Photo credit: @picsbydina / Dina Ley
By Adrian Rafizadeh
Lexi Boccuzzi is an institution. She is unlike anyone that I have met—and will ever meet, I’m sure—at Penn.
Being a conservative, Catholic college student is a precarious game. Lexi makes it look easy. She is unapologetically herself and is proud of her values, faith, and politics. She will stand her ground and never shy away from an ideological clash. As the former President of College Republicans, founding editor-in-chief of The Pennsylvania Post, and a great friend, Lexi has redefined what it means to be a woman of faith and conservative politics on campus.
Reflecting on her four years at Penn, Lexi is proud that she “helped break some of the stereotypes about conservatives while modeling for students of all ideological backgrounds how you can engage sincerely and in a way that’s consistent with your beliefs.” Those who have met Lexi know exactly what she means. She approaches contentious issues with humility, respect, and grace—to the point that anyone who speaks to her walks away charmed, even if still vehemently in disagreement with her. I know; I’ve been there before.
Behind the controversial op-eds and fiery debate speeches, Lexi is warm and caring. She’ll always greet you with a tight Italian-American hug, a big smile, maybe pour you a glass of wine, and sincerely ask how you’ve been. She remarks that her favorite part of leading Penn’s conservative movement has been “creating a space where people with shared values could come together and feel a sense of camaraderie.” She is most grateful for the incredible friendships and connections she has made at Penn, which she will always cherish and work hard to maintain.
Lexi earned admiration and notoriety on campus as an opinion writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian, often speaking up as the center-right’s sole flagbearer. She tackled topics ranging from hook-up culture to electoral politics, gaining as many fans as she did detractors. Concerned with institutional bias and lack of journalistic competition, in her senior year Lexi left her staff role at The DP and launched The Pennsylvania Post—Penn’s only politically independent newspaper. She is proud of how far the publication has come along and hopes it continues to be a “source of heterodox debate and discussion on campus which ensures that all the stories that affect Penn students are told fairly.” Lexi encourages people of all political backgrounds to continue writing for The Post, emphasizing the paper’s objective to represent a wide range of student views.
Looking ahead to her future, Lexi is excited. “I love the law, journalism and politics so I hope to be doing something that combines all three of those skill sets,” she says. She has a think tank fellowship and law school on the horizon, but in true Lexi fashion, she made sure to stress that she “can’t wait to see what all the amazing people I have met through work and school will be doing in 10 years. I can’t wait to say I knew them when!” For everyone in Lexi’s circles, the feeling is absolutely mutual.
Adrian Rafizadeh is a sophomore in Wharton studying Finance from San Jose, CA. His email is arafiz@wharton.upenn.edu.
