New Tisch Scholars 2025 - 2026

Amanda is a first-generation Mexican American, the proud daughter of two hard working Mexican immigrants. A rising sophomore at Tufts, she studies International Relations and History. Driven by a deep love for the Latino immigrant community that raised her, Amanda plans to devote her career to finding international solutions to the injustices and abuses immigrants face in their migration journeys. Amanda got her first glimpse of the constructive power of civic engagement and grassroots organizing in high school through her involvement in various Congressional campaigns. The countless meaningful conversations she had while canvassing exposed her to the diverse issues affecting the lives of people in California's San Fernando Valley. Working with the campaigns to address these issues by organizing community events, such as Diaper Drives and Community Cleanups, Amanda learned that listening to people’s stories is the first step for taking action and bringing change. In the summer before college, Amanda interned for Congressman Tony Cardenas where she continued participating in the process of transforming the community’s voices into tangible change. Through her time in Tisch Scholars, Amanda hopes to learn from the greater Boston community, so that she might use her education to improve the lives of the people she interacts with.

Alejandro is a rising sophomore at Tufts University studying International Relations with a minor in French. Originally from Costa Rica and Colombia, he received a scholarship at age 15 to attend an international boarding school in Maastricht, the Netherlands. He is deeply passionate about the intersection of environmental sustainability, social justice, and multilateralism. Alejandro’s civic engagement journey began in Costa Rica, where he led community greening initiatives aimed at empowering local youth. In Maastricht, he served as the Student Representative on the Participation Council Board, advocating for the student body in administrative and policy decisions. He was also commissioned as the leader representative of the Latin American community at his school, spearheading cultural initiatives that fostered inclusion and cross-cultural understanding. At Tufts, Alejandro serves on the executive board of the Latin American Committee, contributes to the Initiative for Global Leadership, works with the TEDxTufts Production Team, and teaches English to immigrant communities in Somerville through Teach-in-CORES. As a Tisch Scholar, Alejandro looks forward to developing the skills, knowledge, and relationships necessary to support marginalized communities and create sustainable, transformative change.

Tiara is a rising junior majoring in English with a minor in Political Science and Child Studies and Human Development. Originally from Los Angeles, CA — now living in Houston, TX — she has witnessed firsthand the social injustices faced by her community and other marginalized groups. These experiences have inspired her to pursue opportunities that will allow her to support others through the legal field. Tiara’s commitment to civic engagement began in high school, where she worked with local food banks and organizations to create care and food packages. She also organized cultural events, directing the proceeds to the Tonga Cameroon Education Fund, which supports students in Tonga in accessing education. At Tufts, Tiara continues her advocacy as a volunteer with the College Access and Mentorship Initiative, where she helps first-generation, low-income high school students navigate the path to college by providing them with knowledge and resources. She also participates in the Tufts Pedagogical Partnership Program, working to amplify student voices and foster positive change in the classroom environment. Through the Tisch Scholars Program, she hopes to deepen her understanding of civic engagement and apply that knowledge to create meaningful impact in her community.

Bailey (she/they/he), class of 2028, intends to co-major in American Studies and Civic Studies with double minors in Education and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. They are a dedicated civic participant having worked with community organizations like Garden State Equality and the Boston Alliance for LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) as a youth and young adult, although her work began at home in Warren County, New Jersey, where they built their high school's Gender-Sexuality Alliance into a visible and active community space. Growing up in a rural, conservative community, civic engagement was not encouraged, especially when it came to advocacy for minority populations. Nonetheless, Bailey saw the need for inclusive education and worked to better their community by hosting library showcases on queer terminology, rights, history, and joy as well as a bi-county Equity Forum aimed at bringing together local gender-sexuality alliances. At Tufts, she frequents the LGBT Center and its events, the Trans and Non-Binary Group (TANG), and will serve as the 2025-2026 Tufts Democrats Secretary. Bailey plans to become a high school social studies teacher to further the confidence, opportunities, and engagement of marginalized students, while working with non-profit community organizations where possible.

Ben is a rising junior studying International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies and is from Corte Madera, California, a town just north of San Francisco. His civic engagement began in middle school when he began participating in gun violence advocacy. Now, Ben is most involved in Palestinian solidarity work, though he cares deeply about related struggles like the movement against police brutality. Ben currently writes for the investigative section of the Tufts Daily, is learning Arabic, and is a member of Alternate Jews at Tufts (Alt-J). Ben aims to further his passion for social justice through the Tisch Scholars program.

