Graduate students and postdocs can find community and balance through GuariniGRAD’s wellness and creative programs, from Occom Pond walks to hands-on craft sessions that offer connection, stress relief, and a chance to return to their labs more focused, energized, and connected.
On a lovely fall afternoon, a group of students and postdocs chat as they walk around Occom Pond, learning more about their peers from other academic programs as they make connections. Others unwind for an hour of crafting over cookies and conversations as they develop creativity and build community. These scenes have become familiar at the Guarini School, where the GuariniGRAD initiative offers ways for students and postdocs to connect and recharge amid the demands of their research and scholarship.
GuariniGRAD provides year-round programming to support the academic, career, professional, and personal growth, ensuring Dartmouth’s graduate students and postdocs have the tools and networks they need to thrive. Although the Guarini School’s primary mission is to “advance world-class research and scholarship”, the school also recognizes that well-being and academic success are closely related.
Graduate students and postdocs face distinctive challenges that affect both well-being and academic persistence. Research commissioned by the Council of Graduate Schools in 2021 emphasizes that emotional health is closely linked to degree completion. Students experiencing depression were found to be twice as likely to leave their programs before finishing, while robust interpersonal and institutional support significantly reduced isolation and promoted resilience.
In addition to the full slate of career, professional, and academic workshops offered each term, GuariniGRAD also offers students the opportunity to step back and reflect, like the popular Occom Pond walks led by Associate Dean of Graduate Student Affairs Kerry Landers. These informal strolls offer a casual setting for conversation, reflection, and fresh air as they encourage participants to make connections, often across differences. Research supports their impact: group nature walks have been shown to lower stress and depression while strengthening resilience.
At a recent Occom walk, Landers reflected on the benefits of stepping away from their student and postdoc responsibilities. “Graduate students and postdocs get to meet people outside their research field and connect in a low-stress environment,” Landers said. “They talk about creative projects, shows they’re watching, or fun things to do in the Upper Valley. I also enjoy the chance to chat with students casually so they feel more comfortable coming to me later in the term if they need support.”
For Rachel Martin, a third-year doctoral student in molecular and cellular biology, the walks shaped how she sees campus.
“I didn’t even know Occom Pond was there until I joined one of the walks,” Martin said. “Now I go back on my own. It introduced me to an entire part of campus I hadn’t seen before.”
Martin gravitates toward wellness and creative events as a way to decompress. “It’s a good excuse to get out of the lab,” she said. “When I sign up for something, it gives me permission to take the time. Even if I’m busy, I think, ‘I can do my work later.’”
Creative expression and shared downtime have also become a modest but meaningful part of GuariniGRAD’s programming. Recent activities have included rock painting, knitting, and grounding exercises often accompanied by food, soft music, and an open invitation to drop in and unwind. For Martin, what seemed like a simple craft became unexpectedly meaningful.
“At first, I wasn’t sure what I’d do with rock painting,” she said. “But once I tried it, I realized it was actually fun. Now the rocks are decorating my desk.”
Amy Keeler, assistant dean of graduate student affairs, said the aim is to create space for experiences that feel novel yet approachable.
“There’s research that shows having a new experience with others creates strong, positive memories,” Keeler said. “It fosters bonding and a sense of community. The more we can offer that in different ways, the more effectively we can support a broad range of students.”
Students echo that sense of connection. “I’ve talked to people in earth sciences and environmental studies, and it’s so cool to hear about their work,” Martin said. “It’s the kind of science I would’ve watched a TV show about as a kid.”
Interest in hands-on creativity is growing as well. “The Howard Edward Cable Makerspace has been a huge hit,” Keeler said. “And we’re exploring collaborations with units like the Hopkins Center, which offers access to woodworking and jewelry-making. Many don’t realize those Dartmouth resources are open to them.”
For Martin these offerings round out her graduate student experience. “Some of the other graduate programs that I interviewed with didn’t have as many opportunities like these,” she said. “I know I do better work when there are events to connect us and give us a break from the lab.”
In the end, it’s less about the walks or the crafts, than about what they represent. GuariniGRAD is a community that values both the pursuit of knowledge and the well-being of those who pursue it.
