Hey! I'm excited to welcome you to my blog page! I'm Andrea Agola, a '26 born in Kenya and raised just outside of D.C. As the eldest child of three, I'm the first to go off to college! I'm glad Dartmouth will enable me to explore both the sciences and humanities. Don't even get me started on the numerous extracurriculars that pique my interest, like the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact, research projects and dance groups. Follow along as I navigate this unique college experience!
Academic Program
Sociology major, International Studies Minor, Pre-Med
Favorite Thing Right Now
Studying abroad on the French LSA+ in Toulouse, France!
When I began my first term at Dartmouth, I knew I wanted to explore the French language and culture more after having been a French music and film fan for as long as I can remember. This was an accelerated course that covered French 1 and 2 in one term and offered an exciting and fast-paced atmosphere. The small nature of our class allowed us all to have more speaking time in class from partner activities to performing creative skits. One of the best assignments was a scavenger hunt! I was also able to learn and make a presentation about francophone countries. This class really prompted me to apply for the ‘24 Winter–Toulouse, France Study Abroad which I got accepted into!
This course considers the discipline and political happenings of Black Feminist Thought by highlighting interlocking issues related to gender, sexuality, race, and economics. The professor was amazing! I was always genuinely excited to do her assigned readings/viewings and remember being sad when she canceled class one day (imagine!). I reveled in the thought-provoking, warm, restorative (the list goes on & on) ambience that she fostered. I even took advantage of a cool opportunity that Dartmouth offers, the “Take a Faculty Member out To Lunch” program at Pine Restaurant across from campus. I enjoyed the lovely conversation we had over delicious food. Her class was such a great source of empowerment!
This course examines the epidemiology and social impact of past and present infectious disease epidemics. It was a great and insightful class to take for the Global Health Minor! I had the chance of hearing from many influential guest lecturers like the Former Minister of Health of Rwanda and a key member of the U.S Covid Task Force.
This course explores causes and patterns of global poverty and links this with the urgent need for care and care ethics in our lives and in society broadly. Not only did the class feel like such a caring environment but it was especially interesting because it had a Social Impact Practicum (SIP) component. A SIP is a project-based experiential learning opportunity connecting undergraduate courses at Dartmouth with community needs identified by nonprofit organizations. In other words, a SIP is a real-world project with real-world impact. My SIP was my care work as a UGA within Dartmouth's Residential Life.
Community Service: Upper Valley Walk to End Alzheimer's
For the last few weeks I've helped organize a team of Dartmouth Students, the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS), to volunteer in the Upper Valley Walk to End Alzheimer's. As the MAPS Community Service & Events Chair I joined Hanover resident Kathy Harvard, who lost her husband to Alzheimer's, in supporting this important cause. The Upper Valley walk (along with 600+ other walks across the United States) was hosted by the Alzheimer's Association (a nonprofit organization) and took place on Saturday September 30, 2023 beginning at Hanover High School and looping around campus. All funds raised through Walk to End Alzheimer's furthered the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association.
Before the walk began, a crowd of people clad in purple and white gathered in front of the start line and listened to moving speeches, a beautiful rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and engaged in the Promise Garden Flower Ceremony. Everyone was given a certain large plastic flower based on their relation to the Alzheimer's disease and were asked to raise their flower when prompted by the color announced:
Blue represents someone living with Alzheimer's or another dementia
Purple is for those who have lost someone to the disease.
Yellow represents someone who is currently supporting or caring for a person living with Alzheimer's.
Orange is for those who support the cause and the Association's vision of a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia.
Getting festive for the walk!
Members of MAPS not only volunteered to walk but volunteered to do face painting as well (shout out to our amazing secretary Nazarelie Gonzalez for her amazing artistic skills!). Some of our members were even interviewed after the walk by the Valley News!
"Andrea Agola, Onyinyechi Owo, and Stephen Adjei were all smiles as they crossed the finish line to cheers, cowbells, and live music. Adjei, a Dartmouth Junior from Baton Rouge, La ,explained that the trio decided to participate because they are all members of the colleges' Minority Association of Pre-Health Students.
"We wanted to come and volunteer and support the walk to end Alzheimer's because a lot of us are actively studying this disease. It is a very, very serious condition and we feel for all the people that are affected by it. And we just want to show that we support them," he said.
Owe, a Junior from Ontario, said "this is a great way to bring people together because when you're going through something that's as hard as this disease is, I feel like just knowing that you're not alone, that there are those who love you and support you," is important."
Stephen Adjei '25 waved a purple bell as he walked!
The outpouring support at the event reflected the breadth of the Alzheimer's condition's impact on patients, caregivers and families. Ten percent of the US population over age 65 suffers from Alzheimer's or dementia. A special white flower was held by one young boy at the ceremony and to represent the hope for a survivor of Alzheimer's as scientists continue to research ways to prevent or slow the disease. The chants shouted during the walk still ring in my ears, "More time! More time! More Time!"
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
