Dear AS Undergraduate Student,
I am very pleased to announce that a new Associate Dean of Undergraduate Advising has joined Tufts and will be working with other Advising Deans, staff, and faculty to support our undergraduate students in Arts and Sciences. Jarvis Chen will serve as the Advising Dean for Arts and Sciences BA and BS undergraduates with last names M-R. Dean Chen will begin advising his student cohort on Monday, April 1.
For the current Advising Dean assignments for all undergraduate Arts and Sciences BA/BS students, please see below. Your Advising Dean ensures that you are making progress toward graduation and can help you navigate academic policies or any setbacks that impact your academics. First Year and Sophomore students can also book an appointment with the Senior Academic Advisors, Ericka Miranda and Allison Vander Broek, for additional advising support; all students are also able to attend drop-in advising hours (go.tufts.edu/advisinghours) if they have general academic questions or concerns.
Before joining Tufts University, Dean Chen served as the Director of the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at Suffolk University, housed in the Center for First Generation and Educational Equity. In this role, he provided crucial support to first-generation, income-eligible, and underrepresented students, guiding them through research endeavors and the intricacies of applying to Master and PhD programs. During his tenure as director, many students achieved their dreams of being the first person in their families to enter graduate school. Dean Chen has taught a range of undergraduate and graduate courses, including Research Design, Information Design and Data Analytics, Statistical Analysis, Quantitative Techniques, Mixed Methods Research, and American Government at Northeastern University, where he earned both his Master’s and PhD in Political Science. His dedication to teaching and mentorship earned him multiple teaching awards.
Hailing from Burlington, Vermont, Jarvis is the son of Chinese immigrants. Growing up, he spent his after-school hours working at his parents’ Chinese restaurant, The Peking Duck House, where he formed friendships with WWII veterans, writers, hockey players, and notable figures like Bernie Sanders. Dean Chen received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont with a focus on expository writing and political science. He is a pioneer in his family, being the inaugural member to finish college and further distinguish himself as the first to earn both a Master's degree and a PhD. In his free time, he pursues his passions as a professional photographer, ultramarathon runner, running shoe reviewer, and rock climber.
Dean Chen is looking forward to guiding students through the exciting, difficult, and certainly unpredictable years of college!
Effective April 1, undergraduate Arts and Sciences students will be assigned to their Advising Deans as follows:
