AS&E Students
Arts and Sciences, Engineering, SMFA at Tufts
TUFTS.EDU
AS&E Students
Arts and Sciences, Engineering, SMFA at Tufts
Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion

Bridge to Liberal Arts Success at Tufts (BLAST)

BLAST Logo

The Bridge to Liberal Arts Success at Tufts (BLAST) vision is to develop a strong cohort of scholars from multiple backgrounds who strive for academic excellence, active citizenship, and leadership. BLAST works to instill leadership values that last each scholar for their entire college career and beyond.

The purpose of the program is to support, develop, and retain students who may be first in their family to attend a four-year college, have attended an under-resourced high school, and/or have been affiliated with a college access agency.

BLAST is a residential six-week program in the summer prior to the first year at Tufts with program commitments during each of the following academic years. This program prepares students for a rigorous college curriculum and orientation to Tufts culture and resources to provide for a successful transition. Scholars are introduced to engaging speakers in workshops and offered leadership development training that cultivates active citizenship.

Scholars are given the opportunity to participate in the summer program and receive two course credits, financial support, and workshops relevant to college life.

Program Information

Summer BLAST is an intensive six-week residential component during which you will:

  • Take two Tufts University courses for credit
  • Strengthen your academic skills
  • Develop a supportive network on campus
  • Familiarize yourself with Tufts’ campus and its resources
  • Participate in experiential learning workshops and opportunities
  • Participate in the Peer Leader Program
  • Receive a stipend upon completion of the six-week program
  • Receive mentoring from BLAST program staff
  • Build a strong cohort of peers that will support each other until graduation and beyond

BLAST invites you to develop:

  • Strong academic skills
  • Study habits to enhance your academic success
  • Familiarity with Tufts’ resources
  • Lasting friendships throughout your time at Tufts

Part I: Summer BLAST

Summer BLAST will run from June 30 – August 10, 2024. During Summer BLAST, you will take two Tufts courses for full credit, strengthen your academic skills, attend mandatory weekly workshops, Saturday community outings, and develop a supportive campus network. Scholars are required to remain on campus for the entire duration of the program. This includes weekends, which are an important part of this intensive program.

Part II: Fall BLAST

Fall BLAST will comprise of bi-weekly workshops and mentorship over the fall semester. As a BLAST student, you will also be matched with a peer leader through our Peer Leader Program. You will begin meeting with your peer mentor during the academic year.

Part III: Spring BLAST

During the spring semester, BLAST Scholars will participate in a one-day retreat. The retreat will provide an opportunity to be in community with fellow scholars and reflect on their first year at Tufts semester.

Part IV: BLAST Events

Finally, during your time at Tufts, you will be invited to team-building activities and events for BLAST Scholars across all class years. Building these important relationships will help Scholars expand their community while gaining the lens associated with the academic culture inherent to any university.

Staff

Chris Campbell, Program Director

Geovani Cruz, Program Coordinator

BLAST Peer Leaders

Christian Erazo Artica, BLAST Cohort 12

Angie Garcia, BLAST Cohort 12

Summer Faculty

Zachary Faubion, Mathematics Lecturer

David Proctor, History Lecturer

Requesting Accommodations

Requesting accommodations through the StAAR Center (Student Accessibility and Academic Resources Center) is a straightforward process, and does involve multiple steps.

Please see our accommodation request process below:

  1. Submit an accommodation request. First submit our Accommodation Request Form. This form allows you to self-describe your disability/ies, and explain what accommodations you are interested in seeking. The form also includes a place to upload attachments, such as clinical documentation (see step 2) and/or previous accommodation plans.
  2. Submit clinical documentation. You’ll also need to provide clinical documentation to accompany your request. Please have your clinician complete our Health Disability Provider Form. This provider form allows your clinician to provide specifics around your current access barriers, and recommendations around what support you may need while at Tufts. You can also attach additional documentation to your registration form, or email or fax it to us. Lack of documentation does not preclude you from making an accommodation request.
  3. Schedule an intake appointment. Once we have received your registration form and supporting documentation, we will reach out about scheduling an intake appointment with a StAAR team member to go over your request.

If you have any questions about this process, or run into any issues, please contact the StAAR Center.

Contact Us

If you would like to be considered for the BLAST Program, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

For additional information, please contact us at blast@tufts.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The program is designed to give incoming liberal arts students an opportunity to take two Tufts University courses in the School of Arts and Sciences for credit. Students also participate in academic and college life workshops that are designed to help new Jumbos successfully make the transition from high school to college.

