Student Advisory Council

Biani Ebie is a senior studying International Relations with minors in Cultural Anthropology and Arabic. At Tufts, they are a Tisch Scholar, on the African Students Organization E-Board, a COCOA dancer, and an intern at the Tufts Women's Center. They are passionate about gender equity, public policy, human rights, and uplifting marginalised voices. At Tisch she has been a part of the Summer Fellows program, Leadership for Social Change peer leader, the Tisch Civic Semester to the U.S. Southwest, and a peer leader for the Tisch Civic Semester. She was born in Boston, MA but has lived most of her life in Lagos, Nigeria. 

Kennedy is from Connecticut and discovered her interest in psychology and cognitive science during high school. Her experience as a research assistant for the CAM and ICoN labs ignited her desire to pursue a PhD and unveiled her love for career and academic mentorship. As co-president of NeuroNetwork, she finds joy in hosting workshops and events that bring students interested in cognitive science together to build confidence and community centered around neuroscience research. She's looking forward to bringing her perspective as a FIRST generation college student and passion for resource and opportunity access in STEM fields to the committee! 

Teagan is a rising sophomore studying International Relations and Civic Studies with a minor in Philosophy. Born and raised in Medford, MA, she learned the importance of collectivism and the power of dialogue from a young age. As a 2023 Civic Semester fellow, Teagan lived in Urubamba, Peru navigating her positionality while immersed in Peruvian culture. On campus, Teagan is involved in the Tufts University Prison Initiative where she co-learns with and supports incarcerated and returning students. Through the Initiative for Global Leadership, she has furthered her interest in social justice as an Oslo Scholar for Shuddhashar FreeVoice, a magazine for exiled and censored writers. At Tufts, Teagan is interested in studying the intersection of human rights and neocolonialism with their ethical applications. She is grateful and excited for the opportunity to be a member of the Tisch College Student Advisory Council. 

Toluwani is a Senior from Lagos, Nigeria. An avid reader, she loves exploring literature from diverse cultures. Toluwani's commitment to civic engagement is fueled by her volunteer work with local community organizations in Nigeria and the US. She looks forward to collaborating with her peers to champion inclusive dialogue and create spaces where all voices can be heard and valued on campus. With her dedication to making a difference, Toluwani is thrilled to contribute to the Tisch College mission.

Ishaan is a junior from Bombay, India. On campus, he is involved with The Tufts Daily, the Middle East Research Group, and the Leonard Carmichael Society, where he begins his term as Co-President this year. When he's not in a classroom or a club meeting, he can be found reading on the Academic Quad or standing in the eternal queue at the Sink.

Ishaan's interest in civic participation comes from the communities he is a part of. His respect and appreciation for diversity is deeply influenced by his multicultural upbringing. Engagement with his peers' perspectives at Tufts and learning from their stories has further broadened his horizons. Last summer, he interned at Hunnarshala, an NGO based in rural India. There, he had the opportunity to engage with pastoralists, artisans, and social workers to deepen his understanding of the potential that sustainable civic change holds.

Tisch College has been instrumental in helping Ishaan take his interests from classroom to community, and he looks forward to working with TSAC to broaden the avenues for civic engagement at Tufts. He hopes that his experiences will help contribute to meaningful change at a local level with a global perspective.

Claire Robinson is a senior from Ann Arbor, Michigan majoring in American Studies with a concentration in Environmental Justice, and minoring in Peace and Justice Studies and Music. She has been involved with Tisch College through her Peace and Justice Studies minor, TUPIT, and taking a Civic (Gap) Semester. Claire got her start in civic engagement through the anti-gun violence organization March for Our Lives, for which she volunteered locally and then worked for at the state level for several years. Currently, she is a research assistant on a project highlighting the voices of community environmental justice leaders in Detroit. At Tufts, Claire has been involved with several social justice-focused clubs, including the Student Prison Education and Abolition Coalition and Tufts Climate Action. She also co-founded and is President of the Low-Keys, Tufts' newest and only non-audition a cappella group. Claire can often be found outdoors in the sunshine.

Bela Silverman is a Junior at Tufts double majoring in Climate Science and English, and is originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. On campus, Bela is involved in many organizations including the Tufts Daily Opinion section, Chi Omega Sorority, TED x Tufts, Tufts Cheer Team, Tufts Geological Society, and Animal Aid. As a 2023 Tisch Summer Fellow, she worked with the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture in Alexandria, Virginia to design an environmental curriculum for elementary students, and hopes to continue serving her community as a climate activist. In her free time, Bela loves going on hikes in the Fells and spending time with friends in Boston. She is very committed to civic engagement and enthusiastic to contribute her ideas to TSAC’s mission! 

Claire Wood is a sophomore from the San Francisco Bay Area and is studying Art History, Spanish, and Mathematics at Tufts. On campus, she is most involved with the Tufts Daily as a writer and production staff member. She also enjoys spending time with Club Gymnastics, Animal Aid, and the Tufts Historical Society. In her free time you can find her exploring Boston and doing crossword puzzles. Claire has enjoyed engaging with Tisch College; she has particularly enjoyed attending the Solomont Speaker Series events and volunteering within the Leonard Carmichael Society. Claire is very excited to join the TSAC to increase student engagement in Tisch College and develop her own active citizenship.