Why Tufts?

Finding a new community as an adult, whether it be in your mid-twenties when you’re still discovering your path or in your thirties and forties when you want a career shift, can be a difficult and daunting idea. It’s different compared to the community an undergraduate student has, when most of your peers are on campus or living in a close vicinity. Even if one decides to pursue a graduate degree, it’s a different experience and can feel more isolating. 

When I think of the question Why Tufts?, especially as a graduate student, I think of the community. At Tufts, I’ve found that there is a unique sense of community within the graduate programs. In my MA program within the Eliot-Pearson Child Study and Human Development department, there is a sense of connectedness with my cohort. I have a weekly proseminar class that emphasizes the importance of becoming a community with my peers and making connections with them because these will eventually be my colleagues in the field. Alumni are also connected to the program and guest lecture in classes, or participate in panels. 

And it’s not just with my own peers, but also with the professors in my program. They want to get to know us, not just academically, but who we are as people, and they truly care about helping us throughout our time here and beyond. We are welcome to stop by their offices and chat whenever their doors are open. There are opportunities to go on “faculty field trips,” which are non-academic bonding activities with program staff and other graduate students. In the broader Tufts community, there are graduate student activities hosted by the Graduate Student Council, which give students the opportunity to explore the surrounding Boston and Massachusetts communities with students across programs.  

At Tufts, the people are the ones who make the community. This, of course includes the professors and fellow students, but also the librarians at Tisch Library, the staff at the Career Center, the directors and interns for each identity center, the students who run the many clubs on campus, and so many others. People at Tufts want to contribute and put time into making community, and they are eager to share their expertise and ideas with others. Tufts is welcoming and wants people to find a sense of belonging. 

Graduate students are encouraged to take advantage of the supports that are available through these other resources. When thinking about choosing Tufts, I wanted to have support and multiple opportunities to connect with people both socially and academically. The supportive and collaborative nature of the school is why I love being at Tufts. The StAAR Center (Student Accessibility and Academic Resources) and Career Center are both great places to get more general academic and career help, and can set students up for long-term success beyond our time at Tufts. I love that the Career Center is a life-long resource and accessible for Tufts alumni. It goes to show that Tufts cares about its students as people and not just for the duration of our time here. By deciding to come to Tufts, I’ve gained a new and lifelong community that cares about me and my journey at Tufts and beyond.  

📸: Anna Miller/Tufts University