Victoria is a rising sophomore intending to major in Biopsychology on the Pre-Med track. She is from Saugus, Massachusetts and has lived in the suburbs of Boston for all of her life. Her passion for civic engagement began in middle school when she witnessed firsthand the lack of educational support for her immigrant peers. This desire to alleviate disparities in education manifested itself in her high school experience. Namely, she volunteered to tutor students facing homelessness, led a project to repurpose school supplies for underserved students in Bolivia, and led bilingual storytimes and other events as an intern at the Children’s Department of her local library. She is also interested in promoting health equity. Victoria is looking forward to blending her academics with her civic journey as a Tisch Scholar to continue making a meaningful impact on communities in the Greater Boston area.

Perla is a dedicated advocate for social justice and community empowerment, driven by her firsthand experiences growing up in the Bronx. As a student at Tufts University, she is pursuing a double major in Political Science and Child Studies, aiming to develop policy-driven solutions that address systemic inequities. Her commitment to civic engagement is rooted in her deep understanding of how policies shape communities, an insight she gained through her legal internships at the Bronx Criminal Court and Legal Outreach. On campus, Perla is actively involved in the FIRST Community, serving as a coordinator for BEAST, a pre-orientation program designed for students who identify as first-generation, low-income, or undocumented. She believes that change begins at the local level and hopes to continue fostering community-driven solutions through her work with the Tisch Scholars program at Tufts. Perla is eager to continue her advocacy efforts, ensuring that underrepresented communities receive the support and opportunities they deserve.

Angie is a rising junior from New York City, originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. She is currently double majoring in Child Studies & Human Development and International Relations, with a strong passion for youth advocacy and immigrant empowerment. As a first-generation, low-income student from an immigrant background, she has dedicated herself to advocating for immigrant youth and creating spaces where underrepresented voices are heard. Her civic engagement journey began with the New York State Youth Leadership Council, where she worked as a Youth Fellow at the Immigration Liaison, providing legal, emotional, and professional resources to undocumented students and families. She has continued this commitment at Tufts through her involvement with the College Access & Mentoring Initiative and as a Programming Intern at the FIRST Resource Center, creating supportive spaces for first-generation, low-income students. Angie is excited to join the Tisch Scholars program to deepen her understanding of civic engagement and community advocacy. She looks forward to giving back to the community and continuing to use her voice to amplify those fights for systemic justice and immigrant rights, regardless of the barriers they face.

Melissa, a rising sophomore from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, plans to study Community Health. Raised in a suburban area by one parent from a dairy farm and the other from the Philadelphia area, Melissa developed a multifaceted perspective integrating rural and suburban viewpoints. While working to bridge the gap between agricultural producers and consumers, she has gained a passion for community service, civic engagement, farming, and food production. In many ways, Melissa’s journey of civic engagement started by raising dairy cattle in 4-H, where she led service projects, like an agricultural education program for local youth, and advocating for change at national leadership conferences. Since her interests focus on food security, she has furthered her civic journey through hunger relief efforts as a delegate to the World Food Prize’s Global Youth Institute and by serving as co-chair of TCU’s Food Insecurity Subcommittee at Tufts. For her next three years at Tufts, Melissa wants to focus on expanding her civic engagement into the greater Boston area. As a Tisch Scholar, Melissa is looking forward to using her passion for community service and hunger relief to impact positive change through teamwork and outreach efforts in her community placement.

Jeymi is a first-generation Honduran-American rising sophomore from Silver Spring, MD, double majoring in Political Science and Sociology. As the daughter of immigrants, she understands the systemic barriers faced by marginalized communities, particularly in accessing vital resources and information. Her civic journey began in middle school, focusing on food insecurity and bridging communication gaps. She dedicated time to distributing food and supplies to families in need, while also coordinating donation drives and outreach efforts to ensure resources reached those who needed them most. As an intern for her county council, Jeymi supported community outreach by tabling at local events, connecting constituents with services, and ensuring non-English-speaking residents received translated materials. She also managed constituent inquiries and contributed to public communications, helping keep residents informed and engaged. At Tufts, she is an active leader in organizations that promote inclusivity for underrepresented communities, serving as the Freshman Representative for both the Association of Latin American Students and First Generation Collective, while also being Treasurer for the Central American Student Association. As a Tisch Scholar, Jeymi is eager to build on her previous experiences and deepen her understanding of how policy and community-driven initiatives intersect, working to create sustainable change.

