Working the Tufts Landscape, 1/29

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Join Environmental Studies for a discussion with Henry Puza, who leads grounds services at Tufts University. Dr. Alex Blanchette and Puza will discuss Puza’s background in landscape architecture, his career trajectory in landscaping and grounds management, how he understands the Tufts ecology, the challenges of working this unique environment, and his ideals for the future of the campus landscape. This session will take the format of a live interview discussion, conducted by Tufts anthropologist Dr. Alex Blanchette.

This lecture is sponsored by the Environmental Studies Program and the Department of Anthropology.

Henry Puza, Campus Service Manager, has been a part of the Tufts Community since 2021. Henry joined the Campus Services team as a Union Groundskeeper in March of 2021, was then promoted to Grounds Manager in November 2021, and recently promoted to Campus Services Manager in January 2025. Henry has been part of the grounds and landscape field since the age of 14 working summers as a full-time landscaper for a local outfit in his hometown of Westfield, Massachusetts. He studied Landscape Contracting at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. After earning his associate degree, he transferred to UMASS Amherst and received a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture. After college, he moved to Nantucket working grounds for a private tennis club, first mate and caretaker on a private yacht, and finally General Manager for one of the larger landscape design build companies on the island. After six years on the island, he moved to Somerville and served as a maintenance account manager for a large landscape design/build firm in Woburn. Seeking an opportunity to work in higher ed, Henry applied to Tufts and has been extremely grateful for the opportunities Tufts has and continues to award him. He loves to be a part of the Tufts community and to see the campus grow and evolve over the months, seasons, and years.