Sofia Nielsen, a graduating senior from Notre Dame Academy in Staten Island, New York, marked her class’s final days together with a unique and heartfelt gesture. As a farewell gift, she painted individual portraits of all 110 members of the graduating class.
Nielsen, who also served as the class salutatorian, said the idea started as a “crazy” thought, but she was determined to see it through. Using photos from the previous year’s yearbook, she worked on the portraits for two months, often sketching in secret during FaceTime calls with classmates.
She completed the final piece just two days before graduation. During her speech at the commencement ceremony, Nielsen surprised her classmates by asking them to reach under their chairs. There, each student found their personalized portrait.
The crowd of students responded with surprise, laughter, and enthusiastic applause as they realized the scale and thoughtfulness of her project.
Nielsen described the portraits as “a reminder that everything you have done here at Notre Dame will always be a part of you. A way to immortalize our legacy.”
Although she plans to study nursing at Macaulay Honors College at the College of Staten Island this fall, Nielsen says art will remain a part of her life. She intends to continue creating artwork in her spare time and hopes to grow her artistic career alongside her studies.
