Academic Advising | June 04, 2026

Dear Parents and Families of Incoming Students,

Welcome to the Tufts community! As Advising Deans, we are a resource for your students throughout their undergraduate experience at Tufts—working directly with them based on their program.

Next week, we are hosting Welcome to Your Academic Experience webinars that align with students' specific degree programs. It's an opportunity for students and families to meet the advising teams and get an overview of their academic programs. Parents and families are encouraged to join!

Information about the webinars and links to register are included below. If you can't make the live webinars, they will be recorded and posted on the Orientation Communications web page.

In the first year, your student will navigate new academic expectations and policies and build connections to develop their identity in a new community. This can be a difficult transition for students. Your student's Advising Dean is their primary contact at Tufts for academic support. We are here to help students with course selection and overall guidance to achieve their academic goals—developing the skills they need for academic success and becoming strong self-advocates along the way.

A productive partnership between a student and their Advising Dean is based on communication and collaboration. We are best able to assist students when they take initiative and responsibility for their academic experience.

We are also eager to partner with you to support your student's transition to Tufts and academic goals. While we are limited in the information we can share with you about your student's academics without their permission due to FERPA regulations, we welcome conversations with parents and families about academic resources and processes. Additionally, we appreciate your support as critical role models to remind and encourage your students to connect with their advisor when they have questions or concerns related to academics.

All degree programs have a team of advisors:

At the upcoming Academic Welcome webinars next week, we will walk your student and you through what to expect this summer and how to prepare for the start of classes this fall. Please encourage your student to regularly check their Tufts email and their New Student Checklist and Canvas to make sure they don't miss any important deadlines.

We hope you can join us at next week's webinars and look forward to collaborating with your students!

Welcome to Your Academic Experience webinar with your student's Advising Dean and Senior Academic Advisors for their degree program. Parents and families are welcome!
Please register and submit any questions in advance for upcoming webinars.

All webinars will be recorded and posted on the Orientation Communications web page.

Also coming up…Tonight/Thursday, June 4, 7 p.m. ET – Welcome to Tufts, Parents and Families and on Wednesday, June 17, 9 a.m. ET – Introduction to the International Center. 

Sincerely,

Matthew Bellof, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Advising
School of Arts and Sciences, Last Names E–K and all A&S Transfer Students 

Caitlin Casey, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Advising
School of Arts and Sciences, Last Names R–Z and all REAL Program Students

Jarvis Chen, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Advising
School of Arts and Sciences, Last Names L–Q 

Leah Gadd, Associate Dean of Academic Advising and Undergraduate Studies
SMFA, BFA and Combined Degree 

Tanesha Leathers, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Advising
School of Arts and Sciences, Last Names A–D and Neubauer Scholars Program Students 

John O'Keefe, Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Advising
School of Engineering

Please contact Family Engagement contact Carole McFall at carole.mcfall@tufts.edu or Student Services at 617-627-2000, StudentServices@tufts.edu.

Family Engagement