Sayarath ‘challenged people’s expectations of her’

FROM SAYARATH PAGE 1 understudied in this region, according to the study website.

Geisel epidemiology professor

Margaret Caragas said that scientists have focused on pregnant women in regions of India and Africa, but attention had not previously focused on the rural United States before Sayarath’s research. She added that it was “really important” to Sayarath to share research with local communities through pamphlets, outreach and social media.

“Her passion was bringing the research back to communities and making sure that we’re not just these disconnected scientists,” Caragas said.

Robie-Dieter said that Sayarath exhibited a “quiet strength through calmness.”

“We both shared a North Country upbringing,” Robie-Dieter shared. “Throughout the course of many meetings, every now and then we’d catch each other’s eye and just kind of smile, wondering just how we got all the way here from the North Country.”

Sayarath was also an avid stacks for a couple of hours, you’re able to draw [resources] from there and really relax,” Chiriboga said.

Ultimately, Chiriboga said that she hopes that the tranquility room will promote well-being practices across the student body.

“If [students aren’t] able to make it up into the [tranquility] room, its presence in the Student Wellness Center encourages them to incorporate well-being into their daily practice, whether that’s a walk around Pine Park, or going out ice skating with friends — different ways that they can reflect on their lives and take intentional time for themselves,” Chiriboga said.

The SWC offers other programs that seek to improve the wellbeing of students in the areas of sexual violence prevention, high-risk drinking prevention and holistic well-being, Barthelmes said. Programming ranges from the Sexual Violence Prevention Project to therapy dogs and yoga nidra, Fitzpatrick added.

Barthelmes noted that within its well-being branch, the SWC focuses on mindfulness, with the goal of equipping students with the skills that can foster “positive outcomes.”

Beyond the tranquility room, DSG’s mental health committee also advocates for students in a “variety of ways,” according to Pazen. DSG well-being projects include creating a virtual map of on-campus mental health resources available through Google Maps, funding five $1,000 grants for student mental health projects and increasing access to sunlamps, Chiriboga said.

In the future, Pazen said that he hopes to see “closer ties” between DSG and wellness organizations such as the Dartmouth Mental Health Union, as well as increased accessibility of mental health resources on campus.

“On campus, there are a lot of resources, but a lot of the time students aren’t necessarily as aware or don’t know how to maximize the usage of these things,” Pazen said.