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Julia Kennard

Gabrielle (Gabby) St. Clair '27 is a changemaker with an award from Yale University’s Substances and Sexual Health Lab to prove it.  

Gabby with her Changemaker Award

Gabby is a fourth former from East Orange, NJ who spent six weeks this summer participating in a program run by Yale’s Substances and Sexual Health (SASH) Lab. The SASH Lab at Yale Summer Research Program was led by lab directors in the School of Public Health with the goal of encouraging 23 teens to explore public health, data science, and substance use prevention as part of a partnership with New Jersey communities. Gabby, along with the rest of her teenage, New Jersey cohort, learned about the importance of addressing and improving systems for people struggling with mental and physical health in their hometowns. 

While talking about her time at SASH, Gabby’s already constant positive attitude skyrocketed as she shared everything she learned and how it shaped her worldview. One of the most surprising parts of the experience for Gabby was that she “never expected to learn that much in six weeks of a program…They had people who majored in these topics come in and teach us about all of these different things.” The overarching goal of SASH was to educate New Jersey teens about research through working in the lab and allowing them to help co-design studies and algorithms. This meant that Gabby engaged with a range of topics and built on the knowledge she gained each day, introducing her to the world of public health through lectures, experiments, and projects. 

When asked about her future, Gabby always knew she wanted to help people, but she thought it might be as a veterinarian or a social worker. As Gabby learned about qualitative and quantitative research, addictive behavior advocacy, behavioral theory and social media, she knew this was a path that aligned with her desire to help others and one that she now wants to pursue. SASH allowed Gabby to take her growing knowledge of public health and directly connect it to local communities. She learned about the importance of advocacy and, in her words, “using your voice for the betterment of society.” 

Gabby’s main takeaway from the program was the important distinction between mental health and mental illness, a difference she admits was new to her at the start of SASH. “Being able to advocate for self-help is something that is really important because I know some people would rather struggle with something then realize they need help,” Gabby’s words ring true and show her perspective, now shaped by a growing awareness of the hardships people face. 

Gabby (right) with her family and Dr. Ijeoma Opara (center), PhD, MSW, MPH, and SASH Lab Director

At the culmination of the six weeks, Gabby was awarded the Changemaker Award, an acknowledgement of her dedication and drive throughout her time at SASH. “I came into the program kind of nervous because I didn’t know anybody,” said Gabby. “But for them to recognize me as somebody who could make a change, was a really fulfilling moment.” 

Gabby’s commitment to change came back with her to Berkshire this fall. She has already made an impact towards improving mental health on campus by “taking on more leadership opportunities and making a club for yoga and mindfulness.” Wherever Gabby lands in the future, it is clear she will continue to make a difference. 

Read more about the Substances and Sexual Health Lab at Yale Summer Research Program and Gabby’s award on Yale’s website.