Hi, my name is Brandon and I'm a '25 from just outside of Chicago. I study Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies, and am involved with multimedia journalism and videography on campus. I am passionate about documentary filmmaking and using film as a tool to present lived human experiences in subjective visual, aesthetic, and sonic terms. In my free time, I love to spend time with my cat, follow the Chicago Bulls, and study Arabic. Please enjoy these snapshots of my life in Hanover!
This was definitely my favorite class of fall term—the readings were heavy, but they all felt incredibly relevant to the coursework. For each class, we read both Jewish and Arab perspectives throughout history. Moreover, Professor Avishai has a vast network of connections with important members of Israeli government, and even figures who we read about in the history books (including former prime ministers!). Overall, that class was a lot of work but very effective in helping me understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Professor Smolin's lectures were always something for me to look forward to. In this intro class, a wide variety of subjects regarding the Arab world were covered. Topics such as culture, Islam, literature, poetry, politics, and history were covered from the pre-Islamic period to the more recent Arab Spring. The readings were fascinating, and the professor also incorporated a wide variety of video resources to accompany the readings. I loved this class!
I found myself regularly engrossed in Professor Fishere's lectures in Arab Political Thought. Tracking the development of political ideologies from the 1800s until today was fascinating, the discussion-based classes helped me get to know tons of my peers.
While in Morocco this summer, I had the chance to take intensive Arabic 21 and Arabic 22. Working with a local teacher, Ilham, I had the chance to study both standard Arabic and Moroccan Arabic .My favorite part of the class was the opportunity to engage with the language in cafes and shops.
Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy was definitely a class that took me out of my comfort zone. Having never taken a class on philosophy, I had lots of fun studying readings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Furthermore, I liked that the class focused heavily on group-work, with weekly group meetings and write-ups being a critical component of the class.
This class made me think critically about how we use different media, and how different media use us. I always considered media and technology as tools we use to navigate life, but never thought about the ways that media influence us and perceptions of the self. Taking this course inspired me to be involved more with digital humanities in order to think critically about how different media can alter the meaning of a message.
I had a great spring term living in Kuwait while interning at the American University of Kuwait! Working as an intern with the Oral History Project and International Relations departments, I met many amazing friends and gained experience with oral history and digital humanities. As someone who wants to continue doing research on the Arab Gulf, this experience was incredibly valuable.
Filmmaking & Visual Culture was about the intersection of filmmaking and anthropology, and I really enjoyed the course. The course looked at film through a post-colonial lens, thinking about how it can be used as a tool to tell stories, empower communities, and challenge structural violence. As a final project, we were required to make our own films with the broad requirement that they had to tell some kind of story or narrative. Having this sort of creative freedom was lots of fun: I did a short film project about a farmer in the Upper Valley.
This was the first science course that I had ever taken at Dartmouth, and I actually really enjoyed it. The course was focused on being able to identity the names and functions of the bones and muscles in the human body: we covered a lot of ground in a short 10-week term. In addition to studying human anatomy, we also studied the anatomy of monkeys and chimps, comparing their evolutionary trends to those of humans. We also had the chance to visit the Geisel School of Medicine cadaver lab on multiple occasions to review for exams, which was definitely a unique experience. Overall, I'm glad I took the opportunity to go outside of my comfort zone a little bit with this class!
I love to make and watch documentaries, so taking ethnographic film was a great way to look at filmmaking in academic, anthropological terms. We watched and analyzed many documentary films throughout the course, considering factors like documentary ethics, filmmaking style, and multi-media approaches. We also did a lot of critical media analysis, looking at how the medium of a piece of work impacts the message it is trying to convey. Additionally, we were able to work on and submit our own short documentary films as final projects for the course.
As the fall term wraps up and the end of my senior year is getting closer, I've been thinking a lot about careers and pathways following my graduation from Dartmouth. The experience has reminded me a lot of the college application process towards the end of high school – in this post, I want to share some advice for prospective Dartmouth applicants that I wish I would have received as a high school senior applying to universities!
In my experience, I have found that it is critical to apply to universities that fit my individual needs and goals. The academic, extracurricular, and social 'fit' of a university to your individual needs is among the most critical components of deciding which universities to apply to. Although Dartmouth turned out to be a great fit for me, 'fit' wasn't something I prioritized or considered much during the application process. If I were to repeat the college process knowing what I do now, I would consider the specific programs, career pipelines, and local geographic resources that cater to my individual interests and needs. While Dartmouth has certainly empowered me to drive my professional career forward, I believe that prioritizing these aspects of a university can help to carve out the unique path and passions that students cultivate in high school. In my experience, it is critical to think about a university holistically: consider how a specific university can fit into your existing plans, rather than adjusting your plans and aspirations for a specific university. Focusing on this throughout the college application process helped to reaffirm my own goals, identity, and passions.
On the other hand, while prioritizing fit is important, a key component of the application process is remaining open-minded. Life is unpredictable – I entered Dartmouth as a prospective government major interested in diplomacy, I am now interested in documentary filmmaking and creative video production. College is a time of self-reflection and growth – by keeping an open mind about my future plans, I was able to enjoy the exploration and unpredictability that makes this period of life so exciting. Furthermore, keeping an open mind will make you more resilient throughout the intense college application process, which is a great attribute to develop in general!
Overall, the college application process can be quite stressful. It is difficult to strike a balance between planning for the future and being open-minded to different outcomes; however, by making an effort to cultivate that balance in my own life, I feel that my quality of life and enjoyment of day-to-day activities has improved significantly. While it's definitely not easy, the college application process is a great opportunity for self-reflection, self-exploration, and self-growth: take advantage!
This fall, Dartmouth provided me with incredible opportunities to get involved in politics. I registered as a New Hampshire voter, joined civic organizations, canvassed, and more! Read on to follow my journey leading up to Election Day!
Some of my rising senior friends from New York have been in contact with me since graduation, and I've compiled a list of FAQs that might help you better understand life at Dartmouth!
