Class of 2024 Prepares for Year’s End with Softball, BBQ, and Thesis Draft-Burning

With their Senior Theses finally behind them, members of the Class of 2024 have turned to celebrating their last few weeks at TAC-New England, starting Saturday with the annual All-College Barbeque, the Senior-Tutor Softball Game, and the Senior Thesis Draft-Burning.

Seniors gathered on Kaiser Field in the mid-afternoon, ready to play ball. They batted first and earned the first two points of the game, though the tutors caught up quickly with three runs in a row. Not to be outdone, the seniors gave it their all, scoring two two-run home runs in two innings. However, with heavy hitters such as Dr. Paul Shields and Dr. Taylor O’Neill on the tutor team, the faculty ultimately came out on top, with a final score of 13-7.

After the game, dinner was served in front of Bl. Frassati Student Center. Director of Food Services Tim Cosgrove had spent the previous two days roasting two huge pigs, resulting in a dinner of delicious pulled pork and chicharrónes for the entire community, alongside grilled corn on the cob and orzo salad. For dessert, students and faculty were treated to homemade maple walnut ice cream, featuring the campus’s own maple syrup.

To finish off the night, faculty and seniors joined together once more for the customary Senior Theis draft-burning party at Wilson House. Dean Steven Cain read a short poem to start off the ceremony. Then, one by one, the seniors stepped forward and said a few words, thanking their advisors before dropping a stack of papers into the fire as all cheered. 

“I’d like to thank all the tutors I’ve had over these four years, who have given me the materials to prepare for this thesis,” said Megan Conrad (’24). “It's been such a wonderful journey, and I’m glad I’ve gotten to spend all this time with the people in my class.”