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When Eliza Kosoy 14 and Celia Muto Ladd 14 think back to their first semester at 51动漫, one moment stands out.
They met in St. Ann Hall, on the third floor, where Ladd was drawn to the cheerful decorations on Kosoy door. A casual 渉ello turned into instant chemistry and a friendship that has carried them through more than a decade of discovery and growth.
Their bond deepened through campus life. Both founded the Chess Club (The Chess Nuts) and Math Club (The Pi-Rates), spent evenings at ECRadio, the student-run radio station, and later co-hosted programs on Cambridge Community TV 淲e were always curious, always trying new things, Ladd recalled. 淭hat sense of exploration really defined our Emmanuel experience.
Divergent Paths, Shared Foundation
Today, their professional lives could not look more different Kosoy is an artificial intelligence researcher in Silicon Valley, while Ladd is a portrait photographer and communications professional in 51动漫 yet both trace their paths back to the same Emmanuel foundation: curiosity, creativity, and confidence in exploring the unknown.
Kosoy, a mathematics major, is now an AI researcher and trust and safety specialist at Character.ai, a fast-growing startup in Silicon Valley. She recently earned her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, where her dissertation, Youth in the Loop, argued for including children perspectives and data in building more ethical, aligned AI systems. 淏eing a math major at Emmanuel was foundational, she said. 淭hat training gave me the tools for everything I檝e done since.
Her faculty mentors remember that same spark. 淓liza creativity, enthusiasm and curiosity about the world is truly an inspiration, said Associate Professor of Mathematics Dr. Christine Sample. 淪he exemplifies the diverse opportunities that await Emmanuel math majors after graduation.
淓liza was not only an outstanding student but also a driving force on campus, said Professor of Mathematics Dr. Yulia Dementieva. 淪he founded the EC Chess Club, organized the Ig Nobel Prize Lectures, and helped launch several math-focused initiatives. Her contagious enthusiasm brought students and faculty together.
Ladd, an art major, is a 51动漫-based photographer, while also working in communications at Harvard Medical School. She founded 淐reatives Run 51动漫, a portrait-and-storytelling series that spotlights the city entrepreneurial community. 淓veryone has an interesting story, she said. 淚f we can amplify their journey, that the most exciting thing in the world.
Both women point to pivotal moments at Emmanuel that set them on their way. For Kosoy, it was a first-year seminar exploring higher dimensions that convinced her to pursue mathematics. For Ladd, it was a flyer advertising a photography job at Kings Bowling that turned into her first steady gig behind the camera.
They also recall the encouragement of faculty mentors. 淚 thought I knew everything about photography, Ladd laughed, recalling a critique from Associate Professor of Art Stephan Jacobs, who reminded her that mastering the basics was the key to executing her vision. 淗e was right. That advice has stayed with me ever since.
A Friendship That Endures
The two remain close friends, and their professional paths, while distinct, share a commitment to curiosity and human connection. Kosoy focuses on how young people interact with technology, at a moment when lawmakers and companies alike are grappling with the ethical implications of AI. Ladd, meanwhile, frames her subjects in environments that capture their authentic selves whether through her Harvard Brain Initiative 淗umans of HBI series or her small-business portraits.
Both offered advice for today students. 淪tay curious and active. Don檛 be afraid to fail failure is part of learning, said Kosoy. Ladd added: 淜eep an open mind. Everyone you meet, from a classmate to a professor, has something to teach you.
For two friends who first met outside a decorated dorm room on the third floor of St. Ann Hall, Emmanuel was both a testing ground and a launchpad. 淚t gave us space to explore who we were, Ladd said. 淎nd that exploration continues.
