Conference and Event Services
Conference and Event Services is a Tufts University department providing integrated event venue rental, on-campus housing, and catering across the Medford/Somerville and Boston campuses, serving academic programs, summer interns, commencement guests, and corporate event organizers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersMedford, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Conference and Event Services does
Conference and Event Services is a department of Tufts University that provides integrated on-campus event management, housing, and catering services from its headquarters at 177 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts. Established in 1988—though the broader Tufts University was founded in 1852—the unit coordinates conferences, academic summer programs, commencement activities, and community events across the university's Medford/Somerville and Boston campuses, managing 50+ events annually with a staff that scales to 35+ during peak summer operations.
The service portfolio comprises three core streams: meeting and event venue rental (auditoriums seating 100–600, classrooms for 10–100, banquet space up to 500, plus specialized Boston venues); housing accommodations (summer program lodging for 15–1,200+ participants, intern housing at $55–$67/night, and commencement housing at $155/night across 3,000+ on-campus rooms); and Tufts Catering, supported by in-house dining centers and an amenities stack including a 42,000 sq ft fitness center and a 700,000-volume library. The recent Joyce Cummings Center adds a state-of-the-art conference facility adjacent to the new MBTA Green Line Medford/Tufts station.
The revenue model is unit-pricing and professional-services based: nightly housing rates, per-event venue rental, and catering commissions, complemented by full-service event planning packages. Customer acquisition is primarily event-driven through the conferences.tufts.edu website and a Request a Quote process, supplemented by 35 years of institutional referral relationships. The organization does not disclose financials, and given its structure as a university department rather than a standalone commercial entity, it operates within Tufts University's governance with no independent investors or external capital.
Conference and Event Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Conference and Event Services
- Legal name
- Tufts University Conference and Event Services
- Website
- https://conferences.tufts.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Conference and Event Services is a Tufts University department providing integrated event venue rental, on-campus housing, and catering across the Medford/Somerville and Boston campuses, serving academic programs, summer interns, commencement guests, and corporate event organizers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Conference and Event Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Conference and Event Management Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Academic & Education Conference Organizers (THAHACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB), Summer/Conference Housing & Guest Accommodations (EDALACAI), University/Academic Conference Hotels (THAGALAJ), Conference & Convention Center Catering (THAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where Conference and Event Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Medford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Conference and Event Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Housing and Accommodations: Revenue generated from on-campus housing fees including nightly rates for commencement guests ($155/night), summer intern housing ($55-$67/night or $4,500-$4,860 full summer), and conference participant lodging. Accommodations include suite-style housing with shared living rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens.
- Event Space Rental: Revenue from renting venues including auditoriums (Cohen Auditorium capacity 567, Distler Performance Hall capacity 300, Barnum Auditorium capacity 226), classrooms (capacity 20-160), and outdoor spaces (Academic Quad capacity 500). Meeting spaces available for groups from 10 to 600 participants.
- Catering and Dining Services: Tufts Catering provides food services for events on the Medford/Somerville campus, serving faculty, staff, alumni, student organizations, parents, and friends of the University. Dining centers (Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie) offer diverse cuisines including allergen-free options.
- Professional Services: Full-service event planning including program development, budgetary guidance, registration management, and coordination of housing, meals, classroom space, and audio-visual needs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Commencement Housing - Double Room |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Summer Intern Housing - Early Bird Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Summer Intern Housing - Regular Rate |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Operations Intern Position |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Reservations Manager Position |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Guest Services Representative Position |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Conference and Event Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Conference and Event Services organizes and runs events on the Tufts University campus, providing venue rental (auditoriums, classrooms, banquet halls), summer and event housing in 3,000+ on-campus rooms, and Tufts Catering for food service. It delivers full-service event planning including program development, registration, audio-visual coordination, and budgetary guidance for academic programs, conferences, and university events. Customers include academic programs (15 to 1,200+ participants), corporate and community event organizers, commencement guests, summer interns, and visiting scholars.
Product overview
Conference and Event Services is a university department (not a software product) offering a unified suite of on-campus event and hospitality services. The core offering includes venue rental (auditoriums, classrooms, banquet halls across Medford/Somerville and Boston campuses), housing accommodations (summer programs, intern housing, commencement housing), and Tufts Catering for on-campus events. The department manages 50+ events annually and provides amenities including fitness facilities, library access, and parking. With 3,000+ affordable on-campus residence rooms available during summer, the service portfolio is built around in-person hospitality rather than software products or platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Joyce Cummings Center: State-of-the-art venue located at the center of Tufts University's Medford/Somerville Campus, adjacent to the new MBTA Green Line subway station Medford/Tufts.
Products and services
- Meeting and Event Spaces Provides access to a wide selection of venues including large auditoriums seating 100 to 600 participants, classroom-style plenary and breakout spaces for 10 to 100, and banquet space for up to 500 guests across the Medford/Somerville and Boston campuses. Designed for academic programs, conferences, and corporate events.
- Summer Programs Housing Room and board accommodations for summer academic programs serving 15 to 1,200+ participants, available from early June to early August. Includes air-conditioned suites and traditional dormitory-style living with custom packages for educational institutions.
