Four years in a few words
Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson May 20, 2026
Graduating seniors reflect on the people, moments and lessons that made their UD experience meaningful
We asked graduating seniors to look back on the friendships, experiences and memories that defined their time at UD — and share some words of wisdom for future Blue Hens.
I hope in 10 years I will be…
“Changing the world and making a difference.” —Maggie Morris, material science engineering
“Running my own business.” —Kartik Potukuchi, MBA
“Giving back to students who are hoping to get into the same field as me,” —Chloe Garcia, graduate student in finance
One thing I wish I knew as a first-year student:
“It’s okay to be outside of your comfort zone. If you’re uncomfortable, it probably means you’re growing.” —Katherine Slough, political science
“It’s okay to ask for help. If you need something, there are so many resources here.” —Charlotte Hershey, nursing
I wish I hadn’t been so nervous about meeting new people. Getting to know my friends the past few years has been really amazing, and they’ve made my life so much better.
computer science
What makes UD special is…
“How interconnected everyone is. It might seem like a big school, but there’s such a real community on campus.” —Shaina Zaccagnino, computer science and game studies and esports
“Having so many people in my life from different majors and different parts of the world and having one big community that we call home: UD.” —Jonathan Leest, music with a concentration in music industry studies
The big-campus feel, but each person’s community is really small.
English and three languages
My favorite UD memory is…
“The Zara Larsson concert. It was such a fun event and a good way to wrap up senior year.” —Anna Sallamy, honors marketing and sport management
Performing in the marching band at the bowl game and seeing the team win was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
computer science and game studies and esports
Advice for future students:
“Go for the things that people say can’t be done. There is so much opportunity that I never would have realized if I hadn’t worked up the courage to try the things that ‘can’t be done’ at a certain age.”
honors chemical engineering
“Don't just sit around in your dorm room. There are a lot of opportunities here to do things that are going to help you down the road, and the sooner you start taking advantage of those things, the more successful you're going to be in the long run.” —Christopher McCormick, sport performance analytics
UD helped me…
“Be confident and dream big. That’s what I’m going to take into the next chapter.” —Tawsif Raaz, civil engineering graduate student
“Expand my horizons and improve my technical and analytical skills. I feel like I’m a confident person now and I can deal with anything.” —Snehal Kalke, business analytics and information management graduate students
I’m proud of the Class of 2026 because…
I've met so many innovative thinkers and compassionate people graduating with me this year. I know that we're meant to do really big things.
marine science
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