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)!
I did classical ballet for about 16 years before coming to Dartmouth, so finding avenues to pursue dance in college was important to me.
Classical ballet in high school -> jazz and lyrical in college
There are a couple of different avenues you can pursue, which I will outline in this blog post.
There are five audition-based, full-year dance groups: Sugarplum, Fusion, Sheba, Ujima, and Raaz. Sugar and Fusion are contemporary and jazz-focused, Sheba and Ujima are hip-hop, and Raaz is South Asian-inspired. In the fall of your first year, there is one day early in the term dedicated to dance auditions for the audition-based groups (Raaz auditions typically happen at a different time). It is a full-day ordeal but worth it if you have any dance interest and want to join a club that dances 2-3 days a week. As an incoming first-year student, I remember being anxious about auditioning because no group was strictly ballet-focused. Yet, the group I joined yielded diverse dance backgrounds—making learning new styles and skills exciting and comforting. Each group does shows throughout the terms, whether in auditoriums at the Hopkins Center for the Arts, on local stages, or in Greek spaces for friends.
My year-round dance group
The same audition process happens in the summer, except people with no dance background can join groups. So, I auditioned and joined a different group for my sophomore summer!
A summer performance!
In addition to the audition-based groups, there are also dance-based clubs. Street Soul (hip hop) and Breakfast Club (breakdancing) are non-audition-based, so no prior dance experience is necessary. There is also the Dartmouth Dance Ensemble, the formal dance program through the Hopkins Center for the Arts, which I was a part of during the fall of my first year. There are also weekly dance classes through "Wild Things Dance Workshop" (contemporary/lots of guest artists) and "Dartmouth Classical Ballet."
I am so grateful for the dance community on this campus. Meeting new people through dance, whether as a first-year or over my sophomore summer, has been so rewarding. I highly recommend auditioning for dance groups during your first year if you have any interest in dancing at Dartmouth. It may be early in the term and a significant time commitment, but the community you will find will be worth it.
Most students have to go back to college after Thanksgiving to take their finals, but not at Dartmouth! We have a six-week winter break, known as "winterim!" Let me tell you how I spent my winterim!
As a second-year at Dartmouth, I've embraced leadership roles that foster community, creativity, and support! Here's a look at how each role has shaped my journey.
