Grassroots Efforts & Support
We recognize that lasting and meaningful cultural change occurs at the grassroots level, as compared to being enforced top-down. Accordingly, our (top-down) awareness campaigns, workshops, and events are intended to equip, encourage, and empower Tufts Jumbos (students, faculty, and staff) to apply the knowledge and skills gained in their own respective contexts and communities, in both formal and informal ways. Formal ways might include forming support groups, book clubs, or organizing community engagement activities; informal ways might include how one approaches conversations and conflicts in classrooms and social settings. Supporting such grassroots efforts will enhance the likelihood of positive impacts of the workshops and events and contribute to the sustainability of the campus culture and climate.
To support grassroots efforts, we intend to support a cohort of student leaders, through workshops and events, who are interested in forming and leading generous listening and dialogue-related group activities. Grassroots leaders will be given resources and support as needed to sustain activities and programs on campus. These grassroots efforts will also enable opportunities for research and evaluation projects, further building the theory and evidence for generous listening and human flourishing. Tisch College programs are open to all students who meet application criteria. We welcome and encourage all students to reach out to jonathan.tirrell@tufts.edu if interested.