- Intern Housing On-campus housing for college students with internships or supervised research positions in the Greater Boston area, housed at Sophia Gordon Hall with suite-style accommodations, shared kitchens, and laundry facilities. Available May 26 to August 15, 2026, with minimum 30-night stay.
- Commencement Housing Temporary housing accommodations for commencement visitors at Harleston Hall, featuring double rooms with twin XL beds and included bed linen, blanket, and towel. Available May 14-18, 2026 at $155.00/night with 24-hour front desk support.
- Tufts Catering Catering services for events on campus, serving faculty, staff, alumni, student organizations, parents, and friends of the University. Provides food services from small to large, casual to elegant events, with allergen-free options available.
- Joyce Cummings Center Venue State-of-the-art conference center offering nearby hotel partnerships, shopping at Assembly Row, and access to Davis Square and Cambridge. Minutes from downtown Boston and Logan International Airport with modern audio-visual equipment and accessibility features.
- Full-Service Event Planning Professional event planning services including program development, budgetary guidance, registration management, and coordination of housing, meals, classroom space, and audio-visual needs for conferences and programs.
Companies that use Conference and Event Services
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Conference and Event Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Conference and Event Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Nearby Hotel PartnersminorThe Joyce Cummings Center page mentions Nearby Hotel Partners for attendees needing accommodations beyond campus housing. The CES team assists with negotiating hotel rates for guests.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Conference and Event Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Harvard Conference & Event Services: Harvard University's in-house conference and event services operation. Directly comparable to Tufts CES in offering academic program housing, summer intern accommodations, commencement lodging, and university venue rental in the same Greater Boston market.
- MIT Conference Services: MIT's in-house conference and event services group providing venue rental, summer program housing, and event planning on the MIT campus in Cambridge. Operates in the same Greater Boston academic conference market with overlapping customer segments.
- Boston University Conferences & Events: Boston University's internal conference services department offering summer housing, venue rental, and event coordination on its Charles River Campus. Comparable in scope and target customer segments (academic programs, summer interns, corporate events).
- Northeastern University Conference Services: Northeastern University's on-campus conference and event services operation serving summer programs, intern housing, and corporate events in Greater Boston. Directly comparable to Tufts CES in audience and service mix.
- Boston College Conferences & Events: Boston College's in-house conference services offering summer program housing, intern accommodations, and venue rental in the Chestnut Hill area of Greater Boston. Comparable service portfolio and customer base to Tufts CES.
Regional players
- UMass Amherst Conference Services: UMass Amherst's conference and event services operation providing summer housing and venue rental in western Massachusetts. Comparable service model but different geography, competing for some of the same New England academic summer programs.
- Wellesley College Conference & Event Services: Wellesley College's internal event and conference services department offering summer housing and venue rental in suburban Boston. Comparable academic summer program focus and customer overlap with Tufts CES.
Broad incumbents
- Boston Convention & Exhibition Center: Massachusetts' largest dedicated convention center, operated by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority / Signature Boston. Competes for larger conferences and trade shows in the same Greater Boston market where Tufts CES pursues events of 100-600 attendees.
- Hynes Convention Center: Back Bay convention venue offering flexible meeting and event space in Boston. Represents the broader incumbent venue market that competes with university venues for mid-size corporate and association events.
Emerging players
- Cvent: Event management technology platform that universities and conference venues increasingly use for marketing, booking, and attendee management. Not a direct venue competitor but an ecosystem player whose software mediates demand for university conference facilities including Tufts CES.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Conference and Event Services social profiles
Digital presenceConference and Event Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Conference and Event Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Conference and Event Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Conference and Event Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Conference and Event Services
What does Conference and Event Services do?
Conference and Event Services organizes and runs events on the Tufts University campus, providing venue rental (auditoriums, classrooms, banquet halls), summer and event housing in 3,000+ on-campus rooms, and Tufts Catering for food service. It delivers full-service event planning including program development, registration, audio-visual coordination, and budgetary guidance for academic programs, conferences, and university events. Customers include academic programs (15 to 1,200+ participants), corporate and community event organizers, commencement guests, summer interns, and visiting scholars.
Is Conference and Event Services a public or private company?
Conference and Event Services is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Conference and Event Services founded?
Conference and Event Services was founded in 1988. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Conference and Event Services based?
Conference and Event Services is headquartered in Medford, United States, in the North America region.
How does Conference and Event Services make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Housing and Accommodations are the primary driver. The others are event Space Rental, catering and Dining Services and professional Services.
Who are Conference and Event Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Harvard Conference & Event Services, MIT Conference Services, Boston University Conferences & Events, Northeastern University Conference Services and Boston College Conferences & Events. Regional players are UMass Amherst Conference Services and Wellesley College Conference & Event Services. Broad incumbents are Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and Hynes Convention Center. Cvent is listed as an emerging player.
Does Conference and Event Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Conference and Event Services.
What industry is Conference and Event Services in?
Conference and Event Services's product category is Conference and Event Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHACAE, Academic & Education Conference Organizers, with a secondary code of THAHAAAB, Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues. Its NAICS code is 561920 and its SIC code is 8744.