Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion | July 11, 2023

Hello Jumbos!

We’re excited to introduce you to the Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion (DSDI), led by Associate Dean Ellise LaMotte, who is featured in this week's video.

DSDI's eight identity-based centers offer myriad resources for students to succeed academically, engage socially, and build community. While each center supports specific populations, the centers are for all students interested in thinking about social identities and how they impact our lives and our world. Get to know each of the centers…

Founded in 1969 in the wake of student protests at Tufts University, the Africana Center has been committed to helping students of the African diaspora succeed at the university while also preparing them to take leadership roles in their chosen fields. The Africana Center offers culturally focused experiences, workshops, and events that reflect, celebrate, and continue the intellectual legacy of Black students at Tufts.

The Asian American Center (AAC), founded in 1983 as a result of student activism, is a resource for the Asian and Asian American communities at Tufts University. The AAC fosters a supportive environment for the personal and social development of students through its programs and resources. The center recognizes the complex identities that individuals have, and we seek to support you in your identity journey. We hope to cultivate an experience that allows you to celebrate and reflect on the unique experiences of the Asian diaspora. We aim to help you to find a sense of belonging at Tufts, as well as connect you with other centers and resources to support your overall wellness and advocate for your needs to ensure a successful and meaningful college experience.

Established in 2008, the Center for STEM Diversity (CSD) intentionally cultivates an equity-minded and justice-oriented community to promote the academic success for those historically excluded in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). CSD fosters a campus culture and environment that is both inclusive and accessible for students from historically excluded backgrounds by inviting and celebrating the rich culture and ideas of diverse lived experiences.

The FIRST Resource Center was founded in 2018 to create a community of support and to develop a network of academic and financial resources for Tufts' first-generation, low-income, and undocumented populations. FIRST welcomes any student who identifies with one or all of the first-generation, low-income, or undocumented (FGLU+) student experience. By strengthening the bonds between our community members and bridging the gap between Tufts' resources and FGLIU+ students, FIRST aims to ensure that students are empowered to achieve their full social, professional, and academic goals.

The Indigenous Center was founded in 2022 to provide a "home away from home" while centering Indigeneity in the Tufts community. The Center serves as a community gathering area for programming, studying, breaks, meetings, and socializing in order to support, encourage, and develop student voices, helping students navigate their higher education journey.

The LGBT Center, founded in 1992 and renamed the Trans and Queer Center for Advocacy and Resources at Tufts (TQ) in 2023, offers a space for all students to explore their unique relationship to gender and sexuality through personal, activist, and/or academic lenses. TQ provides programming, support, and personal and educational resources that aim to affirm the experience of LGBTQIA+ people at Tufts. TQ believes that LGBTQIA+ experiences are not a monolith as we understand that race, gender, ability, and class background play a huge role in access and privilege. We are committed to community accountability and justice.

Tufts Latinx Center was founded in October 1993 as a space and resource for Tufts students and community members to gather, learn, share experiences, and show support and appreciation of Latinx identities. It's a welcoming community to engage in celebration, collaboration, and dialogue to inspire advocacy, retention, appreciation, and social change within the Latinx community. The center offers academic and personal advising, mentorship, and guidance for all students.

The Women's Center was founded in 1972 to provide a dedicated community open to all students interested in topics and issues broadly related to the experience of women and gender. The center is particularly engaged in exploring gender at the intersections of other identities such as race, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and citizenship status. While the Women's Center's primary purpose is to serve undergraduate students, it also offers information, events, and resources for graduate students, faculty and staff, alumni, and parents and families.

We hope you're making good progress on your New Student Checklist! Following are a few key items this month. Please refer to your checklist for Academic Essentials due dates specific to your degree program. All students must complete Academic Essentials prior to scheduling a meeting with their advisor.

July 31 – Academic Integrity Tutorial completed

July 31 – Deadline to waive student health insurance if you are already covered by insurance. (NOTE: Disenrollment and/or refunds are not available after July 31.)*

August 20 – Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) mandatory training completed

*If someone will be assisting you with waiving insurance with proof of comparable health insurance and/or paying tuition (the first bill will be available for viewing in your checklist this month), you can provide access via "Invited Viewer" in your SIS account.

Please be sure to send your official AP, IB, and/or A-Levels scores to Tufts by August 1.

No worries! All webinars have been recorded and posted to our Orientation Programs and Communications web page. You'll find an archive of all of this summer's messages there, too!

Please contact Student Services at 617-627-2000 or StudentServices@tufts.edu.