Post tenebras lux — after darkness, light. These powerful words are the AIC motto and shine through the We Are AIC Project exhibit, permanently housed in the West Wing Gallery on campus. Among the many artifacts and symbols of American International College’s legacy, a lantern remains ever-lit, serving as a beacon of hope, history, and progress.

During the exhibit’s launch on Monday, April 7, Assistant Dean Frank Borelli addressed a crowd of students, faculty, alumni, and staff, emphasizing the exhibit’s deeper meaning:
“This lantern reminds us of the light we all carry — post tenebras lux. Rooted in the spirit of the Protestant Reformation, and in the founding of AIC as a French Protestant college, this exhibit illuminates the path to success. I see that light every day — in the faces of students from 30 nations, in future leaders, in those who arrive early, stay late, and rise from faculty to leadership roles. Most importantly, I see it in our students who come here, stay here, and contribute in every way.”

The We Are AIC Project is more than an exhibit; it’s a celebration of identity, legacy, and shared values. Designed to be a lasting installation, it showcases AIC’s core principles: diversity, access, opportunity, community, and belonging.

“This is a permanent exhibition,” Borelli affirmed. “It will be here as long as AIC is here — and we hope AIC will always be here. Through this exhibit, we’ve made our core values actionable: a respect for diversity, a commitment to access and opportunity, pride in our community, and a deep devotion to belonging — for those here now and those yet to come.”

The launch event buzzed with energy, as the community reflected on AIC’s past and looked toward its future. Since November, Borelli has worked tirelessly alongside students and the Marketing team to bring this project to life. The vision and passion were evident in every detail.

“Who are we? What have we learned from our mistakes? How do we move forward and include everyone’s ideas sort of in that melting pot? This truly is a manifestation of that.” Borelli said.

Student Gloria Torres, who collaborated closely with Borelli, shared her experience:
“Working with Frank was amazing. I learned things I never thought I would — finding artifacts for the exhibit felt like digging for treasure around campus.”

Beyond its beauty and symbolism, the exhibit has offered a unique professional development experience for the students involved. “These students can now add to their resumes that they helped curate a professional, permanent exhibit,” Borelli noted. “That’s rare. I want to especially thank Professor Marty Langford from the Division of Arts, Media, and Design, and his digital media students, who created a narrated video tour of the exhibit. This will be accessible soon via QR code, allowing alumni and others to experience the exhibit from anywhere.”

Looking ahead, the We Are AIC Project aims to become a campus-wide initiative — a living, evolving reflection of the college’s soul. As part of this vision, Borelli announced the creation of an annual We Are AIC Award, honoring individuals who embody the project’s spirit.

“This is about all of us,” Borelli said. “We all have eyes to see, ears to hear, and voices to speak about the impact we make every day in this incredible community. And we must celebrate the people who make this place so special.”

The first-ever inaugural award recipients were Lori Martin (Assistant to the Dean, School of Business, Arts, and Sciences), Tashir Ballard (President of Student of Color Working Group), Lynn Comtois (Associate Director of Financial Aid), Trevor Cheeks and Professor James Sansalone. 

The We Are AIC Project will continue to grow. The Marketing and Communications team has committed to expanding its reach — featuring it in the spring issue of Lucent alumni magazine, promoting it on social media, and supporting related projects across campus. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to contribute their own stories and perspectives.

“You can go live and say, ‘I am part of this AIC Project. This is who I am. This is what I bring to the community,’” Borelli encouraged. “We can make this college go viral — because it deserves to go viral. Look at what we do every day. Look at how we open doors, how early we get here, and how late we stay.”

During these unprecedented and worrying social-political times, we find strength in the community, we find unity when we work together and celebrate, and we find justice through solidarity and love. This is who we are — a place that opens its doors to the community because we truly love our community. Colleges have the unique ability to transform lives, find the value of education, discover civic responsibility, connect with a community, and meet people you never would have met anywhere else.

As Borelli closed his speech, he left the audience with one final reflection:
“We are American International College. We are scrappy. We are survivors. And I’ll leave you with this — a card we found tucked away during this process, its origin unknown, but its message clear:
‘A challenge is but another chapter in the history of AIC — and we have many chapters remaining.’”