Hello, new and old friends!
My name is Kelly, and I’m your Tulip Princess for the academic year. This wonderfully whimsical position is one of many amazing JE College traditions in which Spiders elect one of their peers to celebrate the spirit and community of Jonathan Edwards College—and, of course, our infamous tulips!
I still remember experiencing (and photographing) my very first Tulip Princess ceremony during the fall of my freshman year. It was 2023, and the Great Hall was graced with an extravagant feast and filled with the love and warmth of our JE community. As the lively chatter morphed into a palpable buzz of excitement, Joanna Ruiz, a recent Yale graduate and a member of the Jonathan Edwards College Council, gave an impassioned introduction about the origins of this tradition and her efforts to revive it.
I recount this memory because it captures how special it is that we can come together to celebrate something as silly yet meaningful as a Tulip Princess. It is one reason why I have loved being a JE Spider. The JE spirit nurtures our curiosity and playfulness, while inspiring us to continually breathe new life into the traditions that connect us across time.
Whether we are creating something at our printing press, chatting with dining hall staff, or simply basking in the comfort of the JE courtyard, I hope we continue to cherish the little moments that make this place feel so special–together. JE is truly a home away from home, and I feel incredibly lucky to call it mine alongside all of you.
I am incredibly grateful to have been bestowed with this beautiful crown, which feels like a small reflection of the people who make JE the vibrant and welcoming place that it is. I truly cannot express how much this community means to me. My heart is in full bloom as I look ahead to the year before us, and I’m so eager to see what we will grow together.
Long live JE, and long live the tulips!
With love,
Kelly Tran
JE ‘27