Results

Boston University

05/12/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/13/2026 02:45

Photo Essay: Class of 2026, Then and Now

Photo Essay: Class of 2026, Then and Now

Seniors reflect on how they've changed since their photos were taken freshman year

Commencement 2026

Photo Essay: Class of 2026, Then and Now

Seniors reflect on how they've changed since their photos were taken freshman year

May 12, 2026
Twitter Facebook

Each year, as Boston University's Commencement season approaches, we strive to find new ways to write about the graduating class. Earlier this semester, BU Today photographer Cydney Scott recalled photographing two freshmen embracing with big smiles on their faces, as they met for the first time during move-in. She wondered if that moment had been the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

Thinking about those two students, she began searching through the photo archives to find members of the Class of 2026 who had been photographed their freshman year. The result: this mini photo essay, Then and Now. Scott took new portraits of the soon-to-be graduates to run alongside the images of their freshmen selves-and asked each of them to reflect on how they'd changed during their years at BU.

Kara Mihm (COM'25)

Kara Mihm (COM'25) (left) hugs her mother, Kathleen Mihm, goodbye during move-in, September 2, 2022. Photo by Ziyu (Julian) Zhu (CGS'23)
Mihm hugs her roommate Zainab Zaman (COM'26), April 23, 2026. Mihm works as associate producer for the Say More podcast at the Boston Globe. "Even though I finished classes in December (2025), there were still a lot of 'lasts' that I wanted to savor with the people who have been with me every step of the way," she says. "Walking in the May ceremony, surrounded by those friends and my family, will be the most fitting way for me to find comfort in the closing of this chapter."

How I've grown and changed since the photo from my freshman year was taken

I feel like everyone says this, but I'm definitely more sure of myself. That first photo was after I just moved in at BU. I hadn't even seen my roommate yet. I was so nervous. "Are we gonna be friends? Who are gonna be my friends?" I'm from Pittsburgh, so home isn't super close. I couldn't go back for any comfort or normalcy. I also have a twin brother, who I had done everything with, and suddenly it was just me. But, now, almost four years later, I'm way more comfortable with uncertainty. I would even say that I now love the thrill of not knowing what life will bring next. Both then and now, there were a lot of unknowns for me. So in that way, I feel like my freshman self again. Soon I'll start a new chapter after graduation. The difference now is that I've gained a deeper sense of who I am and I know everything will work out. I think that's the biggest change.

Karrington Riley (CAS'26)

Karrington Riley (CAS'26) buffs up donated shoes before sorting them by size at Cradles to Crayons in Newton during her First-Year Student Outreach Project (FYSOP) placement August 31, 2022.
Riley cleans a pair of her own sneakers in her StuVi I bedroom April 30, 2026. "I love sneakers," she says. "I love a good heel, too, but I have a lot of sneakers." Riley is heading back to her home city of Atlanta after graduation.

How I've grown and changed since the photo from my freshman year was taken

I feel like I'm definitely still someone who likes to serve my community, like my sorority (the Iota Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated). We are founded on the principles of service, scholarship, social action, and sisterhood. So I definitely do give back a lot to my community. I definitely was a lot more open (as a freshman) to new experiences. The FYSOP experience when that freshman photo was taken was really new for me, and it was kind of random, but it was fun to do. Now, I feel like I've kind of just hunkered down in my community a little bit more and stayed with my people. I know what I like and I know what I don't like now, and I'm just kind of going more down those paths, instead of exploring everything under the sun.

Natalia Sawicka (CAS'26)

Natalia Sawicka (CAS'26) poses for a photo on the banks of the Charles River September 7, 2022, just after the start of her freshman year. At the time she entered BU, she was already an ocean conservationist and had participated in several sea expeditions. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Sawicka stands at the same location on the banks of the Charles River, April 29, 2026, nearly four years after she was first photographed there. She graduated in January with a major in marine science and minor in visual arts at the College of Fine Arts.

How I've grown and changed since the photo from my freshman year was taken

My time at BU has given me the freedom and confidence to explore who my most authentic self truly is. I have grown into joyfully embodying that authenticity to the fullest. I have also learned to continue dreaming big and chasing adventure, while giving myself grace along the way when my grand aspirations don't go according to Plan A-all while remembering that fun is important and deserves to be prioritized!

Jon Cili (CGS'24, ENG'26)

Jon Cili (CGS'24, ENG'26) works on an essay for a social sciences class in the George Sherman Union February 1, 2023.
Cili in the GSU April 30, 2026, with red drapes behind him, showing signs of preparations for Commencement.

How I've grown and changed since the photo from my freshman year was taken

When I took College of General Studies master lecturer John Regan's Rhetorical Practices from the Ancient World to the Enlightenment class, he held two mandatory discussion sections a week, in addition to a Friday morning lecture, and we were oftentimes encouraged to come to the section with some written prose to be edited by our peers and read aloud. When writing these essays, I created a table on my iPad with each of my prewritten essay components. More than just teaching me effective rhetorical practices, I learned that when it came to essay writing, breaking it down into blocks removed the stress of writing the whole essay and kept the assignment manageable. The act of being forced to build out my essay in advance of its deadline helped me, curiously enough, circumvent my absolutely worst and fundamentally inherent habit-procrastination. This class, and others I took during my time at BU, taught me to manage my procrastination by modifying the structure of the task.

Rena Nurhussien (Sargent'26) and Amira Badruddin (ENG'26)

Rena Nurhussien (Sargent'26) (left) and Amira Badruddin (ENG'26) enjoy their first Lobster Night at Warren Towers September 14, 2022.
Nurhussien (left) and Badruddin met up for a photo and drink at Kyo Matcha in Brookline April 30, 2026, and reflected on that initial Lobster Night. "It was the first time I was having to open a lobster on my own, so Rena and I were having an interesting time trying to piece that together!" recalls Badruddin.

How I've grown and changed since the photo from my freshman year was taken

Nurhussien: I think a lot has changed since freshman year. I used to be very undecided about what I wanted to do and focused too much on doing everything perfectly. But over the past two years, my mindset has shifted into being more present, exploring more of Boston, spending time with friends, and really enjoying my time here. Also making the switch into Sargent (from CAS) has solidified my career decisions and solidified my passion for working in healthcare and research. Some things have stayed the same: I have never missed a Lobster Night since!

Badruddin: Personality wise, I don't think I've changed that much. But how I view life, how I go about making decisions…I think now I value my well-being a lot more-like spending time with my friends, traveling (especially after I studied abroad), and just realizing that there's so much more out there than what is right in front of me. Also, just enjoying and appreciating each little moment, rather than always thinking about what comes next, matters a lot to me now too. I was definitely very grades-driven (when the photo in 2022 was taken). I was chasing perfection regarding how I performed academically. I was trying to think of how to build a perfect resume and all of the aspects that come with it, especially since I had just entered college. I even was in the mindset of being really put together all the time. I was waking up and showering super early, and I actually chose to register for 8 am classes…. But I think I have definitely loosened up since then. While I still prioritize my academics, it's not to the extent where it takes a toll on my mental and physical health…or how much time I allocate to hanging out with friends or just taking time for myself. So I think I've found that balance now, and it's really nice!

Find more information about Commencement here.

Explore Related Topics:

  • Share this story

Share

Photo Essay: Class of 2026, Then and Now

Copy URL: Copy

Latest from BU Today

Boston University published this content on May 12, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 13, 2026 at 08:45 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]