Yoga Club Helps Students Find Mind Over Mat-ter 

It’s often said that you have to be the change you want to see in the world. For Bianca Santamaria ’26, that change was accessible yoga for students at Middlesex College.  

Santamaria, who graduated from Middlesex College with a computer science degree, grew up doing sports and admitted that her favorite part was the pre-game stretches. 

“When I played basketball I would always lead the stretches,” said Santamaria. “There was one sequence of poses that I watched and would do them all the time, but I never formally followed any instructions. Even to this day I kind of do my own thing.” 

Santamaria realized her love for yoga – the peace of mind it gives, the connection to one’s body, and the stillness any student with a million tasks on their plate can appreciate.  

“With college being so stressful, it’s important to calm the monkey brain inside,” Santamaria said. “I feel like people want an outlet, but don’t know how to go about it.” 

Unfortunately, there is often a financial barrier for those who want to practice yoga in a formal setting. 

“I wanted to start going to yoga classes, but they were so expensive and a lot of places don’t offer student discounts,” said Santamaria. “With the minimum wage being what it’s at, and classes often being at least $30 for a one-hour session, I couldn’t justify paying that.” 

This was when Santamaria had a dream about starting a Yoga Club at Middlesex College. She discussed the idea with various people who were interested, but realized she had to be the driving force behind the cause. In Spring 2026, Santamaria started the paperwork, met with an advisor, and tabled at the Student Engagement Fair to gauge interest in her Yoga Club.  

“It was scary, I didn’t know if people would even want to join. But I got about 30 people to sign up from the engagement fair, which I felt good about,” said Santamaria. 

By the end of the Spring semester, Yoga Club had a consistent dozen or so students attending the meetings. 

“The goal of the Yoga Club is for students to engage with the ancient practice of yoga in whatever way makes sense for them,” said Yoga Club Advisor Arianna Illa. “It’s important to know that yoga is not just about physical movement, but is also about the breath and the mind, all of which we explore during club meetings.” 

Illa, a history and social sciences professor at the College, leads each meeting like she would a normal yoga class. 

“This is an inclusive club so anyone and everyone who is interested in yoga is encouraged to join, no matter their level of familiarity or flexibility,” said Illa.  

“People come up to me saying how much better they feel after each meeting,” said Santamaria. “Especially with how overstimulating the world has become with screens everywhere, it’s refreshing to just sit and breathe. A yoga class brings a sort of social pressure to put everything to the side and take a moment for yourself.” 

Interested students can be added to the Yoga Club email list by filling out the form on the Student Life club webpage: https://middlesexcollege.edu/student-life/clubs-and-organizations/