in Grafton is one of the most iconic landmarks at the Cummings School. With the winding road and the blue sky, it made the perfect backdrop for the cyclists arriving all the way from Medford that morning.”—Alonso Nichols

Upstairs, Downstairs

Orientation volunteers move things in to Miller Hall for new first-year students on the morning of Aug. 29. Photo: Kelvin Ma

“For everything that happens on move-in day, it’s never as crazy as you’d think it would be. Although it seems like everyone arrives at the same time on that morning in August, at least from my point of view, it never seems like it’s overwhelming. But then again, I’m not one of the army of volunteers who help incoming freshman haul their stuff up three flights of stairs, like they’re doing here at Miller Hall. I guess we can all thank them for making move-in go as smoothly as possible.”—Kelvin Ma

First Day

Incoming undergraduate Cameron Flowers, A16, second from left, moves into his dorm room in Tilton Hall on Aug. 29. With him are his roommate’s father, Mark Burzynski, and his parents, Cynthia and Calvin. Photo: Alonso Nichols

“During move in, we spend a lot of time meeting and greetings new Tufts families. They are always gracious enough to allow me to come in their room and make pictures while they negotiate about where to move the beds, plug in computers and hang posters. I always hope that at some point, they will forget that my two cameras and I are there so that I can catch some natural moment of this interaction.”—Alonso Nichols

Father and Son

New undergraduate Noa Yee, A16, from Hawaii, talks to his mother on the phone while sitting among the trees at Alex’s Place on the Tisch Library roof with his father, Ian Yee, before the matriculation ceremony for the Class of 2016 on Aug. 29. Photo: Emily Zilm

“This was the third time I’ve photographed Tufts’ matriculation. During lunch on the President’s Lawn, I decided to step away from the crowd, hoping to find something fresh. I knew it could be a risky move and that I might end up empty-handed. It definitely paid off, though, when I stumbled upon this quiet father-son moment, talking to mom an ocean away. It’s the kind of significant moment that a family will remember for years to come, so characteristic of the experience of moving away to college. I’m glad I walked off the beaten path and was able to capture it.”—Emily Zilm

Presidential Welcome

President Anthony P. Monaco greets students at the 2012 matriculation ceremony on Aug. 29. Photo: Kelly Benvenuto

“There are certain pictures you know you need to make for an institution like Tufts. President Monaco, in full academic regalia surrounded by students, is one such picture. At matriculation, I was in the right place at the right time, and everything lined up for this one frame.”—Kelly Benvenuto

Running in Place

Running on treadmills at the newly opened Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center on Sept. 19. Photo: Emily Zilm

“When the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center opened this year, it was important for our department to document. Most of us at Tufts Photo took several trips, from the construction through the opening, and even afterwards. I like how the symmetry of this image reflects how well crafted the facility is and how the three runners facing the afternoon sun evoke a sense of moving forward.”—Emily Zilm

Democracy Rules

Charlie Hegstad, A14, helps fellow students register to vote at Dewick Dining Hall on Sept. 24. Photo: Alonso Nichols

“There are times when it can be difficult to see how an assignment will yield a strong image, even though the subject is newsworthy. When voter registration came up, I thought, ‘How am I going to make something interesting out of people at a table?’ As I looked down the row of students, I noticed that both sides created a pattern and, in the center, they had a map of the red and blue states set up. The elements all came together.”—Alonso Nichols 

Almost, But Not Quite

Soccer forward Allie Weiller, A16, narrowly avoids a collision during the Jumbos’ 4–0 victory over Suffolk University on Oct. 3. Photo: Alonso Nichols

“Soccer has become one of my favorite sports to photograph. There is a tremendous intensity and physicality in the action. It’s great to see that Tufts students are passionate about both their athletic pursuits and their academic endeavors. My nine-year-old niece, Joli Vega, has been paired up with the Tufts women’s soccer team through Team IMPACT. She thinks that these women are great, and so do I.”—Alonso Nichols 

A Study in Concentration

Tufts tight end Nick Kenyon, A13, poses for a portrait on the practice field on Oct. 4. Photo: Kelvin Ma

“The 2012 season was not kind to the football team. In the middle of what would be a winless season, I was asked to photograph Nick Kenyon for the cover of the Jumbo admissions magazine. Despite the struggles the team faced this fall, Kenyon still brought an intensity and quiet dignity to his portrait session that I thought reflected well on him as one of the better receivers for the Jumbos. The cover ran in color, but I prefer the photo in black and white to better focus on Kenyon’s eyes.”—Kelvin Ma

Sea of Faces

The School of Medicine’s Class of 2016. Photo: Kelvin Ma

“Of course, our job doesn’t always involve hanging out at the coolest or biggest events on campus. Sometimes it involves the more mundane, like photographing 200-plus medical students in a span of two hours for their first-year orientation. When you look at all of the faces on a single page like this, there’s a certain artistic quality to the contact sheet as a whole . . . or maybe I’ve just done one too many of these!”—Kelvin Ma