The UCLA School of Public Affairs recently honored Tanya Cherry Tull ’64 with the position of senior fellow for the 2005-06 academic year.
The School of Public Affairs encompasses schools of public policy, urban planning, and social welfare. Each year, 10-12 leaders in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors are invited to participate in the Senior Fellows Program. UCLA’s distinguished program connects the political and educational worlds for the public interest. Accomplished leaders are chosen to volunteer their time and expertise. The fellows represent a wide variety of policy interests from diverse social backgrounds.
As president and CEO of Beyond Shelter in Los Angeles, Tanya Tull’s work as a social activist and expert in the field of family homelessness and poverty earned her the invitation. Beyond Shelter, as the name implies, seeks to combat chronic poverty, welfare dependency, and homelessness among families with children. It was Tull’s knowledge of community housing needs and her public service leadership that attracted the UCLA School of Public Affairs’ interest. This year, Tull will work with faculty and students to develop a forum on affordable housing and homelessness in Los Angeles.
Student mentoring is a significant component of the program and Tull will work with four graduate students. Fellows play a significant role in helping students with career counseling, securing internship opportunities, and exploring full-time professional positions.
In the field of family homelessness, Tull’s work has helped to transform both public policy and practice nationally. In 1980, Tull founded L.A.’s Skid Row Para los Ni脙卤os (For the Children), a nonprofit agency to provide child care and family support. A few years later, she co-founded the nonprofit L.A. Family Housing Corporation, an agency that develops emergency shelters and transitional and permanent housing. Since1988, Tull has focused on developing new approaches to ending family homelessness. First developed in Los Angeles through her work at Beyond Shelter, the “Housing First” methodologies to end family homelessness are currently utilized by many organizations confront the issue. Tull has been previously recognized at 61传媒for her humanitarian efforts with the 1986 61传媒 Distinguished Alumna Award and has been a Lois Langland Alumna-in-Residence.