Hello! My name's Griselda Chavez & I am a second-year student from Southern California. I am majoring in Economics modified with Public Policy and double minoring in Human-Centered Design and Environmental Science. At Dartmouth, I have been involved with Dartmouth's Center for Social Impact, the Rockefeller Center, the Dartmouth, and People of Color Outdoors (POCO). Stay tuned to learn more about what Dartmouth has to offer and how as a first-generation college student I have navigated college.
Academic Program
Economics Modified w/ Public Policy, Human-Centered Design, Environmental Science
Although the topic and issues were not completely new to me, I was able to learn more about why current immigration policies existed and the history behind several immigration policies. I absolutely loved the class because Professor Kim was passionate about the course, and the numerous readings we were assigned were very insightful and encouraged class discussions.
The course centers on the educational issues of public school systems and how by creating certain policies or programs we can improve schools and use them as a tool to promote social mobility and equity. The students who took the class were always very passionate to discuss and came from a variety of majors and educational backgrounds, thus enriching class discussions. Furthermore, I loved that Professor Wheelan encouraged us throughout the entire term to "think outside of the box" and inspired us to continue pushing for more change.
During the spring term, I was very confused as to what major I wanted to pursue and decided to give economics an opportunity, never expecting that I would enjoy it. Professor Petre did an amazing job of demonstrating how economics could and is used for social issues like environmentalism, minimum wage, and discrimination. Learning about the concepts and employing them was very important to me because I felt like I could learn how to best help communities.
The Moosilauke Ravine Lodge has a long history with Dartmouth College and the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC). I believe it was built by Dartmouth students and was primarily used for ski competitions; however, it has now become a staple for First-Year Trips and is open to Dartmouth community members and the public. The lodge provides free transportation, breakfasts, dinners, and overnight stays for Dartmouth students. With no WiFi or cell service and a one-hour drive from the campus, the lodge is a perfect place to disconnect from the buzz of the College.
The inside of "the Lodge" feels very warm and inviting. It has a "rustic" feeling despite being redesigned in 2016.
Its accommodations and locations are what motivated me to visit. With a busy schedule on campus, I felt like I needed the time to separate myself from the crazy, working environment and get a good night's sleep at the lodge knowing that there was no reason for me to stay up late because there was no work I could accomplish.
This event was sponsored by my house community, Allen House, to promote interactions amongst our house. Therefore, we did not have to call the lodge in advance for reservations, we only had to fill out a form expressing our interest and were then contacted by Allen House. Because a larger group of students were visiting, a school bus picked us up from campus around 5 pm and we arrived to the lodge as the sun was setting. From there, we were able to tour the lodge and were served dinner at 6:30 pm. Dinner consisted of great food and amazing conversations with other Allen House students. It was a great experience to meet other peers we have never met before.
After dinner, the entire group, except for myself and two other students, headed back to campus. We ended up exploring more of the lodge, making tea, and playing a round of checkers. Without electronics, our options were limited but it was a great experience to truly not be worried about assignments. Usually, we would be asked to sleep in cabins and bunk beds outside of the main lodge; however, because we were only a few students we were able to stay in the main building and get a good night's rest.
Dinner that night!
Overnight guests tend to stay in small cabins and bunkbeds outside of the main lodge; however, we were lucky and slept inside the lodge.
It was so rejuvenating that we slept past our wake-up time and woke up around 8 am, 30 minutes past breakfast time. Upon waking up, there were some pastries and milk and cereal waiting for us. The large windows and clear skies provided us with peaceful morning views and prepared us for the drive back to campus.
Waking up to the scenery was a great wake-up call and start. It provided us with the energy to return to campus and feel rejuvenated while also making us want to stay for a longer time.
Over half of Dartmouth students study abroad at least once during their undergraduate journeys—quite a high percentage, right? Do you want to know how to best prepare for your own abroad experience? Come check what it was like for me.
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
