To most students at Santa Clara University, Bucky the Bronco is a familiar figure giving high-fives, taking photos and dancing on the sideline. For Grace Ford ’26 and Tiernan Kelly ’26, Bucky was their best-kept secret. The two graduating seniors spent part of their Bronco careers inside the suit, anonymously representing one of the most distinguishable figures on campus. Behind the oversized head and sweaty costume, Ford and Kelly said having the privilege to represent the University and its community as Bucky became one of the most meaningful parts of their college experience. Ford, an economics and political science double major, became Bucky during her junior year with the hopes of getting more involved on campus. The opportunity, she said, “looked kind of silly and fun.” Ford described the experience of being Bucky as “intense but so rewarding.” Ford compared the experience to living a Hannah Montana-style secret life, saying that keeping the role a secret was one of the most challenging aspects of the job. She is proud of what she has accomplished as Bucky, and it was hard to keep that quiet. “Bucky has been the thing that I am most proud of in both myself doing it and what it means,” she said. “Once I became Bucky, I was able to embrace the school and the community in a way that I never could have done from outside.” Kelly, a marketing major, began suiting up in April 2025 and started his Bucky tenure during the softball and baseball seasons. He described becoming Bucky as the “most fun, most dream come true experience.” Before becoming Bucky, Kelly rarely attended sporting events beyond men’s basketball games. He said the role changed his perspective on Santa Clara athletics. “Seeing the fans at all of these incredible other sports that we have going on at Santa Clara really opened my eyes to this sporting community, which people don’t necessarily give credit for. A lot of the students only go to basketball or women’s soccer. These sports that are kind of underrepresented are really exciting and have a really great community around them.” 📝: @aneeka.sideline 📷: @ninaglickphoto

Santa Clara University’s annual senior toast was held in the Mission Gardens on Friday afternoon, celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2026.  At the ceremony, the University’s Vice Provost of student life Jeanne Rosenberger announced that Leavey School of Business student Charles Silver ’26 had been selected as the class’s esteemed valedictorian.  Silver, a management major completing his bachelor of science in commerce, was recognized as a member of the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society, the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society and the Leavey Scholars Program. He was also acknowledged for his leadership in outdoor club Into The Wild, and his contributions to the Santa Clara community as an Ignatian Fellow. Rosenberger also announced the recipients of the prestigious St. Clare and Nobili medals, which are bestowed to seniors “judged outstanding in academic achievement, personal character, school activities and overall contribution to the University.”  The St. Clare Medal went to Claire Krebs ’26. A double major in neuroscience and philosophy with a minor in biology, Krebs was recognized for her impact on the Santa Clara University community through her many academic and extracurricular involvements.  In addition to serving as senator, senate chair and most recently president of the University’s Associated Student Government, Krebs was honored as a Hackworth Fellow, a student leader for the Santa Clara Community Action Program and as the Safe Walk SCU coordinator. Krebs is also an honors student and a Johnson Scholar.  The Nobili Medal was awarded to Jalen Paige ’26, an honors student and Johnson Scholar majoring in computer science.  Paige was recognized for his many roles on campus; he serves as co-chair of the Black Student Union, as a board member of the Association for Computing Machinery, and as an analyst for the Santa Clara Investment Fund. Through his work with the Black Student Union, Paige helped further initiatives such as the Black Bronco Network, a group dedicated to supporting and connecting Black Santa Clara University students, faculty, staff and alumni.  📝: @kyliebenn 📷: Dylan Ryu + @ninaglickphoto