Dartmouth’s tight-knit community is shaped through students’ academic and co-curricular experiences, including the enduring bonds that students build with one another.
From to Commencement, the undergraduate experience often grows into lifelong friendships.
Dartmouth News talked with five graduating students who have helped to foster care and connection in the campus community—whether by supporting their peers’ health and well-being or organizing programs and events that inspire all community members.
Reflecting on their Dartmouth experience, they share advice for fellow students and insights about the people and moments that were meaningful during their undergraduate journey.
Carolyn Yee ’25
Yee is graduating with a degree in global health studies through the anthropology and women, gender, and sexuality studies departments. She held leadership roles in the Dartmouth Classical Ballet Theater, , , and the . She also served on the , and her academic and extracurricular work has focused on health policy, public health research, and sexual violence prevention. Yee received the 2025 Champion of Change Award and the Raymond S. Jackson, MD, Dartmouth Community Health Service Award for her work in the and the .
Q: What advice would you give to incoming students who want to make a meaningful impact on campus?
One of the most valuable pieces of advice I have been given was on my first day of Orientation Week, when I was told, “At Dartmouth, you can do anything—but you can’t do everything.” When I first arrived on campus, I was so energized by the incredible opportunities available that I signed up for nearly everything, but I soon realized that spreading myself too thin meant I couldn’t fully show up for the communities and causes I cared most about.
Throughout my time at Dartmouth, I have learned to be intentional with my time—investing myself into activities that I am deeply passionate about, projects that continually inspire me, and interests that I have truly loved. As a result, my advice would be to focus your energy on things that you truly care about, as in doing so I was able to give these commitments the thought and effort they deserved, and in turn, contribute in ways that felt meaningful and lasting. That shift made all the difference in my Dartmouth experience and, I believe, in the impact I was able to make.
Q: What do you think makes Dartmouth’s student community unique or special?
I believe that Dartmouth students, above all, care—about the world, their community, and each other. They have strong beliefs and determination, and the incredible ability to build with both heart and strategy. Some of the most impactful initiatives I’ve been part of, whether advocating for violence prevention policy, planning intergenerational service programs, or organizing national health policy events, started as ideas sparked on long walks around Occum Pond with friends or at water breaks during ballet classes, with passion and initiative that continue to inspire me every day. On a more personal level, my friends have been my lifeline throughout my time on campus, and my peers are some of the best people I have ever met. I would not be who I am today without them. There is a generosity that runs through this place that I know exists because I have seen it and I have lived it, and it has shaped how I want to lead and live long after I graduate.
Gina Miele ’24
Miele is graduating with a major in anthropology and a minor in English. On campus, she has worked as an emergency medical technician with and served as a facilitator for first-year students. She is also a , an usher at the , and volunteers on the after hours.
Q: As you graduate, what are you most proud of, and what do you hope your legacy will be at Dartmouth?
I’m most proud of my work in connecting compassionately with my fellow students. It is such an honor to care for people in some of their most vulnerable moments, a privilege I don’t take lightly. In my interactions with patients, I’ve learned the importance of prioritizing patient autonomy, communicating clearly and compassionately, and meeting the student where they are to create a plan forward that works best for them. I hope that this spirit of humility is something that I carry with me as I move beyond Dartmouth.
Q: Is there a particular conversation or connection you had in your role that you will carry with you?
While responding to my peers is fulfilling work, frequently encountering others in crisis can at times be emotionally taxing. I often manage stress and emotional exhaustion by writing down the good things I witness on calls. While I often encounter people during one of the worst moments of their lives, I also am privileged to witness incredible friends and community members who come together to support the individual who needs medical or emotional care. I have been consistently impressed with how courageous, kind, compassionate, and loyal Dartmouth students are to each other. I feel really fortunate to be part of this caring community.
Caroline Laverick ’25
Laverick is graduating with a major in geography modified with economics. She has served as a peer tutor at the , a teaching assistant in the economics department, and an for South House. She is active in Greek life and has volunteered with youth mentorship programs such as and and worked on the lodge crew at . After graduation she is looking forward to a career in healthcare administration and plans to pursue a PhD in geography or sociology.
