Madison McKenna

When I arrived in Talloires for the Tufts Summit Program in 2016, I was an apprehensive high schooler, nervous about meeting my host family, making friends, and being away from my home in New Jersey. As a student interested in French, I was encouraged by my parents to go to Talloires and immerse myself in French language and culture. I dove in head-first to Lake Annecy that summer, both literally and figuratively, and I haven’t looked back since. 

Looking out over the same lake and mountains seven years later, I am overwhelmingly aware of how influential this place and this community have been in my life. My Tufts Summit academic experience solidified my passions for French and International Relations (thanks to the dedicated work of the professors) and pushed me to further my studies in these subjects. But it was above all, the welcoming atmosphere of the European Center community fostered by the program staff that encouraged me to apply to Tufts. I knew too, that I wanted to be part of the summer staff so that I could give back to the same community I felt so passionately about, and in 2019, I was thrilled to be able to return to Talloires. 

My years working at the European Center (2019-2023) taught me so much both personally and professionally, and I am eternally grateful to have spent three summers living and working at the Priory. I cannot even begin to describe how passionate I am about the transformative powers of Talloires – at all stages of life. There is something magical that lives within the walls of the Priory, and anyone who walks through the doors feels touched by it. I love watching students, conference guests, Tufts alumni, and community members create lifelong friendships and memories in Talloires. The Tufts European Center holds a very special place in my heart, and I am so fortunate to be a part of this lifelong community that I now consider my second home.