Driven by a sense of purpose, one early career Tufts alum finds his way

At Tufts University, Ian Ross, E24, studied civil engineering for its ability to make a tangible difference in people’s everyday lives. “It [civil engineering] felt like something I could really wrap my head around. I could really feel like I had a purpose,” he said. After graduating, the same desire to make a positive impact motivated him to volunteer for the Peace Corps. He traded the hills of Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus for the mountains of Barahona, a southern province of the Dominican Republic where he’s spent the past year helping children learn how to read in Spanish.

Ross describes his current work in the Peace Corps as “kind of a curveball” from his time studying civil engineering at Tufts. While his surroundings and day-to-day responsibilities have shifted greatly, his Tufts experience prepared him well for his time in the Peace Corps.

Preparing for the future, inside and outside the classroom

Ross chose Tufts School of Engineering in part for its connections to the liberal arts and opportunities to follow his passions across a broad range of academic disciplines. “I got both sides [liberal arts and engineering], and I like that. I was able to take whatever classes I wanted.”

Some of his most memorable classes were in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. In Professor Masoud Sanayei’s Structural Analysis class, Ross remembers a model bridge competition that put his civil engineering knowledge into action. Students used a set number of materials to build the strongest possible model bridge from popsicle sticks and glue. At the end of the term, the bridges were tested to determine which ones could bear the greatest load before breaking. “I don’t think we got the top prize, but we were near the top,” he recalled fondly.

Throughout courses such as Engineering for Sustainable Society and the civil engineering capstone course, his professors continually centered the role of community input in engineering work. “One thing I think Tufts does really well in the engineering school is they emphasize the importance of community engagement,” noted Ross. This foundation prepared him well for the Peace Corps, where he found similar community-oriented values. “We’re here to do things with the community to be helpful, not to fulfill whatever personal project we want to do,” he said.

Beyond the classroom, Ross’ extracurricular experience in the Tufts chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) cultivated his interest in international service work. Tufts EWB works on international development projects and places a strong emphasis on building long-lasting and meaningful relationships with its partner communities in Latin America and Africa. Ross served as vice president of the organization from 2022-24 and helped improve water access in Villa El Carmen, Nicaragua. These hands-on learning experiences helped pave the way toward a service-oriented career.

Maintaining Tufts connections while looking ahead

While his current work is not directly engineering-related, Ross brings an eye for civil engineering everywhere he goes. He has remained in contact with faculty members like Professor of the Practice Brian Brenner and applied knowledge from his Tufts courses to his daily life. As he adjusted to life in the Dominican Republic, Ross was eager to share his engineering observations from his new surroundings with Brenner, such as how the local houses use steel rebar, or how the local water system works.  

With a little more than a year left in the Peace Corps, Ross is grateful he pushed himself out of his comfort zone to try something new. A strong sense of purpose continues to guide him, and he is interested in pursuing water engineering after the Peace Corps. Ultimately, he hopes his work will continue to support local communities, either by working on water access problems or improving water systems.

Ross recalls the uncertainty he felt when trying to figure out his next steps after graduation. He advises current Tufts engineering students to aim high and dream big, especially in the early career stages. “I think it’s good to push yourself out of your comfort zone. I would say most people are capable of more than they think they are if they just push themselves to do it.”