Q: What inspired you to get involved in this peer support role?
Coming into Dartmouth, I thought I was 100% certain that I would never take an economics class, much less make it a focus of my studies. And yet, as a junior, I found myself taking Econ 1 and finding it added so much to what I was learning about in geography. The major is intimidating though, especially considering I had never done any economics before and a lot of people had. After doing well in the class, I wanted to make it a point to help other people succeed and think about economics in a way that was meaningful to them and their course of study, regardless of if they ended up in the major. What has kept me coming back to be a peer tutor for introductory econ classes, though, is the students. I learn so much from everyone I support and watching them grow as scholars and people has been such an honor.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming students who want to make a meaningful impact on campus?
My advice would be to start small. The most impact I have had as a student has been in my one-on-one interactions with others. Dartmouth has so many wonderful resources and ways to get involved on campus and away, but every moment carries the capacity to make a difference in someone’s life. I do my absolute best to operate from a position of love in every interaction I have with students, staff, faculty, and community members. Showing care has a ripple effect and always comes back around in the most surprising ways, which has been wonderful to experience as my time here has progressed.
Secondly, I would say to not be afraid of what you don’t know. Saying that I didn’t know how to do something and coming back to it as a tutor, or being able to admit when I had gotten something wrong, has helped me so much in my journey as a mentor as it allows both for me to grow and learn and also for students to recognize and trust that not knowing something (yet!) is where learning begins.
Harsh Patel ’25
Patel is graduating with a double major in anthropology and biology on the pre-med track. He is interested in community health with a humanistic approach to medicine. In addition to serving as a peer mentor, Patel is a board member on the and a campus tour guide for the Admissions Office. An active member of , the student Hindu organization, he helped plan major campus events like Diwali and Holi. In his free time, he enjoys playing spikeball on the Green and spending time with friends in the library.
Q: What inspired you to get involved in a peer support role?
I would not be at Dartmouth without the unconditional support of some amazing mentors I met in high school. Acknowledging this support and my gratitude for support from earlier mentors inspires me to serve as a peer mentor in my greatest capacity. I know how impactful mentor support can be for individuals, especially for those coming from underserved communities, so I strive to make a positive impact through mentorship.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming students who want to make a meaningful impact on campus?
I would suggest incoming students to keep an open mind and say yes! Dartmouth will be one of the most diverse spaces you will ever be a part of in your life with students from every corner of the world. Some of my best decisions happened when I said yes when my gut gave me the slightest indication that it would be a good idea, and it’s led me to make lifelong friendships and mentors.
Abby Burgess ’25
Burgess is a Mi’kmaq and Jewish student completing her final year at Dartmouth, where she studied Native American and Indigenous studies, environmental studies, and psychology. Burgess has been active in numerous campus organizations, including serving on the executive board for , and as co-president of the . She was also secretary of the and a dedicated member of the team. Abby volunteers as the facilitator of the Student Bereavement Group, a peer-led support space for students grieving the loss of a loved one and works as an supporting first-year Indigenous students.
Q: What inspired you to get involved in this peer mentor role?
Throughout my time at Dartmouth, I was heavily involved in Native Americans at Dartmouth, our organization for Indigenous students on campus. I was on our executive board for two years. In my last year, now that I am no longer on the executive board, I wanted to have an alternative tangible way to connect with community—as a senior, it’s been very meaningful to connect so deeply with all of the first-years, passing off my wisdom and knowledge as I gear up to graduate. It feels very cyclical.
Q: Is there a particular conversation or connection you had in your role that you will carry with you?
There is one moment in particular that sticks out. During the week of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Awareness, I taught a workshop, and one of the first-years attended. This first-year wasn’t my mentee, but was one of my friend’s mentees. After learning to make her first pair of beaded earrings, she gifted the earrings to her peer mentor, my friend. This moment is emblematic of how much of an impact our mentors have on first-years: the impact is so meaningful that this individual gave her first-ever pair of beaded earrings to her Indigenous Peer Mentor. It was an honor and a gift to help her do that.