Inside Out

A REAL YET RANDOM, PLAYFUL YET SERIOUS SPIN AROUND CAMPUS—AND JUST BEYOND

EXCOLLEGE HIGHLIGHT: PHILOSOPHY OF KINDNESS. HOW DO WE DEFINE KINDNESS? How does it operate in our personal lives, as well as on a collective level? How can we kindle the flame of kindness in the world writ large? This line of inquiry will be structured so as to lead the class to both personal and analytical reflection(s) that uncover the importance and necessity of being kind. Under the instruction of Audrey Ledbetter ’22, students will take an in-depth look at how kindness functions in both the personal and public spheres.

A picture of the Bessie rhino statue that stands outside of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.

BESSIE: EVERYONE KNOWS of Jumbo (in fact, this magazine is named after him), but have you heard of Bessie? Bessie the Rhinoceros is the mascot of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) at Tufts. Created by Katharine Lane Weems, who attended SMFA in 1918, Bessie is named after Queen Elizabeth I and represents the longstanding legacy that SMFA students leave.

ALUMNI BOOK CLUB: TUFTS STUDENTS ARE Jumbos for life—once a Jumbo, always a Jumbo. When you graduate from Tufts, there are a multitude of ways in which you can stay connected with your home on the Hill. For some, this connection means joining the Tufts Alumni Virtual Book Club. With over 600+ members on Goodreads, Tufts alums from all over the world gather to discuss, consider, and analyze books such as Tara Westover’s Educated, J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy, Tufts alumna Ariana Neumann’s ’92 memoir When Time Stopped, and many more. Since Tufts teaches its students to think critically with a sensitivity for nuance while reading, it is no wonder that this group is filled with individuals who have great conversations about the most sensational works of literature. This community-based group is a must for all of the Tufts alums who love to read and share with others. So, grab your book and find a cozy place to get lost in the written word.

Portrait of Director Dayna Cunningham standing on the academic quad.

WELCOME TO THE HILL: DAYNA CUNNINGHAM: DAYNA CUNNINGHAM, founder and executive director of the Community Innovators Lab (CoLab) at MIT and a civil rights attorney who has devoted her career to promoting civic participation, building community partnerships, and advocating for underrepresented communities, has been named the Pierre and Pamela Omidyar Dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life. Cunningham describes her new role as “a dream job,” and we are excited to see what she will do!

BLACK JUMBO PRIDE: AS A FIRST-YEAR, Amma Agyei ’22 started her student government career as a Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senator. The next two years, she served as the Africana Community Senator, and in the spring of 2021, Amma became the first Black female president of TCU, winning 70.97% of the vote. This school year, Amma will be focusing on several goals including: reforming the Tufts Police Department so that all students feel safe on campus, adopting shadow grading, and developing more resources for first-generation, low-income, and undocumented students. Amma has a drive and determination that will take her far as president of the 2021–2022 school year. Now a member of the Black Presidents Club, which includes five alumni who served as president of the TCU Senate during their years at Tufts, Amma has undoubtedly added to the legacy of being a Black Jumbo. In the words of Africana Center Director Katrina Moore, Amma is “simply amazing” and will bring about change.

SUNDAE SUNDAYS: YOU SCREAM, I scream—I think we all scream for ice cream. A Tufts Dining staple has always been their infamous Sundae Sundays, where students get all the ice cream their hearts desire, stocked complete with a wide array of toppings and condiments (although, caramel sauce and crushed snickers are definitely the best combination). It is cold, it is delicious, it is exactly what you need when visiting Carmichael Dining Hall on a pleasant Sunday evening. Plus, nobody will tell you that you can’t have ice cream for dinner, so go ahead— indulge yourself. When you need a pick-me-up after a long weekend of studying (or need a pick-me-up before a long night of studying yet to come), Sundae Sunday is a day on which you can always rely. Grab a spoon and dig in!

Helina Metaferia stands in front of her exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts.

TUFTS TWEET: @SMFAATTUFTS A new exhibit entitled “Generations” by Helina Metaferia, MFA15 is coming to @mfaboston in November, which “centers women of color as protagonists and uses collage, video, and installation to explore how inherited trauma informs present-day experiences.” bit.ly/2RcDFUF

WHAT WE’RE READING: THE CRYING BOOK BY HEATHER CHRISTLE ’04: WHY DO WE CRY? How do we cry? And what does it mean? Heather Christle ’04 has just lost a dear friend to suicide and now must reckon with her own depression and the birth of her first child. As she faces her grief and impending parenthood, she decides to research the act of crying: what it is and why people do it, even if they rarely talk about it. Along the way, she discovers an artist who designed a frozen-tear-shooting gun and a moth that feeds on the tears of other animals. She researches tear-collecting devices (lachrymatories) and explores the role white women’s tears play in racist violence.