Aditi Gupta ’23 has been named a Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education. The James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar with a major in anthropology modified by history and chemistry is passionate about combating menstrual hygiene insecurity among communities at home and abroad.
The Newman Civic Fellowship is a yearlong program for students from Campus Compact member institutions who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country.
Gupta is among 173 students from 38 states and Mexico in the 2022-2023 cohort. She has been working in women’s health and hygiene since high school and found several opportunities to continue that work at Dartmouth, primarily through the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact.
An intern at the global humanitarian organization CARE, Gupta focuses on efforts to eliminate what is known as “period poverty,” a lack of access to menstrual products and adequate sanitation.
“It’s expensive for women to afford pads and tampons every month,” says Gupta. “There’s so many basic needs to be met before someone can feel healthy and empowered.”
Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides students a variety of learning and networking resources that will help them develop strategies for social change. Although it does not come with any monetary awards or direct scholarships, the Newman program also provides fellows with access to apply for scholarship and postgraduate opportunities.
Gupta is excited to connect with mentors and fellows across college campuses. “It’s a great opportunity to learn from each other and support each other’s work,” says Gupta, who has her sights set on medical school.