Civic engagement is integral to Tufts’ mission. At Tufts, we rely on our values and our understanding of our mission as a university to guide us and we lean on our touchstones: teaching, research, policy development and support for our community. Through this, we teach our students to learn, talk and debate openly, in a civil manner. We underscore the importance of listening, particularly to those with whom we disagree, to learn from their perspectives and truly gauge their intent while having empathy and compassion for all members of our community.

- Sunil Kumar

Activation Plan

Below is an overview of some campus activities:

  • Our main initiatives are handled and coordinated through the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life. Through the school, Tufts has a Civic Studies major and minor for all undergraduate students, one of the few institutions in the country to offer that. 
  • Additionally, we have programs such as the Tufts Civic Semester; Pre-Orientation programs; Tisch Scholars for Civic Life, a multi-year leadership development program; the Tufts University Prison Initiative, that brings faculty and staff together to provide pathways to associates and bachelors degrees for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals; Tisch Summer Fellows; the Institute for Global Leadership; the Solomon Speaker Series focusing on Civic Life and Engagement; and a Community Engaged Participatory Action Research program with over 80 faculty university-wide. 
  • Tufts also has multiple nationally renowned research centers and programs focused on civic engagement. 
  • Finally, Tufts has been recognized in 2024 as a recipient of the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. Civic and community engagement is a core part of the mission of the university and forms one of the five pillars of my strategic plan – Tufts Beyond 175.

Future planned initiatives:

As part of the new strategic plan, Tufts will operationalize a plan to support, coordinate, and annually report on civic engagement educational, research, and service activities across the university. We are trying to facilitate increased viewpoint diversity on campus to foster increased civic engagement, support research and teaching in the area, and also support community members going out into our host communities to practice civic engagement in action.

Sunil Kumar
Sunil Kumar
President, Tufts University

Below is an overview of some campus activities:

  • Our main initiatives are handled and coordinated through the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life. Through the school, Tufts has a Civic Studies major and minor for all undergraduate students, one of the few institutions in the country to offer that. 
  • Additionally, we have programs such as the Tufts Civic Semester; Pre-Orientation programs; Tisch Scholars for Civic Life, a multi-year leadership development program; the Tufts University Prison Initiative, that brings faculty and staff together to provide pathways to associates and bachelors degrees for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals; Tisch Summer Fellows; the Institute for Global Leadership; the Solomon Speaker Series focusing on Civic Life and Engagement; and a Community Engaged Participatory Action Research program with over 80 faculty university-wide. 
  • Tufts also has multiple nationally renowned research centers and programs focused on civic engagement. 
  • Finally, Tufts has been recognized in 2024 as a recipient of the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. Civic and community engagement is a core part of the mission of the university and forms one of the five pillars of my strategic plan – Tufts Beyond 175.

Future planned initiatives:

As part of the new strategic plan, Tufts will operationalize a plan to support, coordinate, and annually report on civic engagement educational, research, and service activities across the university. We are trying to facilitate increased viewpoint diversity on campus to foster increased civic engagement, support research and teaching in the area, and also support community members going out into our host communities to practice civic engagement in action.

Civic engagement is integral to Tufts’ mission. At Tufts, we rely on our values and our understanding of our mission as a university to guide us and we lean on our touchstones: teaching, research, policy development and support for our community. Through this, we teach our students to learn, talk and debate openly, in a civil manner. We underscore the importance of listening, particularly to those with whom we disagree, to learn from their perspectives and truly gauge their intent while having empathy and compassion for all members of our community.

- Sunil Kumar