Wendell Phillips Address at Baccalaureate Ceremony
History of the Award
Wendell Phillips was a nineteenth-century attorney, orator, abolitionist, and advocate for women's and Native People's rights. The Wendell Phillips Address is intended to deliver a message to inspire the graduating class and all who are gathered to reflect on how a Tufts education, and specifically the experiences of the graduating senior class, might help make the world a better place through constructive civic engagement.
The Wendell Phillips Award was established in 1896. The award is given annually to a senior who demonstrates both marked ability as a speaker and a high sense of public responsibility. Selected by the Committee on Student Life, the winner is the one graduating senior invited to offer a speech as part of Commencement, and the speech takes place during the Baccalaureate Ceremony. The speech is intended to deliver a message about civic engagement in our time.
2023-2024 Nomination Process
Faculty, staff, and students may nominate seniors to apply to be the Wendell Phillips Speaker, and seniors many self-nominate. All nominated students will be invited to submit an application, including a letter of application, a resume of leadership and service activities, and a recorded speech.
Applications are reviewed by the Committee on Student Life (CSL), and the CSL will invite finalists to present brief speeches at an open forum during the spring semester in Goddard Chapel on the Medford campus. The CSL will then select the winner. This award also carries a cash prize.
The University Chaplaincy assists the CSL in the administration of the award. For more information, please contact the University Chaplain, Reverend Elyse Nelson Winger at chaplaincy@tufts.edu or 617-627-3427.
| Timeline for the 2023-2024 nomination and selection process | |
| Monday, November, 6, 2023 | Nomination form opens |
| Monday, December 11, 2023 | Nomination form closes at 11:59 p.m. ET |
| Thursday, December 14, 2023 | University Chaplaincy notifies all nominees |
| Monday, January 29, 2024 | Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET |
| Friday, February 23, 2024 | University Chaplaincy notifies all finalists and non-finalists |
| Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | Finalist auditions. All friends and family of the finalists, and anyone in the Tufts community is welcome |
| Friday, March 15, 2024 | Committee on Student Life votes, and the Wendell Phillips Speaker is chosen and notified by 5 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, May 18, 2024 | The selected finalist will speak at the 2022 Baccalaureate Ceremony |
2023 Wendell Phillips Finalists at their audition on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at Goddard Chapel
Previous Wendell Phillips Award recipients:
2023 - Isabelle Charles
2022 - René LaPointe Jameson
2021 - Atrey Bhargava
2020 - Leticia Priebe Rocha
2019 - Ria Mazumdar
2018 - Anna Del Castillo
2017 - Isabella Kahhale
2016 - Sharad Sagar
2015 - Michael Maskin
2014 - Jessica Wilson
2013 - Kristen Ford
2012 - Allister Chang
2011 - Brian Agler
2010 - David Mok
2009 - Anjali Nirmalan
2008 - Alexandra Pryor
2007 - Casey Beck
2006 - Mauricia Artinano A06
2005 - Eitan Hersh A05
2004 - Candace J. Gomez A04
2003 - Elaine P. Wang A03
2002 - Michael W. Ferenczy E02
2001 - Thea Lavin A01
2000 - Keshia Pollack J00
1999 - Alexander R. Shalom A99
1998 - Andrea D. Friedman A98
1997 - Eric A. Pliner A97
1996 - Ancy Verdier A96
1995 - Sarah L. McGinley A95
1994 - Adam Tratt A94
1993 - Randy Ravitz A93
1992 - Sharon Wachsler J92
1991 - Jonathan C. Cutler A91
1990 - Myra M. Frazier J90
1989 - Daniel A. Feldman A89
1988 - Michael D. Epstein A88