Hi everyone! I'm Yehalah and I'm a '26 coming all the way from Colombo, Sri Lanka. My academic passions lie in Energy Engineering and Environmental Studies. I am a first-generation and low-income student, actively involved with the community. I love to paint and read during my free time. I'm excited that you're here, and I hope you enjoy this account of my life at Dartmouth!
Taking an art class has long been a dream of mine. Drawing 1 with Professor Enrico Riley exceeded my expectations greatly! He is an inspiring instructor who allowed us creative freedom, while guiding us in the right direction. We drew in different forms of charcoal, with colour introduced towards the end of the term. I loved my experience and I cannot wait to take another Studio Art class!
The sequel to Drawing 1 with Professor Enrico Riley! We worked in oil paint, which I was completely new to and admittedly afraid to use. I ended up falling in love with the medium and the flexibility it gave me to adjust and refine my paintings at any point in the process. I am sad to finish this class and I hope I get to take another Studio Art class in the future!
Moving to America was a drastic adjustment, especially considering the difference in perception of race and ethnicity. This class gave me a insight into past and current American oppression against Black and Indigenous communities. I loved how much I learnt through this class, which was also my First Year Seminar requirement.
My first language class at Dartmouth! Taking German was intimidating, especially because of the fast-paced and rigorous learning method that Dartmouth uses. It was so interesting to learn the different grammar and rules used in the German language. I cannot wait to use my Beginner German skills in Berlin next Spring!
The Sacred Architecture of Asia is one of the most incredible courses I have taken at Dartmouth! The course is primarily discussion-based, with Professor Seher explaining and initiating conversation about the course material. The material assigned was incredibly inspiring and taught me so much about South Asian religions and their beginnings. Everywhere I travel now, I think about the lessons I have learnt in this class and I am truly grateful to Professor Seher for facilitating an incredible learning experience!
Learning about German history in Berlin was a great way to explore the city and culture! The class had weekly excursions where we visited important sites in Berlin, which was so informative and helpful. Overall, I learnt so many new aspects of Germany and the people who played a significant role in German history.
SummerPerrysburg, Ohio
Interning at First Solar, a solar panel manufacturing company! I work on the Application Engineering team under Product Management, developing ways to better serve our clients and enhance our products. It has been an amazing experience so far, I have learnt so much and I am so grateful for this opportunity!
Solid mechanics is a class all about stress, strain and structure. My favorite part about this class was getting to design, 3D model and construct a wooden bridge from scratch! Using SOLIDWORKS to perform FEA analysis and a laser-cutting machine, my group and I put together a model bridge that held four times more that the desired weight! It was an awesome experience to put our classroom theory into practice. This has been the most exciting engineering class I have taken so far!
Summers can be anything you want it to be. They could involve internships, fellowships, research, taking classes, personal projects, visiting family, volunteering, and the list goes on. Dartmouth has an incredible and newly restructured Center for Career Design, multiple sources of research funding and an abundance of opportunities for studying and working abroad. There really is no such thing as a "wrong" summer experience.
This summer, I was a Consultant Intern at Wood PLC, an engineering/consulting firm. Being on the Clean Energy Team, this experience directly tied into my academic and career goals! I worked on a multitude of projects, ranging from data analysis to financial modeling. I got deeply valuable insights into the renewable energy industry, through my work and from my highly experienced colleagues. The team was incredibly welcoming, supportive and ready to include me on tasks! Classes give you technical knowledge, but it is my industry experience that really gave me the complex context and understanding that I have today.
My internship was remote and I lived at Summit on Juniper, an off-campus housing option, with one of my best friends Jamylle Oliveira! This housing option is located a 20 minute bus ride from campus and has apartment style buildings. Each unit has a fully equipped kitchen with an oven, microwave, stove, fridge and dishwasher, a washer and dryer, and personal attached bathrooms! It was perfect for the summer, as I wanted to improve my cooking skills.
Me with my roommate Jamylle!
Even more fulfilling was getting to travel home to Sri Lanka, to be a bridesmaid at my sister's wedding! I was home for three weeks, helping with weddling logistics, getting my saree done in a week, and traveling the country. It was a great end of year reset, to see my family and be there for my sister's next chapter in life!
All the bridesmaids with the bride (my sister!)
Exploring Hanover during the summer is beautiful, especially when I did not have to worry about classes. My friends and I took time to cook delicious meals, watch movies, and swim at the Connecticut River! I even took a couple trips to Boston through the Dartmouth Coach to explore the city! My most important takeaway from the summer was that no summer looks the same, nor does it have to. Everyone around me is on their own path and the path will lead us exactly where we want to go.
My off-term in Hanover full of winter magic: I'm already daydreaming about the annual snowball fight, hot-cocoa fueled Woccoms (walks around Occom Pond), and cozying up in the Tower Room with a good book.
Before my internship in Italy, I spent two terms studying in Rome. How did those experiences help prepare me for my current position? Well, let me explain!
Instead of spending sophomore summer on campus, I pursued an internship in Hong Kong, where Dartmouth's alumni network and fellow students helped me to I find community, friendship, and adventure that made my summer just as memorable.
One of the most unique traditions at Dartmouth is sophomore summer, where students stay on campus to take classes the summer before their junior year. My sophomore summer has been an incredibly special experience!
