As members of the Class of 2023 assemble to receive their marching orders for Commencement, it will be the class marshals who lead the procession of graduates onto the Green and to each of their designated seating sections.
Literally marshalling the graduates to the ceremony, these students are chosen by classmates as inspirational leaders during their years at Dartmouth. Graduating seniors vote for the marshals based on the criteria of good citizenship, enthusiasm, integrity, and positive impact on others.
The 2023 marshals were invited to give a brief description of the highlights of their time at Dartmouth and to share a few words about a place on campus that holds special meaning for them. Four of the marshals will receive various degrees in engineering sciences:
The past six years at Dartmouth have been full of unexpected opportunities, including participation in the US-UK Fulbright Program, the Training Program in Surgical Innovation, the Medical Physics Program, and serving as a Guarini Fellow, Brook Byrd says. The culmination of these experiences allowed her to both probe deeper into her research into improving breast cancer surgery with direct access to patient care and broaden her understanding of the global challenges facing the world today.
Favorite Place on Campus: Pine Park
"Pine Park has served as my favorite quiet escape over my time at Dartmouth. Jumping in for a summer swim along the Connecticut River rejuvenates me, while the profound peacefulness found sitting along the water's edge, surrounded by towering pines, has sustained me over the many hurdles of graduate school."
Connor Coale served as captain of the men's Ultimate Frisbee Pain Train. He was the head teaching assistant of the peer tutoring and advising group Dartmouth Emerging Engineers, was a TA for a number of classes in Thayer, and enjoyed being a member of Sigma Nu.
Favorite Place on Campus: Sachem Field
"Classes can get overwhelming, and I always needed a reason to get away, move my body, and think about anything but school. Sachem offered a chance to breathe fresh air and run, whether it was a beautiful sunny day or a crisp autumn afternoon at practice."
Mubarak Idoko was honored to serve on his class council and as the senior class president. He has worked at the MShop, the Dartmouth College Fund, the Office of Admissions, the Transportation Office, and Jacobson Lab at Geisel. Idoko has also been a teaching assistant for some engineering courses and a FGLI computer science tutor in the Office of Pluralism and Leadership. He was also on the Dartmouth Formula Racing team since his first-year fall and enjoyed exploring the Upper Valley.
Favorite Place on Campus: Jones Media Center at Dartmouth Library
"My favorite place at Dartmouth is the Jones Media Center. I spent a lot of time working, studying, sleeping at Jones; I made many treasured memories, enjoyed interacting with the friendly staff at Jones, and had some wonderful times watching the World Cup with friends there."
Arun Somasundaram, an undergraduate in biotechnology engineering from India, chose to attend Dartmouth to pursue his passion in the convergence of health care and technology. Somasundaram was a project manager at the Digital Applied Learning and Innovation (DALI) Lab, where he contributed to the development of health-tech apps and formed meaningful connections. He also actively participated in the MEM Student Council, organizing events to foster class unity. Now, he is eager to commence his journey in health care as a life-science strategy consultant at Clarion.
Favorite Place on Campus: DALI Lab
"My favorite place at Dartmouth has to be the DALI Lab. Apart from being my go-to spot for studying, I loved the incredible community, social events and the close friends I’ve made there."
