Office of Scholar Development
The Office of Scholar Development was created to help students attain opportunities for independent research and sponsored scholarship. With help from the StAAR Center and the Scholarship Committee, we assist students in the sometimes complicated application process every step of the way, from deciding which scholarship is the right fit to revising application essays.
The research we sponsor and the students we nominate for nationally competitive awards are a way that we tell the world who we are as an institution, and a way we reaffirm Tufts’ commitment to inclusion, critical inquiry, and social justice.
Our office is dedicated to scholarship and teaching in service of the struggle toward equity, safety, and justice for all people and our planet. We reaffirm our commitment to stand in solidarity with those targeted by forces of repression. We actively denounce homophobia, misogyny, racism, transphobia, xenophobia, ablism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and all other forms of hatred and bigotry.
Meet the Staff
Emily Palermo, Program Manager
Emily Palermo (she/her/hers) leads the Office of Scholars Development, serves as the primary fellowship advisor for several highly-competitive national and international scholarship organizations, and leads Tufts’ Summer Scholars Program.
She received her B.A. from Louisiana State University in 2017, and M.A. and Ph.D. from Tufts University, all in English.
To make an appointment with Emily, please use the following link: https://go.oncehub.com/EmilyPalermo.
Jem Shin, Program Assistant
Jem Shin (they/them) is a second year PhD student in the English Department. They are excited to work with students applying for a broad range of fellowships and scholarships with the help of the Office of Scholar Development. Jem also looks forward to the chance to expand the Office's outreach and communications to the Tufts community.
Jem earned their BA in Economics and English from Wesleyan University in 2023. They are interested in researching literature from the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as movement/diaspora literature and queer theory.
To make an appointment with Jem, please visit the following link: https://calendly.com/jem-shin/30min.
Nina Francisco, Program Assistant
Nina Francisco (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the English department. Alongside her commitments to the Scholar Development team, she works as a writing instructor and tutor. She is excited to work with students across all disciplines to help them explore and apply for research and scholarship opportunities.
She received her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2019 and her M.A. from Tufts, both in English. Her doctoral research focuses on 20th and 21st century literature and life-writing.
To make an appointment with Nina, please use the following link: https://calendly.com/nina-francisco-tufts/30min
Jessica Maloney, Program Assistant
Jessica (she/her/hers) is a sixth-year PhD candidate in the English department. She earned her B.A. in English and Literature Studies from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2019. Her research focuses on ecological entanglements between the nonhuman and human in early British, Scottish, and Welsh literature.
Jessica has taught in the First-Year Writing program for three years, where she has worked with students from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. As a non-traditional, first-generation student, she understands the uncertainties involved in applying for major research and scholarship opportunities and is excited to help students navigate the process with clarity and support.
To make an appointment with Jess, please reach out over email to Jessica.Maloney@tufts.edu