Jesse is a rising sophomore majoring in International Relations from East Lansing, Michigan and Kampala, Uganda. He has a passion for civic engagement and advocacy, and is committed to fostering inclusive and diverse communities, empowering marginalized voices, and bridging the gap between policy and lived experiences. His dedication to social impact began with grassroots initiatives in Uganda, where he worked on expanding educational opportunities through youth leadership programs - whether it be organizing student mentorship workshops, or advocating for increased access to learning resources. At Tufts, Jesse serves as a Class Senator, where he's working to strengthen student representation and build a more connected campus community. Beyond student government, Jesse participates in Tufts Mock Trial and is a co-founder of The Political Union. He's excited to be a Tisch Scholar and hopes to continue ensuring that civic engagement is accessible to all.

Allaine Lara, a rising sophomore from Westwood, New Jersey, is a combined degree student studying Psychology and Studio Art. As a Filipino immigrant, her early experiences navigating cultural identity shaped her awareness of systemic inequity. This sparked her interest in understanding the emotional, social, and structural forces impacting people’s lives, then using creative expression to amplify underrepresented voices. Her commitment to civic engagement began when she started volunteering at her local public library, where she often planned and supervised children’s programs, including teaching crafts and being a reading buddy. Allaine currently designs for Melisma Magazine and Future Histories Literary Magazine, and she serves as the Secretary of the Philippine Student Union. As a Tisch Scholar, Allaine is excited to deepen her understanding of community-centered work and collaborate with others to create meaningful change.

Simisola is a rising junior from Brooklyn, New York and is majoring in Political Science with a minor in Child Studies and Human Development at Tufts University. She is very passionate about socio-economic inequality in specifically neighborhoods of color and the right for every family to receive the basic rights to live such as education, healthcare, quality housing, and employment. Attending boarding high school and experiencing what the real outside world is while being a minority, Simisola continues to advocate for herself and others alike in and out of academic settings. After traveling through the American South in high school, Simisola was able to hand out groceries to food insecure families, speak with wrongly convicted black people, as well as learn more in depth about the inspiring people and stories during the Civil Rights Movement. Outside of academics, she is a part of the track team, COCOA dance team, currently a programming intern for the Africana Center, as well as one of the social media managers for Tufts Athletes of Color Club. Being in the Tisch Civic Scholars Program, Simisola hopes to meet people from different communities and do hands-on work to better the lives of others.

Lila is a rising sophomore from Northampton, MA, pursuing Sociology and Civic Studies. Throughout high school she worked to bring about productive changes in her communities through various organizations and positions. As a non-voting member of the School Committee, she represented student voices and built relationships with city officials to help inspire student-oriented decision-making. As co-chair of the Northampton Mayor’s Youth Commission, she organized young people in working towards various municipal reforms, including a years-long lobbying effort within the state legislature to lower the municipal voting age. However, the most meaningful work that she has done has been as a volunteer for a small non-profit which serves housing and food insecure people. This experience has allowed Lila to find a deeper appreciation for working face-to-face with those most impacted by systemic inequities. In college, Lila has found community as part of Tufts’ EWO ultimate frisbee team and through Tufts Wilderness Orientation, which she is on staff for. As a Tisch Scholar, Lila is excited to explore ways to synthesize small-scale community building with systemic change.

Openi is a rising sophomore at Tufts University, double majoring in Quantitative Economics and International Relations. She calls both New York City and Lagos, Nigeria home, two places that have shaped her global outlook and commitment to service. Her civic journey began in high school, where she organized blood drives and food distribution efforts through the American Red Cross and Bushkill Outreach. To Openi, civic engagement means looking beyond one’s surroundings and embracing a global perspective. She believes in the power of collective action, always valuing “we” over “I” in community work. In recent years, she led a youth-driven education initiative in rural Uganda, “Ubuntu’s Outreach” focused on expanding access to learning materials and mentorship for school-age children. At Tufts, Openi hopes to continue building meaningful connections through community-centered work, with a focus on equity and economic justice. She sees the Tisch Scholars Program as an opportunity to deepen her understanding of structural inequality, collaborate with passionate peers, and grow as a leader committed to sustainable change, locally and globally.

