January 14, 2026

Dear Graduate Student,

The Student Accessibility and Academic Resources (StAAR) Center offers FREE graduate-specific programming, including one-on-one academic success coaching and one-on-one writing and communication support, as well as graduate workshops and groups. Sign up for appointments, workshops, and groups on Tutor Finder.

New Year Mindset Reset for Graduate Students (Remote)
Friday, January 16, 12 noon–1 p.m.

Reading with Purpose: Strategies for Effective Learning
Wednesday, January 21, 12 noon–1 p.m.

Where Do I Begin? Planning and Starting Your Graduate Thesis
Monday, January 26, 12 noon– 1:15 p.m.

Notetaking Strategies for Lectures and Seminars
Monday, February 2, 12 noon–1 p.m.

More workshops coming in February and March!

Write to the Finish!
Thursdays, 1–3 p.m., weekly starting January 22

This weekly group will use the Pomodoro Technique for focused writing. Each week will start with goal setting and end with a short reflection, with the middle of the session divided into writing "sprints" followed by short breaks. The aim is to provide structure for writing your capstone, thesis, or dissertation during the spring semester and help you meet your writing goals for graduation.

Writers' Block
Fridays, 10 a.m.–12 noon, weekly starting January 23

Accountability co-working group for graduate students who want to build a weekly writing habit. Ideal for thesis and dissertation writers, but all are welcome. Coffee/tea provided

English Conversation Circles
Tuesdays, 12 noon–1 p.m., weekly series starting January 27
Tuesdays, 5:30–6:30 p.m., weekly series starting January 27

Meet other graduate students for lively, facilitated conversation in a low-stress environment intended to increase fluency and confidence in spoken English.

Guided Writing Practice for Multilingual Graduate Students
Thursdays, 3–4:30 p.m., weekly series starting January 22

Low-stress writing practice designed to build confidence, develop your writing process, try out new strategies, and prepare for longer writing projects

World Café Social
Wednesday, February 4, 5–6 p.m.

Connect, share, and grow. Join the StAAR Center for an informal gathering designed for multilingual and international graduate students. Network with peers, exchange goals and strategies, and discover academic resources to start the new year and semester strong. Food  will be provided!

Writing and Communication Support

Graduate Writing Consultants can meet with you at any stage in your writing process, and you can meet with the same consultant over time so they can get to know your writing style and goals. We also can help with presentations, speaking in class, English language support, and reading. We can meet with you on any academic project, including the following:

Academic Success Coaching

The Academic Success Coaching Program can work with you to develop academic skills, habits, and mindsets for success at any point in your Tufts experience. We can work with you on the following:

Graduate Peer Tutoring

We offer one-on-one and drop-in tutoring for courses that require foundational knowledge in mathematics, computer science, and statistics. We also offer tutoring in many languages for students who must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language to complete their degree.

Enroll in our Canvas site for asynchronous resources and for weekly reminders about upcoming workshops! 

To register for accommodations or to learn more about how we can assist you, visit our website or email StAARCenter@tufts.edu.

Do you have questions about any of our offerings? Email StAARCenter@tufts.edu!

We look forward to supporting you throughout your time at Tufts!

Sincerely,

Kristina Aikens, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Director, StAAR Center