As the ballots open for Tufts Community Union Senate president, it is time to consider who will best support you and the Tufts community during the 2023–24 school year. One candidate in particular stands out: Arielle Galinsky, who has the experience, dedication and passion needed to be an excellent leader for Tufts.
Arielle has been an active member of our school community, both in and outside of TCU Senate, since her very first semester. She joined the Senate as a first-year in the fall of 2020: a time where Tufts needed a true leader and advocate. During her first year on the Senate, she gained a deep understanding of the issues facing our school and showed her commitment to making our community stronger. Within her first few months of serving, Arielle made a tangible impact by advocating for every undergraduate student to receive a reusable dining bag to reduce paper and plastic waste on campus.
Rejoining the Senate as a sophomore was no question for Arielle, and she was elected Services Committee chair in her second term. In this position, she worked on tangible projects that had immediate impacts on our student body as we started to gain a glimpse of what Tufts would look like post-COVID-19. Most notably, Arielle curated, from start to finish, “Prom Reinvisioned,” which was a prom developed for those who missed this quintessential high school experience. Prom Reinvisioned was an event that brought over 1,000 members of our community together for a night of celebration. After spearheading countless other projects in her sophomore year, including the Fall Break shuttle, Textbook Exchange and Gender Affirming Clothing drive, Arielle was prepared to take on the role of TCU vice president as a junior.
This past year, Arielle has led numerous efforts all with a common thread: reinvigorating and bringing back Tufts. However, she did far more than that. She helped empower and support the Tufts community with new pilot programs and initiatives consistently rolling out. These include implementing a Community Food Pantry, putting free menstrual products in buildings across campus, spearheading a grocery store shuttle program, advocating for the implementation of mental wellness days, revitalizing Tufts Table, planning the Student Leadership Gala and serving on numerous faculty and administration committees to bring student concerns to light. Arielle’s full list of accomplishments while on Senate, while lengthy, can be found on her website. Whether you knew it or not, Arielle Galinsky has impacted your Tufts experience. She has created a project or helped fix an issue you may never have known existed and she will only continue to do so as TCU President.
Current TCU President Jaden Pena expressed his admiration for Arielle’s exceptional leadership skills when he told us in a written message, “It has been an honor working alongside Arielle this year. Tackling some of the most pressing issues that our student body faces is easy when you have someone like Arielle in your corner.” Over the past year, Jaden and Arielle have been a dynamic duo, working together to not only lead the Senate body, but to also advocate for change. “Arielle and I took a collaborative approach, working on just about everything together,” Pena continued, “I can assure you that she is truly a great teammate. If Arielle wants to make something happen, she does it; no questions asked.”
Arielle’s dedication to the Tufts community extends far beyond her vital role on the TCU Senate. From promoting inclusivity by leading the Tufts Best Buddies chapter, to bringing together students passionate about neuroscience through Tufts NeuroNetwork, Arielle’s positive impact is felt everywhere on campus. Most notably, Arielle has demonstrated exceptional leadership through her role in TedxTufts. As curator, Arielle oversees and supports various teams as they work to orchestrate their annual TedxTufts conference, drawing audiences both from Tufts and the greater Boston community. The words from TedxTufts Executive Organizer Jordan Meek exemplify Arielle’s positive influence on this organization. He told us in a written message, “Arielle consistently went above and beyond, expanding the scope of responsibilities for her position while also supporting others (including myself) along the way. Above all else, I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Arielle and regard her as a wonderful friend and even better person.”
While Arielle’s accolades and accomplishments are impressive, what is even more compelling about this candidate is her compassion, empathy and overall personality. Even after a five hour Senate meeting, she will stay another couple of hours into the early morning to talk with first-year senators who need help brainstorming a project. No matter how busy she gets, she will never miss an opportunity to talk with a student about issues they face and how she can best help and support them. As a person, Arielle upholds the values of the Senate and the TCU with the utmost integrity and dedication.
It is not just Arielle’s experience that makes her an excellent candidate. She has a clear vision for our school’s future. Arielle is passionate about combating food insecurity, uplifting marginalized voices, strengthening mental health resources and fighting against menstrual inequity at Tufts. While she has spearheaded various projects in these categories, her vision for the future is unmatched, and we all know she will actively work towards whatever goal she sets. She has concrete plans for how to make our school a more welcoming and supportive environment for all students. This vision is exactly what our school needs right now.
Arielle is the ideal candidate for TCU president. She has the experience, vision, integrity and dedication needed to be a strong and effective leader for Tufts. We implore our fellow students to ask the question of who has been there for our community time and time again and who has demonstrated time and time again that they have what it takes to lead our student body. As her slogan implies, during her time in office, Arielle seeks to break down barriers to allow students to have the Tufts experience they deserve. On election day, make the right choice for Tufts and vote for Arielle Galinsky as the next TCU president.
Natalie Rossinow and Krystal Mutebi are TCU senators in the Class of 2025. Rossinow currently serves as the TCU treasurer, and Mutebi serves as the TCU diversity officer and women's community senator.
