Community Day opens campus to locals

On Sunday, Tufts hosted its 12th annual Community Day, a celebration of the vibrancy of the Medford/Somerville area. The event showcased a diverse collection of local organizations, from the Medford Fire Department to the Kitty Connection animal shelter, as well as many student groups, including the B.E.A.T.s and the Quidditch team. Held on the academic quad, over 2,000 people attended the event, and for several hours, the quad was scattered with young kids and student volunteers.

The event provided a successful demonstration of how Tufts can positively influence the neighboring communities. As a major fixture in Medford and Somerville -- a big employer, landholder and generator of commerce -- the university and its students have a large impact on the character of the surrounding area. Many students live off campus in houses adjacent to families and community members who live and work in the area. Students share public transportation, running routes, grocery stores and local restaurants with many of the people who visited campus yesterday.

Some colleges and universities have closed or gated campuses that seclude themselves from the neighboring towns. However, Tufts has chosen a different path for local relations. Instead of existing as an entity separate from the community, the university has chosen to integrate itself as well as it can. By hosting Community Day on its campus, the school has made itself into a gathering place not just for students, but for everyone in the surrounding area. The display of both local and on-campus organizations demonstrates that both are working for the good of the community as a whole.

Locals in college towns often think of colleges as exclusive, pretentious environments that neglect the community around them. But by opening the campus to the public for a fun, festive day of events, Tufts has done its best to assure Medford / Somerville residents otherwise. Not only has Tufts shown itself to be committed to growing the community and being open to all its residents, but has also exhibited its cheery mood for the whole area to see.

This event should not be and is not the only effort that Tufts makes to foster interaction and collaboration with the Medford/Somerville communities. Many clubs and organizations on campus provide services to the area, such as Tufts Tutor, STOMP and DREAM, which aim to connect college and elementary-school students to foster learning and provide mentors. These groups, along with campus-wide events like Community Day, are commendable. Maintaining a courteous relationship with the community around us is an important way to make Tufts a safer and more pleasant environment.