As long as I can remember, I’ve been dreaming of college. I always knew I wanted to go somewhere in the Northeast, romanticizing the beautiful winters and falls that don’t exist with the heat of my hometown in South Carolina. Being from a small town, the premise of living near a city, having endless access to museums and libraries, and being able to live without a car was exhilarating. As it turned out, SMFA checked all of those boxes.
My first introduction to SMFA was at a National Portfolio Day in Sarasota, Florida. My Tufts portfolio review was the most impactful and helpful feedback I received that day. It persuaded me to look more into Tufts’ programs and inspired me to think more conceptually about my work and experiment more. Eventually, I visited SMFA the summer before my senior year of high school. I fell in love with its community, feeling so welcomed and included by the kindness and support of current students and admission representatives. The emphasis on interdisciplinary education and the smaller size of the SMFA drew me in. Ultimately, the size of the Combined Degree program, the accessibility of so many different
studios and practices at the SMFA, and the Engineering Psychology major convinced me that Tufts was the place for me.
The more time I spend at Tufts, the more I fall in love with our community. I like to joke that Tufts is like a bubble of Southern charm in the middle of Massachusetts because the students, faculty, and neighboring areas' locals are the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. Whenever I meet a Tufts student, faculty member, or alumni on or off campus, they’re always so excited to talk about Tufts, asking about what I’m studying and what clubs I’m a part of. Office hours and out-of-class appointments are always productive and enjoyable, and create a classroom environment that emphasizes asking questions and reaching out for assistance. During my freshmen year, I practically lived in computer science office hours, making tons of friends and learning so much so quickly in the process. The academic culture at Tufts of peers supporting
and uplifting each other creates such a fruitful and low-stress learning environment.
Ultimately, one of my favorite parts about SMFA is that there’s so much room for experimentation and stepping out of your comfort zone. When I started my academic journey at SMFA, I planned to take one drawing class and one graphic arts class each semester—fulfilling the two disciplines I knew I loved when entering. However, in a fantastic turn of events, I ended up in 3D Foundations, learning mold making, woodworking, and welding. This late introduction to these fields of sculpture left me absolutely in love. So in love, I worked with my Introduction to Interdisciplinary Drawing professor to incorporate this newfound love for sculpture into my final project. From that first semester, I ended up with a multidisciplinary approach to drawing that involved carving, laser cutting and engraving, and welding.
So, from spending hours in the SMFA library exploring new artistic genres to learning how to program websites, SMFA has facilitated my interdisciplinary education, all while allowing me to me to meet and learn from amazing faculty and peers.