Student Advisory Council

Ty is a senior from Marlboro, NJ studying political science and urban studies. He is currently an executive editor at The Tufts Daily and serves on the board of the Experimental College. He's also co-leading an ExCollege class this semester. In his free time, Ty can be found riding his bike on the Somerville Community Path or playing Bananagrams in the Tufts Daily office.

Ty's civic engagement is inspired by his background in public policy, state government, and student journalism. Some of his highlights at Tisch College include participating in FOCUS, serving as a JumboVote Democracy Rep, and engaging with civic changemakers at speaker events and in the classroom. He's looking forward to working with the rest of the TSAC to figure out even more ways for students to get involved!

Ariadna is a junior from Lima, Peru. She is double majoring in International Relations with an International Security concentration and Civic Studies. She is passionate about social impact, youth leadership, human rights, Latin American politics, and education. On campus, she is the Tufts Latin American Committee president, a Learning Assistant for the Romance Studies department, and an International Center Peer Advisor. She wants to help make the world a better place by closing the existing gaps in our society. She is inspired by leaders who bring people together and decide to lead the change in their communities. At TSAC, she hopes to raise awareness in the Tufts community about Tisch College and civic engagement, bring ideas, and collaborate in projects that support Tisch’s mission. 

Hannah is a senior at Tufts studying political science with minors in Spanish and entrepreneurship. She is from Arlington, MA and is interested in the intersection of technology with civic engagement and community building. At Tufts, Hannah is the Senior Advisor for CIVIC, the Editor in Chief of The Hemispheres Journal of International Affairs, a 2023 Tisch Summer Fellow, and a volunteer with Tufts Best Buddies. She is looking forward to helping support and improve the student experience at Tisch particularly for student led affiliate groups. 

Alexandra (Alex) Dingle is a senior hailing from New York City. On campus, she is heavily involved with the Tufts Middle East Research Group, where she is a Discussion Leader. Through Tisch's Initiative for Global Leadership, she was able to go to Cyprus to research the role of sports programs on bringing together Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot children. Having spent time growing up in Greece, where her mother is from, she is passionate about global refugee rights and getting involved on the ground with causes in NYC and abroad. She spent the last year studying abroad with SIT and Middlebury in Jordan. Alex is excited to be back on campus and to work with TSAC on broadening global programs and various student engagement events through Tisch. 

Mirabelle Khazei is a Senior at Tufts University studying Biology on the Pre-Health track. She serves as the Co-President of Tufts NeuroNetwork, as the Student Disability Advisor for the STARR Center at Tufts, and as a member of Women Higher Education Now (WHEN). Mirabelle is interested in increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in healthcare and biomedical research. She is also fascinated by the social determinants of health as well as Civic Science with a focus on pediatric care. She has also served as a Student Advisor for Eye to Eye and as a volunteer mentor for Citizen Schools. Mirabelle’s work experience includes an internship at Boston Children’s Hospital/Dana Farber doing pediatric oncology research and as a Research Assistant at the Learning and Brain Development Lab at Northeastern University. She has worked as a Lab Teaching Assistant for Intro Biology and as a Tutor for Students with Learning Disabilities. Mirabelle believes in supporting proximate leaders and served as the Volunteer Coordinator for Julia Meija’s Successful Boston City Council Campaign. Mirabelle appreciates a good cup of coffee and worked as a barista at a local woman owned cafe. Mirabelle grew up in the Greater Boston area and enjoys crafting in her free time.

Mathew Ltisinyua Letua, hailes from the semi-arid landscapes of Samburu in Northern Kenya. He is from a family of 17, including three parents and 14 siblings. Mathew currently pursues his sophomore year at Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences. Having ventured into the Civic Semester program and embarked on an inspiring journey with The Sacred Valley group in Peru in 2022, Mathew's passion for global peace has been ignited. He grew  up amidst communal clashes in his region, and he is fervently committed to promoting peace. Mathew's academic path reflects this dedication, as he aspires to minor in Peace Studies to contribute solutions not only to Northern Kenya's conflicts but also to similar challenges in sub-Saharan countries. Beyond his studies, Mathew finds joy in sports such as soccer, volleyball, and javelin. He actively engages with the Africana Community at Tufts and contributes to Jumbotalk by publishing insightful blogs for the admissions office. He’s a diehard fan of Chelsea FC. Lastly, his daily ritual of enjoying a comforting cup of tea is a cherished part of his life.

Akisha Tokwe is a junior majoring in Cognitive and Brain Science, originally from Zimbabwe. Tisch College’s Civic Semester program introduced Akisha to community organizing and civic leadership, and she was inspired to consider the possibility of change to some of the issues she grew up wishing were different in her village. Coming from a community where young girls become mothers with no decent education and having secured the opportunity herself through narrow squeaks, she felt drawn to civic engagement initiatives that strive for education equity. 

The summer of her freshman year she volunteered with Petey Greene, through which she weekly met with incarcerated youths tutoring basic math and science. Last summer as a Tisch Summer Fellow, at Fiver Children’s Foundation in New York, she cofacilitated a youth professional development program meant to help youths from underserved communities appreciate nuances of job application and build professional portfolios. On campus she has had the joy of serving the Tufts international community and the First Gen Collective club as a peer advisor and as an events planning committee member, respectively. This semester she is a research assistant at the Tufts Centre for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences. As an assistant news editor for the Tufts Daily, she has come to appreciate the power of story and journalism in shaping worldviews. Joining Tisch College Student Advisory Council, she hopes to add a perspective and highlight experiences of minority students that make partaking in civic leadership opportunities less attainable. 

Betsy Watters, a sophomore at Tufts University, is originally from Pittsburgh, PA. She is a dedicated advocate for civic engagement and is deeply committed to making a positive impact on her community and beyond. Betsy has been actively involved in various Tisch College initiatives, fostering connections with like-minded individuals who share a passion for social change. She is thrilled to be a part of the Tufts Student Advisory Committee and looks forward to collaborating with fellow students to drive meaningful civic engagement initiatives forward. In her free time, you can often find her hanging out with friends, exploring local thrift stores, and trying out different restaurants. Her enthusiasm for civic participation is infectious, and she can't wait to contribute her energy and ideas to TSAC's important work!