Lasell. Right. Now.

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Lasell. Right. Now.

By Michael Curran '26 | Photos by Todd Dionne

Hi! I'm Michael Curran.

I'm a senior communication major from nearby Woburn, Massachusetts. During my four years at Lasell University, I've enhanced my college experience by serving as an orientation leader for incoming students and as editor-in-chief of our student-run newspaper, The 1851 Chronicle.

As Lasell celebrates 175 years since its founding, I wanted to showcase what our students are doing and give you a snapshot of what life is like at Lasell today.

Sophomore Colin Roderick kept to himself during his first semester but is much more involved in campus life now. "I feel like I really started to flourish socially, going with people to [Valentine] Dining Hall and just seeing people around campus. And it really pushed me to actually apply for more leadership roles."

Roderick became a resident assistant, orientation leader, and peer mentor, and credits his campus support systems for encouraging him to move outside his comfort zone.

Colin Roderick '28

"I think the transition to college started off slow but really flourished because of the community that surrounded me."

First-year Kate Marino shares that in the first semester, Lasell puts students' personal needs first, which eases the transition to college life. "Lasell made it very easy. Our professors were very understanding, knowing that we were first-years," she said.

"My advisor, Katrina Daly, asked, 'How are you doing? How is your transition to college?' She didn't really ask about my grades at first," adds Marino.

Marino felt welcomed by upperclassmen in her major, who turned out to be teammates on the women's lacrosse team.

Kate Marino '29

"I think it's a lot easier transitioning to college being on a sports team. I just had an immediate group of friends."

Michael's Takeaway:

For me, transitioning to a new environment and meeting new people from different backgrounds seemed daunting, but as I met more and more people, I realized they had similar interests and were anxious to make friends. I've been able to foster relationships with my peers and staff members. It is a special aspect of our campus that I will never forget.

Roderick has noticed this, too. "There are so many staff who are really caring, and truly here to support you."

He feels empowered to make a different at Lasell. "It might be naive, but I put a lot of trust in the institution. If you're a self-advocate for change, you can really create it," he says.

Senior Juan Susa was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, then studied at a community college in Kansas, transferred to the now-closed Eastern Nazarene College, and finally settled at Lasell as his home.

"I thought about the U.S. like what you see from the movies: the big house parties, the university life. So it was different coming to Lasell."

Since transferring to Lasell in 2024, Susa has become a resident assistant and joined the track and field team—experiences that have been highlights of his time here.

Juan Susa '26

“I think the RAs are a really interesting community of people that Lasell is able to bring together with different personalities, different views, different perspectives. That’s really cool."

Susa never imagined participating in track meets at Harvard, MIT, or at The Track at New Balance. “It’s something I will always remember,” he says.

Roderick has also relished his time as an NCAA Division 3 athlete. He’s found a community in his second year with the squad.

“I’ve been really giddy because of the future of the track team and the culture we’re trying to build,” he says. “Sometimes they call the D3 level an advanced hobby because there’s less pressure, but there’s so much support. If you’re feeling down, they [your teammates] really do pick you up. And when you succeed, the team is proud of you, but they also know you can do more, too.”

Many Lasell students interact with the community at Lasell Village, our oncampus senior living community. Susa works as a dining shift leader there and enjoys interacting with residents who come from all different walks of life.

“They are really accomplished people,” he says. “Some of them were professors at well-known schools, top professionals in their field, and they are really smart. It’s really cool to chat with them, and I wish there was even more involvement between the two communities; they would benefit a lot from each other.”

Senior Ella Rivera credits the resources on campus for helping her grow. “The [Counseling Center staff] really helped me a lot, especially when I was having difficult times freshman year,” she says. She also credits the Office of Student Activities and Orientation with helping her explore different leadership roles.

Ella Rivera '26

“Being able to go to campus events, not even to network, but just to talk to people my age who are experiencing the same things as me, is really helpful."

Michael's Takeaway:

Lasell offers many opportunities for students to grow on and off campus, including a robust study abroad program. Rivera and I connected over our shared regret for not taking advantage of study abroad. I have FOMO (fear of missing out) every semester when people post their study abroad pictures.

“But that’s the price that you pay when you’re really involved on campus and you don’t want to lose that,” says Rivera, who is editor in chief of POLISHED Magazine, Lasell’s student-run culture and fashion publication. “I probably wouldn’t have [been named] student director for RUNWAY 2026 or a team lead for my School of Fashion capstone if I had gone abroad.”

Every student has their own experiences on campus, but the one thing we all know is that the opportunities to find something we are passionate about at Lasell are endless. For me, that’s been my work on the Chronicle and as an orientation leader, but also serving as a peer mentor and as secretary for the Class of 2026. My peers and I organized events for the senior class throughout the academic year and were also tasked with planning Senior Week activities leading up to our Commencement.

Junior Chloe Galipeau has embraced opportunities on campus and found creative outlets that she is passionate about, including her work on our arts magazine, Tarnished. She is also active with the new Laser Creative Studio, a for-credit, student-led creative agency; and Empty Bowls, a club that creates and sells ceramic bowls to support the Centre Street Food Pantry in Newton.

Both Galipeau and Roderick have served as peer mentors and helped first-year students transition to college life in the new First-Year Seminar. “Working with first-years has really helped me improve on the soft skills of how to talk to people and how to get them to open up,” says Roderick. “A big part of it is learning how to ask the right questions in the right way to get the most out of someone.”

Come next fall, Galipeau will take on the role of senior peer mentor and will help plan the curriculum and place peer mentors.

Chloe Galipeau '27

“I was very shy, very nervous as a first-year so once I found people I was comfortable with, I was like, ‘I think I want to do that for incoming first-years’” she says. “I care so much about people having accessible information and being comfortable, especially with a school this size, where pretty much everyone knows everyone.”

Marino, who as a first-year had the most recent adjustment to campus, voices it best: “I just feel great here. I would have never thought this transition would be so easy. This was probably one of the biggest changes of my life, and Lasell made it so easy for me. And I really do love it here.”

Michael Curran '26

"In the 175 years of Lasell’s existence, there have been many iterations of our institution. The ability of Lasell to evolve, change, and advance ensures that Lasell will be here in another 175 years. I look forward to witnessing and being part of that journey."