The Tufts University Alumni Association sponsors an annual Professional Development Fund to support the career growth of alums from all of Tufts schools. The Fund is managed by the Office of Alumni Engagement and Alumni Career Services. Alum volunteers and Career Services staff read applications and select recipients. The application process is competitive, and support through the fund is not guaranteed with your application. The next deadline to apply will be in December 2024. Scroll down to see the details for applying to the Fund. There are important instructions about attaching a Resume/CV.
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Details
Eligibility
- Applicants must be degree holders (Bachelor's, Master's and/or Doctoral) from one of Tufts' schools. Holders of certificates, diplomas, and continuing education completions are not eligible.
- Applicants must have graduated prior to the application deadline.
- If you have previously been the recipient of an award from this fund, you are not eligible to reapply.
Activities that Qualify for Funding & Award Size
Alumni are encouraged to apply for financial support for their professional development needs. We fund a range of activities such as those listed here. Average awards are approximately $750; we will consider requests for larger amounts, but individual awards will not exceed $1,500. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Professional organization involvement: membership dues, registration (including travel, lodging, meals) for conferences, workshops or trainings
- Education and training: coursework and/or requirements for certifications and licensures, and continuing education
- Preparation and practice for graduate school application
Activities that do not qualify for funding:
- Tuition and administrative fees as part of a degree program in which you are currently enrolled
- Compensating subjects for research activities
Application Requirements
Deadline to apply: December 2024, date to be determined, 11:59 pm eastern time
Application Form
- Information about the applicant
- Short-answer questions about the activity to be funded and why you are applying. Please keep each of your answers to 1000 words or less.
- For applications to be considered, all items must be completed.
Resume or CV
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS:
- Please submit a Microsoft Word version of your resume/CV. We cannot accept a PDF.
- Please include name only at the top of the resume/CV.
- Please remove address, phone, email, website, LinkedIn address, and other identifying information from the top, header and footer of your resume/CV.
- If you have publications and other entries on your resume that include your name, you must block out that information or replace with "MY NAME" in every entry. Resumes/CVs with this information will be excluded from your application, which will affect your score.
Criteria for Award Selection
Applications will be evaluated on the following areas:
- Potential for this funding to impact trajectory of applicant’s career.
- Evidence that applicant has demonstrated commitment to this goal.
- Applicant’s reason for turning to Tufts for help, including an explanation of other efforts and options for funding.
Timeline
- Application will open in November. Date to be determined.
- Deadline to apply is December 2024. Date to be determined.
- Applicants will be notified in February/March.
- Activities must be completed in a year from the date of notification that they've been chosen for a grant.
- One month after completion of the activity, recipients must submit proof of completion (receipts) and complete a survey about the experience.
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Contact Information
Questions
Please contact Ingrid Cornetta in the Office of Alumni Engagement at ingrid.cornetta@tufts.edu for
- questions about activities that qualify for the Fund
- requesting an accommodation in submitting your application
- resolving technical issues
Giving to the Fund
Interested in giving to the Fund? Contact Nicole M. Anderson in Alumni Career Services at nicole.anderson@tufts.edu.
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Volunteer to Review Applications!
Alumni volunteers participate in reading applications and selecting recipients for the Alumni Fund. This volunteer opportunity requires little time, about 8-10 hours throughout December-February. Read profiles of past recipients and view the timeline and deadlines to determine if this is the volunteer opportunity for you.
Contact: If you are interested in being a member of the selection committee and would like to know more about the role, please contact Sheri.Sakin, Selection Committee Chair, Class of 1986, Senior Vice President Recruiting, Solomon Page Group at sherisakin@aol.com.
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Past Recipients
See how the Alumni Professional Development Fund has supported more 59 Tufts alumni with their career growth and professional development.
Advancing Your Career
With the help of the TUAA's Professional Development Fund, alumna Caitlin Quinn, A11 was able to present her research to her industry at the 22nd International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam. Caitlin was able to use the conference to not only present her research, but bring visibility to her area of study at this critical point in time. At the conference she gathered insights into the AIDS and HIV work of her research peers, as well as the cutting edge advances in her field.
Of the opportunity the Professional Development Fund gave her, Caitlin had this to say: "Thanks to Tufts, my passion for global health began - and now, seven years after graduating, TUAA has invested in my development as a global health professional. I feel so privileged to be a lifelong member of the Tufts community, which continues to nurture and invest in the success of its alumni. This conference represents a point of growth in my career, which I could not have achieved without support from Tufts."
- Senior Associate Director
- nicole.anderson@tufts.edu
- 617 627 5741
