Zoe Watts ’26
Remarks at the 108th Commencement
May 17, 2026
Zoe Watts ’26 has been selected as the student speaker for Connecticut College’s 108th Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 17.
Watts is a government major, finance and Africana studies double minor and Posse Scholar from Chicago, Illinois. At Conn, she is captain of the Women’s Volleyball team, a Senior Admissions Fellow, a member of the Black Student Union and an Office of Academic Support Student Ambassador. She also serves on the Government/International Relations Student Advisory Board, as secretary of the Athletes of Color Coalition and was a First-Year Seminar student adviser.
As a junior, Watts studied abroad at City St. George’s University of London in England, an experience that she says pushed her to think through a global lens and engage deeply with the complexities of international politics and global dynamics. This past summer, she completed a wealth management internship at Northern Trust as a member of the Investments Practice team. She has since accepted a post-graduation position with Northern Trust as a credit analyst.
In the future, Watts plans to attend law school to fulfill her lifelong goal of becoming an attorney. She is particularly interested in pursuing criminal justice to advocate for underrepresented communities and the wrongly convicted, or sports and entertainment law, which would combine her passions for athletics and legal advocacy.
Watts said being selected as the student Commencement speaker is an honor. “I am humbled to have the opportunity to share one last moment on Tempel Green with my whole class. It feels like a full-circle moment from our first days here, standing on Tempel Green with our First-Year Seminar groups. I am excited to represent a group of people who have grown in different ways, but all alongside each other. Being able to reflect on that journey and capture even a small piece of it in words means a great deal to me,” she said.
“I have truly enjoyed my experience at Conn for many reasons, but what has made my time most impactful here is the people, from the students to the professors, deans, administrators and coaches who have both challenged and supported me. Each person I have crossed paths with in my four years has left a lasting impression on me.”
Good Morning, Family and Friends, Faculty and Staff, and the Class of 2026,
One of the most beautiful symbols of growth sits right in front of me and the other across the street at the Arboretum. Did you know its Native Plant Collection includes 2,398 plants? Each requires something slightly different to thrive. Different amounts of light, water, space, and nutrients. Some flourish in open fields and some grow quietly under shade. Some bloom loudly. Some take years before anyone notices how strong they have become. And yet, they all grow here.
Today, we celebrate not just what we have achieved at Connecticut College, but how we have grown since the moment we were planted here.
When we arrived, we did not know exactly who we would become. We had questions, we had nerves, and some of us had way too many suitcases. We did not know which classes would challenge us most, which friendships would shape us, which failures would teach us resilience, or which passions would take root. We only knew that we were here, ready or not, to grow.
The growing process is unpredictable. When you plant a seed, you do not know what it will look like in full bloom. You do not know how tall it will grow, how deep its roots will stretch, or what storms it will survive. Growth depends on sunlight, soil, care, and timing. In many ways, our four years at Connecticut College have mirrored this process.
We did not arrive with the same goals. We are from different states, different countries, and have different ambitions. For some of us, growth looked like leading a team, conducting research, studying abroad, performing on stage, or engaging in community work. For others, it looked like the quiet courage to speak up in class or the discipline to resist the temptation of parking in a faculty spot. Some of us knew exactly what we wanted to study, while others changed direction once… or twice. Nevertheless, in this shared soil, we each found our own path to receiving our degree today. And just as we have grown, so has this place. We represent the old and the new. The campus we arrived at is not the same one we leave and neither are we.
Whether you were an athlete. A thespian? A Scientist? A Musician? A tutor? A campus leader? An Artist? A Historian? Or a glorified Procrastinator? Some of our most powerful growth began when the path felt the hardest. There were seasons when we felt buried under assignments or days when going to class seemed too big a task. Our mornings started with coffee runs and nights of studying that never seemed to end. But roots grow strongest in the dark. Like the plants in the Arboretum, we did not grow by becoming identical. We grew through diversity and through each other. We too are a beautiful symbol of growth.
I want everyone to take a moment and look down at their feet. Right now, all of our feet are planted in the richness of this soil, but as we leave, the soil will change. The sunlight will feel different. The environment will not be as carefully cultivated as this one has been. There will be uncertainty, risk, and moments when growth feels slow. But we know now we can adapt. Seeds do not grow only for themselves. They create shade, stability, and space for others to flourish.
Class of 2026:
You were planted here
You were nurtured here
You were challenged here
And you have grown here
Congratulations and Thank you!