Remarks to the Class of 2025
by Senior Class Speaker Natalia Barbara Josephine Hall ’25
107th Commencement
May 18, 2025
Architects Like to Dream in Blue
If I had the time to share all that I wished to about Connecticut College, I think we would be here until sundown. A speech until the blue hour–the hour of the evening where day turns to night, and when the sky becomes a lavender blue. Often marked by a subtle melancholy, the blue hour illuminates the hidden color contrasts of our world. It allows for a new perspective–a moment of clarity and a moment of hope. I feel that the sun does not need to set for us to enter the blue hour– for the class of 2025, we have entered our hour of blue–a sense of clarity, an air of melancholy, and a moment of hope before we begin our dreams.
While contemplating writing this speech, as one who studies architecture and art history, I questioned my ability to speak on behalf of the class of 2025. That was until a friend reframed my mindset. He said “Natalia, you might not be a writer, but you— you are an Architect of words.” This made me freeze. An architect of words. But words–one can’t “build” words. Or, can they? I was reminded about my very first architecture reading at Conn. The reading discussed what it means for one to be an architect. In antiquity, architects were not just architects. They were writers, philosophers, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, artists, designers, and more. In a sense, ancient Architects optimized the liberal arts education. They did not just build their physical environments but constructed a culture and society. The study of architecture is more than building design. It is the curation of space, the study of people and place. With that being said, I argue that we are all architects.
I'd like you to look around. Take in the campus and let your eyes study the sky–it looks a little bigger now, doesn’t it? Recall the memories of springtime on the green, of walking to your favorite class. Recall the soccer games, the snow days, the chaos and the quiet. On October 10th at 7:30pm, the northern lights were visible from this very spot. As the word spread, students gathered on the green under the blanket of stars. The hum of childlike awe wove its way through the crowd, and a tapestry of curious, passionate people emerged. An irreplaceable moment, one suspended in time—and in each blade of grass. This ground cradles many memories–memories from beyond our time. Now that we are all architects, I would like to share a common practice performed before designing a structure; it is called site analysis. Site analysis is the practice of understanding a space and our place within it. Why is it important to respect the history and systems of the land we inhabit? Because site analysis translates to the analysis of self. Our identities are formed within the spaces we dwell. Before Conn was Conn, the Mohegan and Pequot tribes used this land to cultivate. Before Conn was Conn, the campus was just farmland. If you look up and to your right, you will see the very first building on campus: New London Hall. The blocks are made from a local stone called metamorphic gneiss, of which is visible throughout the arboretum. If you turn towards Palmer Auditorium, you will see an American Elm tree– planted in the 1920s, the Elm became the emblem of Connecticut College. Every place has a distinct vernacular–a language if you will, of materials and traditions that communicate the culture and history of a region. The world around us speaks–we just need to listen.
As it is today, the land we stand on remains eager to cultivate. During our time at Conn, we have heard the soft whispers–we have heard the call to cultivate. And that, we did. For the past 4 years, we have used this once farmland to cultivate our interests, ideas, and voices. We have cultivated friendships and confidence, leadership and strength. To cultivate is to create, to create is to build. And for the past 4 years, using our own blocks of metamorphic gneiss, we have built our foundations of thought, morals, and values.
As we leave Conn, we are to embark on a challenging project. In this large-scale site analysis, we will encounter a world that was not equitably designed for the common interest, but manufactured to benefit a select few. In a world that increasingly seems to be designed for us to fail, we must maintain our foundation. As architects, we will analyze, adapt, and recognize existing conditions. Through site analysis, we will practice true stewardship, authentic engagement, and intentional action. We will challenge conventions, innovate, and think outside the canon. We can, and we will, design and build a better world.
This evening at dusk, step outside and look up at the sky. Look around you, look at your world. For the class of 2025, we have entered our hour of blue, but that—that is a beautiful thing, isn’t it? Like the practice of site analysis, the blue hour allows for a new perspective. It illuminates the hidden color contrasts, offers a sense of clarity, and provides a moment of hope. In sunsets to come, when you experience the blue hour, let it be your hour of peace and grounding in an ever so hectic world. Let it be your moment of gratitude–for the air you breathe, for the foundation you built, for the ones that you love. Let the blue hour be your reminder— to reflect more, to create more, to dream more. We are cultivators, we are creators, we are all architects. And this evening, may you experience a moment of melancholy, and may find a moment of hope. Let the blue blanket sky be enveloped by stars, and as architects, together, let us enter our dreams
Natalia Hall ’25 has been selected as the student speaker for Connecticut College’s 107th Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 18.
A resident of San Francisco, California, Hall chose Connecticut College because she wanted to experience a new pace, culture and environment. “I was looking to challenge myself by stepping outside of my comfort zone and expanding my worldview,” she said. “Conn stood out to me as a place of grounding, where I could truly explore and lean into my creativity and curiosity.”
In March, the architectural studies and art history double major was selected to speak at Connecticut College’s [Un]Freedom Colloquium, a conference where students and local historians shared their current research. Hall’s project discussed how post-WWII city planning shaped urban development and social policy in the city of New London. At Conn, Hall has served as an Admission ambassador, a teaching assistant and co-chair of the Architectural Studies Student Advisory Board, and she is a member of the Dance Club.
Hall said growing up with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge outside her window encouraged an early fascination with how environments influence identity and how design can tell the story of the human experience. “From a young age I was able to understand how thoughtful designs change more than our physical world—they shape how we see ourselves within it.”
As a junior, Hall studied abroad in Rome, Italy, at the Pantheon Institute. “Having the ability to study an ancient building in the classroom, step outside, and be able to see and experience that same structure in real life never failed to amaze me,” she said. “In Rome, I learned the language of form—how to read the historical, sociopolitical context of the time through the lens of architecture and the organization of space.”
During her senior year, Hall had the opportunity to apply that knowledge as a freelance designer, producing visual content across various media. For her senior integrative project, she interned at the Archaeological Conservation Institute in Ancient Corinth, Greece, and Sabina, Italy, helping to conserve second-century mosaics in an ancient Roman villa. Here, Hall also studied conservation, restoration and the complex ethical choices that dictate archaeological excavations.
After graduation, Hall plans to work as a freelance designer in New York before applying to graduate schools to pursue an advanced degree in architecture and design.
She said she feels “incredibly honored” to be selected as the student Commencement speaker. “Connecticut College has been a life-changing place for me, filled with a tapestry of beautiful, creative, talented and deeply passionate people,” she said. “To the faculty and staff, thank you for your endless support, patience and dedication. I am deeply grateful for all that you’ve done for us.”