If you have noticed an unusual number of pre-frosh on campus today, you might want to stop, introduce yourself, and tell them a little about what it's like to be a Tufts student. That is what the admissions office and the student leaders of SCOPE - Students of Color Outreach Program - encourage.
The program hosts two sessions annually, one this weekend and one in the spring for admitted students. This week, SCOPE has brought in 125 high school seniors from around the country. All identify themselves as students of color and expressed an interest in Tufts. SCOPE's main goal is to show these students firsthand what Tufts has to offer.
The program is designed to give the students an opportunity to visit campus, attend classes, talk to students, and meet members of Tufts' cultural communities.
"[We] connect students with the right people... so that they can see upfront all of the resources available to students of color," said Susan Mantilla, the admissions officer responsible for SCOPE.
But Mantilla is not alone in this initiative. "My coordinators are amazing," she emphasized, referring to juniors Mia Roberts and Jonathan Snyder. But Mantilla insists the show could not go on without extensive help from a large network of student volunteers.
The coordinators think of program ideas, and volunteers' efforts bring them to fruition. One of the many events featured was last night's Super Show, a showcase of multicultural art and talented performing groups at Tufts. Another is a student-only discussion that provides the setting to ask "real" questions and hear about students' experiences.
"People appreciate honesty," Roberts said. "Until they see it, they can't know how great Tufts is."
Although the Tufts admissions process is not officially need-blind, meaning admissions decisions may depend on a student's ability to pay, the group of minority students brought to campus represents great socioeconomic diversity. Financial status is not considered for the SCOPE program, which attracts students from both private and public schools. All that matters is that they are interested in Tufts.
The costs associated with the program mainly cover student transportation. Busses are provided from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Students that live farther away must be selected based on their academic performance to be flown to attend SCOPE.
But how is the spending for a program that benefits only a small part of the University community justified? "I think the people who don't understand the program are the ones who argue against it," Mantilla said.
So far, the program has proven to be very effective. Statistically, 80 percent of SCOPE students who visit Tufts end up applying for admission. Those who have passed through the program agree it is helpful.
"Our university doesn't always do things to show that we're committed to diversity," sophomore Pete Shungu said, adding that SCOPE was one of the biggest reasons he chose to attend Tufts.
Freshman Chieme Ejirika said that her SCOPE experience helped solidify her decision. "[Without SCOPE] I might have missed out on coming here," she said.
Sophomore Patrick Taylor also felt SCOPE was beneficial. "It condensed what was actually going on at the school," he said.
By bringing together so many students of color at once, some might suspect the experience gives a false impression of the University. The face of the program, however, is a compilation of efforts on behalf of many minority student organizations and individuals from every ethnic background.
"They are going to see that you are still a minority at Tufts," Roberts said. "One thing we stress is that we have allies, and the only way to make this program work is to have allies." After meals in the dining halls and nights in the dorms, the hope is that students will see a picture of the real Tufts.
"We don't live in a bubble. This is a goal we are trying to work together to reach," Roberts said. "A lot of our kids are mixed or biracial, so you're not even dealing with one ethnic group."
"How do you make someone from multiple ethnic groups feel comfortable?" Roberts added. "We're trying to stress that we do have a community here."
In a school where many feel the percentages of African Americans and other minority ethnic groups are not at the levels where they should be, SCOPE is working to better the situation. "[SCOPE] shows us as minorities how we are tied into the school," freshman Ana Depina said.
"SCOPE is the true essence of outreach," Roberts said. "I hope our minority numbers continue to grow, but it's still not enough. We need to reflect the society in which we live. That's the only way to make things a little more equal."
