Flat map of Earth viewed at night

Ariana Thornton

Class of 2029
photo of Ariana
Bio 

Hi there! My name is Ariana, I'm a '29, and I want to understand and design solutions for the social dimensions of climate change. I grew up in the DC metro area and Dartmouth has become my home away from home. When I'm not attending class or participating in programs at the Irving Institute or Magnuson Center, you can find me reading voraciously or hanging out with friends. I hope my blog can give you a vision of the abundant opportunities available to Dartmouth students!

Academic Program 

Cognitive Science Major + Human-Centered Design Minor

Favorite Thing Right Now 

Collis smoothies <3

Hometown 

Gaithersburg, MD

Pronouns 

she/her

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Ariana's D-Plan

What's a D-Plan?

    • FallHanover, NH

      Favorite Class: COGS 1: Introduction to Cognitive Science

      This course was a whirlwind introduction to the field of cognitive science, which is the interdisciplinary study of the mind as an information processor. This field incorporates psychology, computer science, neuroscience, philosophy, and linguistics. I loved how each lecture covered something new, with topics ranging from neurological disorders and optical illusions to language learning, moral decision-making, and AI. The course was fast-paced, yet fun and laidback. I came away knowing much more about what makes people tick, and my experience inspired me to major in cognitive science!

    • WinterHanover, NH

      Favorite Class: GOVT 6: Political Ideas

      What is justice? How do we live well? This course is about the big questions humans have wrestled with since the founding of political society. Reading Plato made me consider philosophy as the only path to stable happiness. Aristotle made me ponder the belief that the purpose of law is to uphold moral virtue. Machiavelli’s “The Prince” felt relevant to today’s politics, hundreds of years after he wrote it. Professor Clarke’s engaging lectures and sense of humor cemented this course as my solid favorite this term. Whether you want to take Political Ideas out of curiosity or to satisfy a Government major requirement, I highly recommend her as a professor!

    • SpringHanover, NH

The mentors are fantastic: computer science and AI at Dartmouth with John Guerrerio '26

Student Interview: John Guerrerio '26 on AI Research at Dartmouth

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Read on to learn about a computer science student's journey in AI and the positive influence his professors have had on his growth!

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Posted 05/1/2026 at 9:00 AMAll Text Posts