Senior of the Week: Defne Koyluoglu

By  GRACE YANG, JADE YOO and SOPHIE ZHU

Whether it be in the halls of Dunbar Hall, before the studio mirrors, in the ebb and flow of daily life, one figure stands out, not only as a proctor or dancer, but as a beacon of warmth and care for all who cross her path. This is Defne Koyluoglu, a senior with a radiant presence.

Koyluoglu plays an important role in her dormitory as a proctor, extending genuine care to everyone around her. “She really cares for our entire dorm,” senior Anna Kim said. “She makes everyone feel welcome in the dorm, she makes me feel welcome. She makes the dorm feel like a home.” 

Koyluoglu herself conceded that she takes this responsibility even outside of the dorm setting, saying that her friends often joke and “call me the mom friend or the aunt friend, or call me mom or mother.”

“I feel like she’s one of those people who, no matter how busy they are, will always listen to you or say hi,” Kim said. Koyluoglu’s willingness to prioritize connection underscores her empathy and dedication to building an inclusive community. She is, in short, the compassionate cornerstone of the Dunbar community. 

Upper Minjae Suh described her journey in watching Koyluoglu grow. “I think I’ve seen her take on more of a motherly role, at least to me and other younger students in the dorm. Especially as a proctor, she’s known as the mother proctor.” 

Defne inspires younger students “mentally and emotionally,” Suh continued. “I think she tends to handle situations very maturely. As a senior next year, I think I would want to have that quality to give or to help younger students.”

Koyluoglu’s maturity has been recognized outside her community, by adults and Academy faculty. Instructor in History Troy Samuels admires “the way she communicates with adults,” he said. “It can always be a weird and challenging relationship, but both as an advocate for other students and as an advocate for herself, she manages to communicate with the adults on campus in a really effective and genuine way.”

Many of Koyluoglu’s friends mention her humor as her most defining personality trait, drawing people in with laughter and joy. “She doesn’t give herself enough credit for her sense of humor,” upper Liv Van Ledtje said. “She always says, ‘I have such a dry sense of humor.’ She really doesn’t. She’s plain funny.”

“She’s very breezy, if that makes sense,” Suh said. “And has the kind of personality that reminds me of a forest on a nice spring day—trees on a nice spring day.” 

Senior and fellow dance company member Hope Gantt described, “I think she’s always known what she wants, at least vaguely. But now she’s not ashamed to go after it. She doesn’t really care about other people’s opinions, in a good way, which is especially important at Exeter, when sometimes it can feel like 15 different people are expecting you to do 15 different groundbreaking things with your life.”

Sophie Zhu, another senior in the dance company, also mentioned how Koyluoglu inspired her to try something new. “I think she was the one who had told me to pick up crocheting, and now it’s one of my favorite pastimes,” Zhu said.

Many brought up her calmness and stability as some of her greatest strengths. Upper Advika Verma, also in dance company, shared, “I admire that she has a level head and doesn’t seem to let little things affect her too much. I really enjoy her calming presence.”

When Koyluoglu’s advisor, Instructor in Mathematics Panama Geer, recalled her favorite memories with her, they were all laced with signature humor and charm. “She went through a phase of coming in and erasing my white boards each day because she found it satisfying,” Geer said. “That was amusing!”

“There was also the time when Defne and Solei squealed with delight when I brought Fruit by the Foot to advisory, so that they could have a race to see who could eat one fastest,” Geer said. “During Covid, my advisory had fun sending photos of their assembly check-ins, and that tradition has stuck and gotten even more goofy.”

After being exposed to humanities research projects in upper year and a consecutive summer program at an art conservation, Koyluoglu discovered her passion for art history. When examining Byzantine frescoes, she realized that she closely resembled the piece she was looking at, deepening her connection to the study. “That kind of deep ancestral history interested me,” Koyluoglu shared. This tangible and personal connection drew her into her newfound community of New York museums and art teachers at the Academy. 

“She really loves art history and she could talk for hours about how to save old paintings,” Van Ledtje said. “And I remember I just asked her about it and she went on a 15-minute tangent, and it was the most interesting thing I’ve ever heard. How meticulous the process is, how you have to paint over with certain layers and scratch things off, and how tedious it is.”

Koyluoglu also has a deep passion for dance. “She brings a level of artistry that is really wonderful to see,” Instructor in Dance Samm Wesler said. “I would have to say she is an incredibly intelligent dancer. When Defne approaches technique or choreography, you see the thought process, and that Defne is looking at everything: aesthetics, technique, and how our body functions and moves. Defne’s choreography is so layered and nuanced, and I feel like I have to watch it 18 times because I pick out different things every single time.”

“We’re gonna miss her so much,” Instructor in Dance Allison Sarage said. “She’s definitely left a legacy on the dance program.”

At the end of the day, Koyluoglu is a senior who has left a profound impact on a great many people and touched a great many  number of lives throughout her time at Exeter. Her calm and stable personality mixed with her witty sense of humor has made her an amazing friend, valuable dance company member, and incredible student. Koyluoglu will be missed by many as she continues her journey beyond Exeter.