Tufts University

Esther was a renowned authority on dental hygiene, and had a profound influence on dental medicine for more than half a century. She was a member of the faculty of the Department of Periodontology for 45 years, and conducted more than 800 continuing education classes. Esther passed away on December 12, 2016 at age 100.

Alumnus Mike Balaban is working with Athlete Ally to fight discrimination against LGBT athletes. Under his guidance Athlete Ally helped persuade the International Olympic Committee to amend the Olympic Charter so that it bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. More recently, Athlete Ally helped convince the NBA to pull its 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte after North Carolina passed a law requiring transgender people use public bathrooms that correspond with their biological sex.

Elizabeth has been at the forefront of the discussion on the rise of ISIS and the continued struggle over the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as the growing concerns over the safety of Christians in Turkey. In a recent video, Fletcher School Dean James Stavridis talks with Elizabeth about her current work, her interest in studying religion and the ongoing situation in Mosul.

Zarin is the co-director of the Kibale Chimpanzee Project in Uganda, a field site that has followed the same community of chimpanzees for the past 30 years. In addition, Kibale funds conservation, education and scholarships for Ugandan students.  A primatologist, she received her Ph.D. from Harvard and is now assistant professor of anthropology at Tufts.

As a student at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Adam's most memorable experience working with animals happened his first night in the ER.  That night, while curing a sick turkey with diarrhea, Adam realized a career in veterinary medicine was the best choice he ever made. "Getting a turkey with the runs may not be everyone’s idea of a great job experience, but it’s the sort of thing I thrive on," he said.