Hi! I'm Lauren, a '26 interested in biological anthropology, classics, and global health! Originally from Long Island, NY, I grew up spending every free moment swimming in the ocean. Going to college in NH was a shift away from that; however, I frequent the CT River during the warm seasons! Outside of academics, I am a tour guide and am involved in paleoanthropology research, Global Health Fellows, Camp Kesem, and First Year Trips. I can't wait to share my Dartmouth experience with you!
Academic Program
Anthropology major concentrated in Biological Anthropology, Classical Studies minor
Latin 1 is the first of three introductory Latin courses at Dartmouth. The class is split into small teams; students complete coursework as groups. I cannot recommend taking Latin enough: the classes are tiny, the professors are fantastic, and some even bring their dogs to class (check out my blog about Dartmouth's Latin dogs). I finished the introductory Latin sequence, fulfilling my language requirement. Now, I am continuing to work in the department as a Learning fellow—a student who has already taken the class and attends class to facilitate group work.
After taking Latin 1 in my first term, when it came time to pick my writing seminar (the second required portion of the first-year writing sequence), I naturally chose the course themed on the Greco-Roman world. This course was incredible and was seminar-style, so we discussed readings, went to the Hood Museum of Art, and presented on a feature of art in Pompeii that we found particularly interesting.
My first anthropology course! This archaeology course introduced me to the field of anthropology and archaeology at Dartmouth. This course was lecture-style, with different lectures on everything, including the evolution of religious thought, human sacrifice, and Stonehenge! The professor was incredibly engaging, and we even got to pick lecture topics during the end of the term.
SummerWater Mill, NY
I spent my summer at home, working on my family's vegetable farm. I also started working as an Admissions Communications Intern for the Admissions Office!
Anth006 was my first biological anthropology course! This course was incredible; this introduction course delves into the concentrations within anthropology and everything from the first life on earth to applied anthropology today! We also often had guest lecturers, from visiting professors to graduate students, who would speak about their concentration and research.
Fossils, fossils, fossils! Our professor is a renowned paleoanthropologist, so the course focuses on fossil traces of human ancestors and relatives. Human Evolution is a lecture-style course, but every Friday, we go to the paleoanthropology lab to handle casts of fossils—which we were introduced to during lectures. These fossils are also our primary form of assessment, as we were assessed on the fossils in culminating lab practicals. It is incredible not only to learn about the discoveries that shape our understanding of human evolution but also to engage directly with replicas of them.
Anth017 course focused on individuals' experiences of illness. Our professor was a medical and psychological anthropologist, so it was interesting to hear about the intersections of her research and our course's themes. Throughout the term, we discussed various topics like illness behavior, the culture of biomedicine, and structural violence. We had daily readings and three full-length texts—which we read throughout the term. Our final project was a gateway to delve deeper into the course's themes. This opportunity was particularly enriching as it allowed me to integrate my URAD research into the course seamlessly. This personal connection made the final project a truly enjoyable and fulfilling experience.
The Sixties was an incredible Humanities course taught by a Religion professor. Each week, we broke down a year of the “long sixties”—starting with JFK’s assassination in 1963 and ending with Nixon’s resignation in 1974. We learned both about the history and the culture of the decade. My favorite part about this course was the emphasis on the music of the "long sixties." We listened to the top 30 songs for each year of the "long sixties," and now I have a fantastic playlist from all of the songs I have discovered due to this class (some Don McLean, Simon & Garfunkel, The Doors, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beatles, The Supremes, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and so many others)!
The Dickey Center for International Understanding offers various fellowship positions for Dartmouth undergraduates—Great Issues Scholars, War & Peace Fellows, Global Health Fellows, and Arctic Innovation Scholars. As an anthropology major with an interest in global health, I saw the opportunity to apply for the Global Health Fellows (GHF) position during the summer after my first year at Dartmouth. I have now been involved with the program for over a year, and just completed my second GHF retreat, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to write about the program and opportunities for those interested in global health.
The fellowship program consists of weekly speaker events and discussions from visiting global health leaders, ranging from Geisel School of Medicine professors to politicians, panels on infectious disease, and healthcare statisticians. Whatever your area of interest lies in the global health realm, there will certainly be a lecture or two that will catch your interest. In order to merit GHF certification, students must attend seven lectures throughout the academic year, complete a global health-focused service activity, and attend one GHF retreat. Undergraduates (sophomores-senior year), medical students, MBAs, MPHs, and grad students are welcome to apply to the program. In this blog post, I aim to focus on the retreats that the GHF program hosts.
The 2023-2024 cohort!
The retreat takes place at the Skiway's Lodge (lovingly referred to as "Sklodj" by undergrads)—Dartmouth's ski mountain, 20 minutes north of campus. The retreat brings together all of the GHFs to talk about the program's initiatives and requirements, meet people of different degree programs, and discuss global health issues and policy ethical dilemmas.
When I first walked into the Sklodj, I saw images of various global health heroes on each table. I was seated at the "Paul Farmer" table, and my group started off by reading about his contributions to the field. After that, we got food catered from the Nest—which is delicious and a frequent caterer of GHF events—and played icebreaker games.
Following the indoor activities, we ventured outside for a group photo and more icebreaker games with the larger group. The games, led by Evan, my co-trip leader for First-Year Trips this year (pre-orientation camping program led by upper-level students), is an intern for the Global Health Fellows program—meaning I got to see Evan organize and orchestrate the retreat! The games were supposed to be followed by a light hike up the ski hill, yet we were unable to do so this year as a pack of black bears was visible halfway up the slope.
Evan organizing icebreakers outside the Skiway!
The 2024-2025 cohort!
After the icebreakers, we delved into discussing our areas of interest in global health and talked about global health scenarios. Last year, we even played a game called "POX: SAVE THE PEOPLE," which aimed to show players how vaccines protect populations from spreading infectious diseases.
Playing "POX: Save the People"
During the final part of the retreat, each table worked together to analyze global health simulation scenarios featuring ethical dilemmas. This exercise was a powerful demonstration of the value of collaboration in the field of global health, as undergraduates, future MDs, MPHs, and MBAs came together to solve complex problems, inspiring us to continue working together for the greater good.
After my second retreat, I am grateful to be involved with this unique program and am excited to continue collaborating with the GHFs to develop my understanding of global health as a discipline.
Academics can be challenging at Dartmouth. But there are lots of groups across campus here to support you through your academic journey. Read on for my experience asking for help and a few organizations that might be helpful to you!
Every Dartmouth student is required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Here's my experience navigating the language requirement!
