Tufts Blogs

Coming into Tufts, I was the classic civically-minded freshman—eager to change the world, or at least find a club or two that made me feel like I was. Little did I know that my dive into campus organizations would bridge me straight into the professional world. Spoiler alert: I didn’t exactly save the world, but I did pick up a few skills along the way. Here’s how it went.

Starting out as a Student Consultant with 180 Degrees Consulting, I was thrown into a world of client meetings, brainstorming sessions, and the occasional frantic scramble to finish a slide deck. Our client? New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, an initiative under the Friedman School of Nutrition. Our mission? Strategize partnerships and nutritional initiatives for recently immigrated farmers in New England. I was thrilled to be doing real work with tangible impact, helping people establish new roots (pun intended) in their communities. Fast-forward a couple of semesters, and I stepped into the Vice President role, managing 70+ student consultants. If nothing else, it taught me the art of navigating Zoom calls with 30 people who all have very different ideas on what constitutes “good strategy.”

Then came The Tufts Daily, where I had the chance to flex my passion for free and independent journalism. As Business Director, I quickly learned that balancing budgets and negotiating ad deals could feel like running a mini Wall Street (minus the suits and power lunches). Later, I stepped into the role of Intentionality & Inclusivity Co-Chair to focus on diversity and equity efforts within the paper. When we weren’t discussing ad revenue, we were talking about how to make every voice on campus feel represented in our stories. For a college newspaper, there’s no shortage of red tape to cut through—and just the right amount of coffee to make it manageable.

Just when I thought I’d done it all, I joined the Office of Sustainability as an Eco Rep. My mission: make Tufts a greener place, one recyclable can at a time. I led initiatives like “Jumbo Exchange” (basically a giant clothing swap that’s way more exciting than it sounds) and created a sustainable shopping guide for students. It wasn’t always glamorous—I spent more time than I care to admit reminding people what could and couldn’t go in the recycling bins—but every small win felt like a step toward positive change. Plus, getting people to care about sustainability on a campus where pizza boxes still end up in recycling was practically a masterclass in marketing.

Finally, I joined Tufts Student Giving, where I was tasked with, essentially, convincing students to support their own institution financially. Some might call that an impossible mission. I called it “character-building.” Working as the Director of Student Giving, I recruited a committee and coordinated fundraisers for The Tufts Fund, rallying everyone to contribute to the $12.5 million annual goal. Turns out, getting students to open their wallets (for something other than late-night pizza) requires the right mix of charm and persistence. By the end, I’d like to think I was convincing enough to earn a badge in fundraising.

In the end, these experiences have done more than just prepare me for internships—they’ve shaped how I approach everything from work to community engagement. Each role has left me with a new set of skills, a renewed appreciation for teamwork, and the comforting realization that a bit of dry humor can get you through almost anything. So, to any future Jumbos reading this: if you’re on the fence about joining a pre-professional club, let me just say—it’s worth it.