Distinction

In each of the past three springs, just as the Fletcher admissions process wrapped up, I’ve started reading nominations for the Tufts Distinction Awards.  It’s a heart-warming but challenging activity — even more selective than choosing Fletcher’s new students.  Submitting a nomination is a genuinely kind act, and the nominations themselves are a pleasure to read.  The awards program offers an opportunity for an above-and-beyond thank you for above-and-beyond work.

There were quite a lot of Fletcher nominations this year — written by students, staff, and faculty, individually and in groups, on behalf of professors, staff members and teams.  That Fletcher is somewhat over-represented in the overall pool says something wonderful about this place — we spend our days in a community where people know and respect each other.  (The other even more over-represented division of the University is the Cummings School, which seems a lot like Fletcher with cats, dogs, and cows thrown in.)

This was definitely my last year on the selection committee, which means I can start writing my own nominations next year.  But first, this year’s winners will be notified and then celebrated in June.