Jae, a rising sophomore at Tufts University, is committed to bridging gaps in mental health disparities within minority communities. Raised in Los Angeles, Jae has had a unique and culturally immersive upbringing that emphasized diversity while simultaneously contributing to their understanding of large resource barriers that exist for many marginalized communities. This prompted them to major in Psychology and Child Development, aiming to tackle mental health issues in diverse communities starting at a foundational level. Jae's commitment to serving their community is evident through their volunteer work at Teen Line, a teen-to-teen crisis line with the goal of making mental health resources more widely available to youth. Their passion for mental health is a result of life changing treatment received for their own struggles, making them excited to continue to make a difference within their own community. Outside course work, Jae remains connected to their other passions as a member of a spoken word troupe, a research assistant for the effects of adverse childhood experiences, and an intern at the Africana Center. Through each of these roles, they foster creativity, inclusivity, and advocacy; all traits they are excited to bring to the Tisch Scholars community and beyond.

Nate is a rising sophomore from the Bay Area, California and is intending to major in Civic Studies and Sociology. In the past, he participated in a medical mission program to the Philippines, and returns as a yearly volunteer to the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar in NorCal. Here at Tufts, Nate is a campus tour guide, is involved in the Asian American Center and Philippine Student Union, and is a member of the Tufts Mock Trial team. Since entering the mock trial world and taking classes at Tisch College, he has begun developing an interest in the criminal justice system and law. He is also a mentor with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization of Eastern Massachusetts. Nate is wonderfully excited and grateful to be joining the Tisch Scholars community, and can't wait to further explore his civic interests and grow in his community-building skills!

Kady is a rising sophomore from The Bronx, New York pursuing a degree in International Relations with a minor in Spanish. As a first-generation, Malian-American, civic engagement is important to Kady because of her personal connection to a lot of the issues society faces today. Growing up in New York City has exposed Kady to many of these disparities early in her life. A pivotal moment in Kady’s civic journey was through an internship with the New York State Assembly, where she worked as a legislative intern. Through this opportunity, she interacted with constituents seeking city and statewide resources, while also organizing events to increase community engagement with local government offices. At Tufts, a lot of Kady’s participation in civic engagement is shaped by her involvement in SSARG, Tufts’ Sub-Saharan Africa Research Group, dedicated to promoting social and political discourse about the region. Kady is excited for the newfound community that comes with the Tisch Scholars Program and for the opportunity to make meaningful connections through her time with community-based organizations.

Amos is a rising sophomore studying biomedical engineering. He was born and raised in Narok, Kenya. His passion for healthcare stems from his close encounter with cancer through his friends and family. He has participated in cancer research and advocacy forums and he is continually fighting for cancer to be a story of the past and to improve healthcare systems in Kenya and in the whole world. He recently participated in the Delta Greens Project in Mississippi Delta, with his focus based on the intersection between Nutrition and Non-Communicable Diseases. His dedication to serve all people was further inspired by the strong-founded Civic Semester experience in Thailand for 3 months, where he learnt the greatness of diversity and collectiveness of voices in solving the world’s most complex challenges. He is determined to join hands with people from all over to bring a change in the cancer field that is worthwhile and imminent. He believes that rewriting of the cancer story begins right now!

Claire is a rising junior from Beijing, China, and Westchester, New York. Her passion for civic engagement began in high school when she joined Pro-Farmer, a club that collaborated with a local organic farm in Beijing to promote fair trade in agriculture. She also founded her school’s feminist club, driven by her deep interest in gender studies. At Tufts, Claire has continued her commitment to social impact through her work with Jumpstart and Strong Women Strong Girls, advocating for educational equity. She is also a research assistant in the DICE Lab (Development of Identities in Civic Engagement) at the Eliot-Pearson School, where she explores the structural and personal factors that motivate youth civic engagement. Claire is deeply grateful and excited to join the Tisch Scholars program and looks forward to further exploring pedagogy and literature in the context of social change.