Each year, Harvard College proudly celebrates students who complete their degrees outside of the traditional spring term commencement, and recognizes the completion of their hard work in a midyear, December ceremony. 

Whether taking time off for personal or professional reasons, Harvard partners with students and faculty to ensure every student has the opportunity to excel in the classroom and graduate successfully. The following graduates are just three of more than 100 students that graduated in the Fall 2025 term. 

Jazz Jennings, Art, Film, and Visual Studies

For Jennings, the decision to defer her enrollment at Harvard proved crucial to her academic and emotional development. In the summer of 2019, months before she was set to begin her Harvard journey, she faced significant mental health challenges that made the pressures of university life seem insurmountable. “By the time fall came around, I was not in the mental headspace to attend any university, let alone Harvard,” she shared. “My mind needed a rest from the pressures of high school and the overall pressure I had put on myself to ‘change the world.’” 

During this time, she was deeply committed to filming I AM JAZZ, a documentary series on the TLC network that chronicled her experience growing up transgender. Although she remained dedicated to using her public platform to uplift and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, she felt the weight of the immense responsibility she had assumed. “I realized I had placed enormous expectations on myself,” she reflected. “I needed to step back, give myself space to breathe, and prioritize my own well-being.” This period away from academia allowed Jennings to arrive at Harvard in 2021 with renewed energy and clarity. “That time was monumental for my development,” she noted, reflecting that stepping back created space for healing and self-discovery. She encourages others to know that “it’s okay to take time for yourself” and to remember that “not all paths are linear.” By taking the necessary time to prioritize her mental health, Jennings not only returned stronger but also with a deeper sense of purpose. Before stepping into her next chapter, she continues to remind herself of the power of intentional self-care and the profound value of giving herself ample time to grow and heal.

 Naomi Corlette, Government; Secondary in Computer Science

Corlette couldn’t pass up the opportunity to participate in the Contemplative Semester program in Marlboro, Vermont. Taking a gap semester in the fall of her senior year to accommodate this religious study and practice program, she lived in a Buddhist community, something she had long desired. “I chose to do this program because living in a Buddhist community was something I had wanted to try for several years, and this program allowed me to do that with people I already knew,” she recounted. Corlette not only contributed to the program's planning but also immersed herself deeply in her religious practice, discovering more about her faith. “I learned a lot more about my religion and built a deeper connection to it,” she added. The time away from academics also gave her the opportunity to explore hobbies she previously deprioritized due to her studies, such as hiking, dance, art, and yoga. Her passion for yoga led her to earn a yoga teacher certification after her time away from the academic environment, and she plans to continue teaching yoga post-graduation.

For students considering a gap semester, Corlette advises, “consider how your gapping plans fit in with your broader goals, both at Harvard and in your life in general. Think about what you want to get out of your time off and how you want to approach school differently when you return.” As she prepares to graduate, she is enthusiastic about what lies ahead. “I’m excited to see new places and meet new people beyond Cambridge, and to explore other activities I wasn’t able to,” she shared. Corlette’s experience solidified the importance of following her own path, consequently making space for new opportunities to present themselves.

 Lexi Lauricella, Sociology with a Theater, Dance, and Media Minor

In her sophomore year, Lauricella became intrigued by the intersection of her Sociology studies and the thematic representation in film, television, and media.  “Harvard provided an amazing academic foundation for me to explore this intersection,” she explained. “I spent a year involved in the Sociology department’s Faculty Research Assistant Program, where I worked with Professor Jeffery Swindle to perform thematic analyses on government officials’ social media accounts. Through this, I learned the power of storytelling and public interpretation, but I was still navigating how my passion for this topic would manifest after I graduate.” 

During the spring semester of her senior year, Lauricella was offered an opportunity to work on the creative teams of HBO and Warner Bros. Studios. Despite the excitement of the role, she contemplated the difficult decision to temporarily leave Harvard to pursue it. “I only had three classes left to graduate, but it was such an amazing opportunity that I knew I had to take it. My first Sociology class was about Mafia representation in film and TV, so gapping to work at the studio that created the TV shows I researched felt like a full circle moment,” she reminisced. By combining the skills she learned at Harvard, she was able to apply a unique sociological analysis to television acquisition and creative development. 

Lauricella encourages others to explore the diverse opportunities Harvard has available. “Talk to your professors, teaching fellows, and classmates about your interests. There are so many unique opportunities at Harvard, specifically Harvardwood if you have similar interests to mine. Don’t be scared to take the leap and put yourself out there. It was the best decision I made,” she concluded. Following graduation, Lauricella will pursue a career in entertainment in Los Angeles, California.