Overview

Peer Advisors serve an important role in the mission of the Africana Center. While the Center works to support students in their quest for academic excellence and ensure a culturally and socially rich college experience, the Advisors work with first year students and serve as a vital source of information and assistance to acclimate them to the Tufts environment. The Advisors are upper class students who work as volunteers and offer new students a sense of family, friendship, belonging and community and strive to be available, accessible, approachable and vigilant without being intrusive.

Working with the Africana Center Director, the Advisors plan and facilitate programs to address issues such as adapting to the collegiate academic environment, working with faculty advisors, securing academic tutoring, developing time management skills, and negotiating how to live in a residence hall and form positive relationships with roommates. Advisors also work with student organizations to plan social activities and programs.

Peer Advisors are selected from students with a broad range of academic, leadership and social experiences on campus. The selection process for Peer Advisors is based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) approachability, open-mindedness, enthusiasm, experiences at Tufts, organizational and leadership skills and the ability to work with a team.

Advisors are expected to attend a pre-orientation training (the week before first year students arrive), the Cape Cod orientation program, and on-going training sessions. The Africana Center Director interviews and selects Peer Advisors in the spring semester of each academic year.

Get to know our 2011-2012 Peer Advisors >