The Lasell women’s volleyball team took home its second Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship trophy in two years in an undefeated conference season that concluded with an NCAA Division III Tournament appearance. Under the leadership of Coach Jeff Vautrin ’17, the team was nationally ranked for the first time in program history.

The team dominated the court throughout the season and the conference awards list at its conclusion, with McKenna McCool ’25 winning Player of the Year, Sydney Katz ’26 receiving Setter of the Year, and Madeline Caro ’26 being named Libero of the Year. They were joined by Eliana Baran ’25 on the All-GNAC first team. Vautrin was named Coach of the Year.

Photo by Sophia Blair Goldin

Lasell raised an all-time best $204,910 in gifts and pledges on Giving Tuesday 2024 thanks to overwhelming community support. Here are highlights from the day:

• 19% increase in total dollars from last year
• 460 gifts total
• Parents made the most gifts (134)
• Alumni contributed the most dollars ($75,213)

Lasell kicked off the fall semester with its largest incoming class in five years.

More than 400 students from 28 states and several countries, including Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and Rwanda, joined our campus community in August 2024. More than 90 percent of first-year students reside on campus.

Photo by Chloe Kinteris '23

Insight Into Diversity magazine recognized Lasell with the 2024 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for the second year in a row. Separately, an all-time high in student-voter engagement led to Lasell’s recognition as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. The institution was recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation in the 2024 election.

The Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) recognized leaders at Lasell’s WLAS Radio and LCTV stations with seven nominations for its annual awards. Owen Kwet ’25, Elliot Pototsky ’25, Will Caron ’27, Dan Newhall ’28, Emily Cerasani ’25, and faculty advisor Brian Wardyga were among the nominees.

Lasell’s growing partnership with the Museum of African American History (MAAH) was highlighted his winter when Hazel Nichol ’25 designed a custom gown for MAAH President Noelle Trent to wear at the museum’s annual Living Legends Gala. The garment was inspired by Trent’s vision of combining design elements from Bridgerton and African cultures, and its collaborative creation was highlighted in The Boston Globe.

At the December 2024 gala, student designers Bianca Branchina ’25 and Kayla Campbell ’25 were invited to showcase original garments with Lyric Miller ’25 modeling. President Eric M. Turner, Presidential Spouse Wanda Whitmore, and Provost Chrystal Porter attended the event.

Photo courtesy Dante Luna Media Group

Thanks to a generous gift from the estate of Patricia Buxton ’62, Lasell has added air conditioning to the gymnasium of the Athletic Center.

The $225,000 project also provides enhanced energy management that will allow for better control of the temperature and humidity on the court and running track. In addition to offering a more comfortable atmosphere for Lasell student-athletes and spectators, the air conditioning will permit Lasell to utilize the gym for summer sports camps.

“This increases Lasell’s opportunities to host different camps throughout the year rather than be limited to just the time when air conditioning isn't needed,” says Andrew Maylor, vice president of finance & operations and chief financial officer.

Buxton, a resident of Wellesley, Massachusetts, who died in 2022, specified in her will that her gift to Lasell should support athletics and music. Technological renovations to de Witt Hall are being planned to allow for musical performances in the venue.

The Wedeman Gallery hosted “Printmaking Perspectives,” an exhibit from Full Tilt Print Studio, from January 30 to February 22. Full Tilt is Boston’s only nonprofit cooperative printmaking studio. Works by Lasell faculty members Margo Lemieux and Alla Lazebnik (featured above) were included in the exhibit.