It’s hard not to walk around campus without seeing Lasell College senior Tristan Davis. Unlike the 5’10” NFL free agent of the same name, our Tristan Davis is 6’6” and impossible to miss. Featured everywhere from the admissions office to the back of the Lasell shuttle, Davis is a familiar face to all Lasell students.
“I’m not so sure I see my face all over campus, but getting featured on the Lasell athletics Instagram account is always fun. I’ve found that the more you get involved the more the camera seems to find you,” he says. And involved he is. Davis is a member of the volleyball team, features editor of the 1851 Chronicle, and writer for WLAS the Lasell Radio Station.
Using his height to his advantage, Davis has been a part of Lasell’s GNAC-winning team, setting records as the team’s resident outside hitter and middle blocker since his freshman year. He hopes to be a part of another victory winning team this year.
“Everything just fell into place for our program and we were all a really tight-knit group of people,” Davis says. The memory of winning their first ever GNAC title his sophomore year is one of his favorites. Volleyball, his second favorite net-related sport, has always been an important part of his life, but “ping pong wins because it’s never given me a sunburn.”
In addition to his success on the court, the Rochester native has a passion for writing. Beginning his writing career on his high school newspaper, he was appointed as the 1851’s sports editor as a freshman. Since then, he has moved up through the ranks and is now the features editor, in addition to running a podcast for the school’s newspaper. His advice to anyone trying to get a career in the field they love is simple.
“If you like something, get involved,” says Davis. “I love writing so I work with the newspaper, I write for the radio station, and I’ll write in my free time. That’s how careers get started.”
Even more noticeable than his height is his light-hearted attitude and smashing sense of humor. He incorporates it into his writing, day-to-day life, and as a major part of his personality.
“I think it was something I was born with, but my parents deserve a lot of credit for letting me act like kind of a fool my whole life,” he says. Not only does this show through any and all of his work, but most notably he keeps his fans entertained through his Instagram captions. From quippy one liners to full-on witty commentary of the mundane everyday activities, Davis never disappoints.
As for the future of Mr. Tristan Davis, it’ll be a bright one. After a successful internship at Boston’s NPR News station, 90.9 WBUR, the young journalist has a lengthy career ahead of him. When he grows up, a true kid at heart, Davis hopes to be a paid writer. If all else fails Tristan has a solid plan to fall back on.
“I’ll be a park ranger who just writes a lot,” Davis says. No matter what he does, we’re sure we’ll be seeing great things from him. After all, he is in #PursuitOfGreat.
All photos provided by Tristan Davis