  • While there are no grade or GPA cutoffs or requirements, students selected to participate in BLAST are usually receiving financial aid and are first in their families to attend a four-year university. Scholars may also be the first from their high school to be admitted to Tufts.

  • No, it isn't. Our goal is to help students adjust to college life while providing a head start on the upcoming academic experience.

  • The Summer BLAST program will run from June 30 – August 10, 2024. Scholars are required to remain on campus for the entire duration of the program. This includes weekends, which are an important part of this intensive experience.

  • We currently have a total of 92 scholars across all 4 years, as well as our program alumni.

  • Unfortunately, no. BLAST is a full-time program; you will have activities scheduled from morning until the evening, Monday through Friday. It's also a residential program, so you will be living on campus for six weeks.

  • No, as described in the answer to question 6, your time will be spent exclusively on classwork and BLAST program activities.

  • All students will take two courses for credit. All students will take a writing intensive History course and a Math course.

  • Please consult with the program director. Scholars are required to remain on campus for the entire duration of the program. This includes weekends, which are an important part of this intensive experience.

  • There will be several organized field trips into Boston during the six-week program. Scholars will also participate in an overnight experience at the Loj in New Hampshire one weekend.

  • Bring only what is needed for the six week period; we encourage scholars to keep the materials you bring to a minimum.

  • The program is free for all students. Tuition, room and board, unlimited dining, and textbooks will be provided by the program. Upon completion of the program, students will be awarded a $1,000 stipend and a reimbursement for their travel costs.

  • No. Transportation will not be provided from the airport/train station to Tufts University and back to the airport/train station on your departure date.

  • No. The second summer session goes by very quickly, and missing one day of class is like missing three days of regular semester hours. Attendance of all classes is required.

  • Scholars live together in a residence hall on campus. The dormitory floors are coed; however, bathrooms and bedrooms are not.

  • No, keep in mind that storage space is minimal, so students should only bring necessities to campus.

  • No. All students will be required to return home at the end of the program.

  • Yes. Scholars will be required to participate in bi-weekly workshops in the fall. The program will support scholars through graduation.

  • Please review this document from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which provides essential guidance for high school students with disabilities transitioning to postsecondary education. The document explains your rights and responsibilities, as well as the obligations of postsecondary institutions to provide necessary academic adjustments and auxiliary aids. The goal is to ensure that students with disabilities are not discriminated against and can fully access educational opportunities.

  • You can reach out to the StAAR Center as soon as you accept your spot in BLAST. It is advisable to reach out to the StAAR Center as early as possible before coming to campus because you will need to register with them and you may need to provide documentation to support your request. This may involve speaking with your caregivers and can take time. Registering early with the StAAR Center is also advisable because, while many accommodations can be provided easily, there are some accommodations that may require advance planning. While StAAR Center staff treat your medical information sensitively, they are adept at sharing what is necessary with BLAST staff or others on campus, as appropriate, to facilitate your arrival to campus.

  • Yes. BLAST students are admitted undergraduates at Tufts and, accordingly, can access the medical leave process appropriate for your program. For most BLAST students, that will be the Arts and Sciences process that is set forth at https://students.tufts.edu/student-support/services/medical-leave. Policies and processes sometimes are updated over the summer, so please check back to this page when deciding if medical leave is right for you. You can also speak to a number of professionals on the Student Support Team, which is a subdivision of the Dean of Students Office and whose members can be found here: https://students.tufts.edu/student-support/about/our-team.

  • You’re right, this is a lot to process and may be very different from your high school experience. An important focus of the BLAST program is to help prepare students to transition to a rigorous college curriculum, as well as orienting them to the many Tufts’ resources available. In that regard, members of the BLAST staff can help guide your journey, but they may refer you to other, more appropriate offices to address your needs. For example, disability-related accommodation issues should be directed to the StAAR Center, as they can tell you what sort of documentation is required and can maintain that information appropriately. The Dean of Students staff can also help with certain questions but may also redirect you to other appropriate subgroups within the Dean of Students Office. For example, the Student Support Team is a part of the Dean of Students Office that would be involved in medical leave requests. Tufts professionals are here to help you throughout your time at Tufts and the BLAST program provides a window before many undergraduates arrive on campus to help you familiarize yourself with these people.

Resources