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The only university-wide college of its kind, Tisch College studies and promotes the civic and political engagement of young people at Tufts University, in our communities, and in our democracy.
“I think that civic engagement really is the base of it all”: Dr. Adam Normandin’s work with patients experiencing homelessness comes full circle.
The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) released their new CIRCLE Growing Voters report and framework, which aims to transform how we support a wide diversity of young people to participate in our elections.
Congratulations to the 19 exceptional Tufts students honored with the 2022 Presidential Award for Civic Life!
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a package of targeted tax cuts, and our experts at cSPA are weighing in on the best options and opportunities.
Dayna Cunningham, the new Tisch College dean, outlines key opportunities and responsibilities for higher education in shaping the next generation of engaged citizens.
Events
Education
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The Civic Studies major is an interdisciplinary field of study that provides an intellectually rigorous foundation to engaging with communities and solving problems. -
Each summer, more than 100 Tufts students hone their professional skills while contributing to communities near and far through substantive summer internships that pursue the public good. -
Tisch College and Tufts University offer incoming students the opportunity to participate in a first-semester program that combines academic and experiential learning with a focus on community engagement and social and environmental justice.
Research
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Tisch College's Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement conducts some of the nation's leading research on youth voting, civic education, and young people's participation in democracy. -
Our Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, which studies and promotes the political learning and engagement of college students, will soon release aggregate data on voting and registration rates of students in more than 1,000 institutions. -
Our newest research center focuses on publishing expert, scholarly, nonpartisan analyses on pending legislation and ballot questions in Massachusetts.
Practice
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Tisch College's student-led voter education and engagement initiative works to ensure that all Tufts students are registered and ready to vote in every election cycle. -
Tisch College supports the Tufts chapter of Jumpstart, an early education organization that helps local children in underserved schools thrive. -
Founded and housed at Tisch College, this international association of universities committed to strengthening civic life globalizes our mission and expands our impact around the world.
In the News
- Data from an updated report by CIRCLE finding that high-profile social issues, such as reproductive rights and gun safety, are driving increased youth voter engagement, is referenced in this article.Florida Today
- Evan Horowitz, executive director of cSPA, comments on how a gas tax holiday may be good politics but is not good public policy.CommonWealth Magazine
- Evan Horowitz, director of cSPA, comments on gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey’s $400 million plan to expand state tax credits for children and other dependents, noting it would have a significant impact on lower-income families. The article also mentions recent cSPA recommendations for state legislatures to maximize the impacts of tax cuts.The Boston Globe
News & Updates
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New coalition will serve as a platform for collaboration and policy innovation, leveraging the knowledge and resources of Tufts University -
White House advisor Gina McCarthy, AG81, and Senator Ed Markey, H19, speak at Massachusetts Climate Summit. -
The Tufts alum and longest-serving congressman from Oregon reflects on his career and on the future of democracy. -
CIRCLE researchers rank the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and gubernatorial races where the youth vote could swing the midterm results. -
20 Tufts student-athletes participated in a clean-up of the Malden River around the Shoemaker Boathouse alongside volunteers from the Friends of the Malden River and the local community. -
Diane Ryan, who spent 29 years on active duty, talks about four leaders who have inspired her (and not one is a general). -
The mayors of three Greater Boston cities, all women, talk about breaking preconceptions, and what’s at the top of their to-do lists.
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How school boards have become a nexus of the culture wars. -
Tisch College professor and Associate Dean Peter Levine’s father built an enormous book collection that recently found a new home at a Bosnian library trying to rebuild after a war. -
Jennica Allen, A11, has a passion for public health and racial justice that was fueled by her experiences at Tufts and Tisch College. Now she is changing the way hospitals and healthcare systems reinvest in their communities at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. -
After beginning their college careers with the experiential learning program through Tisch College of Civic Life, first-year students reflect on their Civic Semester experiences. -
Through transformational student programs at Tisch College and Tufts, Jessica Wilson-Jones, A14, FG15, laid the groundwork for a career for the public good. Now at the U.S. State Department, she’s helping to shape the future of US-Middle East relations.