Hi! I'm excited to welcome you to my blog! 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! Dartmouth enables me to explore my passions in both the sciences and humanities. Don't even get me started on the numerous extracurriculars that pique my interest, like the Dartmouth Dickey Center, research projects (WISP & DHMC), and dance groups (Soyeya). Follow along as I navigate my unique college experience!
Academic Program
Sociology major, International Studies Minor, Pre-Health
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.
I completed a project mapping disparities in hospital access on Chicago’s West Side. I analyzed the spatial relationship between hospital closures and the surrounding Black population, creating 0.5-mile buffer zones around six hospitals. My findings revealed that the closed hospital was surrounded by a high percentage of Black residents and was more isolated from open hospitals, indicating disproportionate healthcare inaccessibility. In contrast, areas with lower Black populations had overlapping buffers of open hospitals, reflecting easier access. This project deepened my understanding of spatial justice and the real-world impact of GIS in equity analysis.
This summer, I had the joy of learning West African percussion in a class that quickly became a highlight of my week. From my first introduction to the djembe and makuta drums to the group performances that brought us all together, each session was filled with rhythm, laughter, and community. Despite personal challenges, I always left class feeling recharged, thanks to Professor Shabazz’s infectious energy, inspiring stories, and deep cultural wisdom. Sitting in a semicircle, making music, and sharing heritage presentations helped us connect in meaningful ways—and reminded me how powerful it is to learn and grow through music.
During my semester exchange at Wellesley College, my favorite class was Organic Chemistry I. After finding CHEM 005 and 006 challenging and hearing numerous warnings about the complexity of organic chemistry, I was initially skeptical. But to my surprise, I really enjoyed the course. I found the reaction-based approach more intuitive and engaging than previous chemistry classes, and I appreciated how each mechanism told a story about molecular behavior. The class challenged me, but in a way that felt motivating rather than overwhelming. It reshaped my perspective on chemistry and boosted my confidence in tackling complex scientific concepts.
WinterNairobi, Kenya
Interning at the Strathmore Institute of Healthcare Management through the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding.
In this seminar-style class, we spent ten weeks reading and discussing powerful contemporary works written in French by authors such as Shane Haddad, Nina Bouraoui, Kamel Daoud, Djaïli Amadou Amal, Gaël Faye, and Riad Sattouf. The seminar’s intimate format fostered rich conversations about identity, memory, biculturalism, gender, and displacement across the Francophone world. What made the course especially unique was our final creative project, which we crafted in Dartmouth’s Book Arts Workshop, allowing us to merge literary analysis with hands-on artistry. This class deepened my appreciation for Francophone literature and challenged me to think critically and creatively.
As I'm writing this, I'm so excited to be sitting in my room in Nairobi, Kenya! I'm 8 hours ahead, so I'm still recovering from jet lag and fanning myself because it's really hot here. I have officially escaped the Dartmouth winter for a second time now as I'm spending my winter leave term (25W) interning abroad in Nairobi, Kenya. Last winter term, I was studying abroad in Toulouse, France, which wasn't nearly as cold as Hanover gets. Feel free to check out my study abroad blogs! The city of Nairobi has not been as foreign to me because I was actually born here! I'm glad to have had the opportunity to return, especially since it's been five years since my last visit. However, I'll definitely miss the campus-wide annual surprise snowball fight that takes place on the Green.
I definitely feel like I'm in a Happy Valley!
This is the first time I've visited Kenya without my immediate family. A majority of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended family members still live in Kenya, but I am now having an independent experience made possible by Dartmouth's John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding. During the fall, I applied for a Global Health Internship (GHI) and a Build-Your-Own (BYO) internship. These are both types of the numerous 8-10 weekinternships that the Dickey Center selects and funds for students. I knew I wanted to participate in an internship related to global health, but I was torn between the various options available to achieve this goal. The GHI program comprises several partnerships with organizations worldwide that focus on global health research and education. On the other hand, the BYO internship allows you to find an international organization of your choice to work with. After some personal research, I pinpointed the Kenyan Strathmore University Business School's Institute of Healthcare Management as an organization that I would love to work with. I submitted applications for both internship types, and when they were accepted, I was grateful to have the opportunity to decide between two amazing internships.
Drumroll please… I chose to intern at the Strathmore Institute of Healthcare Management through the BYO! So that is why, two months later, I'm in the capital, Nairobi, Kenya, taking a few days to get settled before starting my internship next week! In the meantime, I'm getting reacquainted with the bustling city. Swahili is the national language here, and English is the official language, so they are both spoken a lot, often interchangeably within one conversation! I can understand Swahili quite well, thanks to hearing my parents speak it over the years, although my spoken Swahili is not the best. That's why I'm on a mission to improve my Swahili as well. Being immersed in Kenyan culture for the next 10 weeks will be amazing, and I'm excited to share it with you.
This term, I competed in the annual Speech at Dartmouth competition, but would never have had this opportunity without the support of Dartmouth faculty. Read on as I share how I got here!
Dartmouth has so many academic resources, including free newspaper subscriptions! Although this may not seem like a big deal, it's a great accessible way to learn about local and national news!
Dartmouth requires all students to take three PE/Wellness classes in order to graduate. Upon hearing glowing recommendations, I chose to take the wellness sampler offered by the Student Wellness Center as a way to fulfill this requirement.
In my freshman year, I wrote a blog revisiting my decision of attending Dartmouth College. Now that more than a year has passed, I would love to revisit my decision again, with a more realistic lens.
