At Gulliver, success is never one-size-fits-all, and for Valedictorian Elisa Tarac ’26, that meant finding the academic path that best aligned with her intellectual curiosity, ambitions, and goals for the future.
This fall, Elisa will attend Amherst College, where she plans to continue exploring the intersection of chemistry, politics, and law; an interdisciplinary path shaped by the opportunities she pursued throughout her time at Gulliver.
As Gulliver’s valedictorian, Elisa built a remarkable academic career defined not only by achievement, but by a genuine love of learning. She challenged herself with some of the school’s most rigorous coursework, pursued advanced studies in both the sciences and humanities, and consistently sought opportunities to deepen her understanding beyond the classroom.
A member of Gulliver’s Politics Program since freshman year and president of Model UN, Elisa developed a strong interest in international relations, policy, and law through immersive, discussion-driven experiences. At the same time, an unexpected decision to enroll in AP Chemistry during sophomore year sparked a passion for chemistry that would ultimately shape her future academic plans.
“I initially really didn’t want to take AP Chemistry,” Elisa shared. “But I loved it. It was very difficult, but it was so rewarding because of that.”
Her academic curiosity continued to grow through dual enrollment coursework, including Organic Chemistry, as well as research focused on anxiety, depression, meditation, and future-self thinking. These experiences helped Elisa discover not only what subjects interested her most, but also the kind of academic environment where she would thrive.
“I knew I wanted to study a mix of politics and chemistry, so I needed a place that would allow me to do that,” Elisa shared. “I found that liberal arts colleges worked well for me because I wouldn’t have to take gen ed credits and I could mix and match my majors how I wanted.”
For Elisa, choosing Amherst reflected a thoughtful understanding of how she learns best: through close collaboration, meaningful discussion, interdisciplinary exploration, and strong relationships with professors and peers. The college’s small-class environment mirrored many of the qualities she valued most at Gulliver.
Throughout it all, Elisa says one of the most important lessons she learned was that success is deeply personal.
“I think success is doing what you set out to achieve,” she reflected. “It’s not really about what other people think. It’s more about your own goals.”
Her journey is a powerful reminder that achievement is not about following a singular definition of success, but about discovering the environment, passions, and purpose that allow each student to thrive.
At Gulliver, students are encouraged to pursue their interests boldly, think across disciplines, and define success for themselves — and Elisa’s story is a reflection of exactly that.
