Daniel, Christopher, and Alessia Hughes didn’t set out to attend the same college. In fact, the Boston triplets, who had attended separate private high schools and who had not been in the same class together since kindergarten, were sure they would enroll in different universities.

That certainty began to erode when the triplets accompanied their parents, John and Lidia Hughes, to Loyola’s Evergreen campus for an open house during high school.

Daniel, Christopher, and Alessia had not even heard of Loyola until family and friends suggested they check it out, but each independently had the same reaction.

Loyola had “more character” than other universities she had visited, Alessia said.

Daniel recalled immediately having a “gut feeling” that Loyola would be his home. It seemed neither too big, nor too small. In addition, it had a sterling reputation for academics.

“When I showed up here,” he said, “I knew I’d be coming here.”

As their college search continued, the triplets didn’t discuss their higher education plans with one another. Then, as deadlines for decisions loomed, their mother called them together and said they needed to pick their schools.

“I said, ‘Loyola,’” Daniel said. “Then Chris was like, ‘I want to go to Loyola, too.’ And then Alessia also said, ‘Loyola.’”

Christopher said he and his siblings looked at one another in surprise. “It was like, ‘All right, I guess we’re doing this,’” he said.

As the 22-year-old Hughes triplets prepare for graduation in May, they believe their decision to attend Loyola was the right one. Loyola has given them leadership opportunities while also providing the academic foundation for future career goals, they said. Being able to do it as a team was just icing on the cake.

One of the highlights for Alessia was launching an Irish step dance team during her first year. The team has grown from six to 25 members and has participated in regional competitions and performances.

“Starting up from scratch took a lot of time,” said Alessia, an English major. “I had to choreograph our dances, get people to come to practices, and arrange performances. I learned the planning and logistical side of it.”

While Alessia initially did much of the instruction herself, today that duty is split among four members of the team. She’s proud of how popular the team has become. “We didn’t let any obstacles or setbacks get in our way,” she said.

Daniel and Christopher, who are identical, said the triplets were able to experience the best of Loyola individually, while knowing they could always turn to one another for support.

Daniel is a marketing major, and his brother has a double major in marketing and economics. Daniel recalled taking a financial accounting class with his brother, purposely sitting next to Christopher on the first day of class.

“The professor did the classic double-take,” Daniel said, laughing.

At least once a week, a student or professor will call the brothers by the wrong name, thinking Daniel is Christopher or vice versa.

Christopher, who has played club ice hockey and intramural sports such as flag football and indoor soccer at Loyola, has worked in the athletics office along with his brother throughout their time on campus. This firsthand exposure to sports marketing, he believes, will be invaluable experience as he seeks a job in marketing with a professional sports team.

Daniel, who played club ice hockey two years, intends to return to New England after graduation to pursue a marketing career in the travel industry, while Alessia is thinking of looking for a job, possibly in the writing field, in her native Boston.

All three believe their experiences in Loyola’s study abroad program helped them gain new perspectives. This past year, Alessia studied in Newcastle, England, while Daniel went to Rome and Christopher to Athens.

Christopher said he, too, was awakened to new cultures while abroad. “I got to meet other students from all over the world and the United States,” he said. “I have kept in touch with many of them and even visited them.”

The triplets, who also have a younger sister, Isabella, are excited about graduation. Meanwhile, their mother is anxious to take a photo of them together in their caps and gowns—an image she was unable to capture at their high school graduations since they were attending different schools.

“It’s going to be cool for her to finally get her picture,” Daniel said.