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.
Halfway through my last year at Dartmouth, something I have been thinking a lot about is my path after graduation into the professional world. In this post, I'll write about some of the most helpful pre-professional resources that I have found at Dartmouth!
One of the most valuable resources I've taken advantage of is the Center for Professional Development (CPD) on campus. The CPD has been able to help review my resume, cover letters, and generally give me career advice when I wanted professional guidance. Students are able to make one-on-one appointments with a range of advisors, allowing them to tailor the conversation to their unique goals and interests. The CPD also provides funding for unpaid internships, allowing students to pursue internships without financial barriers!
Another resource through the CPD is Handshake, an online job-listing service that provides a wide range of internship and entry-level opportunities for students across various industries. Recruiters also can reach out to students directly on the Handshake interface, making it a great way to network digitally! Handshake is certainly a helpful resource for discovering new internship opportunities that you may have never even considered.
Dartmouth's alumni network is also a great resource for meeting people in your industry who were also Dartmouth students at one point. By using LinkedIn and Dartmouth's alumni database, it is easy to find mentors who can give you valuable advice and tips for starting off your career. Every Dartmouth alumnus I have reached out to has been eager to chat, connect, and share some details about their career trajectory with me.
Dartmouth professors are also an incredible source of career advice and guidance. Many worked in private industries before becoming professors, and can share valuable insights into not only career prospects, but also thoughts on graduate school and post-bachelor degree opportunities. Since Dartmouth's class sizes tend to be so small, it is really easy to get to know your professors on a one-to-one basis!
Finally, the best part of Dartmouth's pre-professional resources has been how accessible and approachable they are. I've never felt like I needed to have everything figured out to take that first step. The emphasis on exploration and curiosity has allowed me to better define what I want my post-grad life to look like. I certainly recommend any prospective students to do more research into these pre-professional opportunities, and how they can fit into your own goals.
This past December, I traveled to Vietnam as part of the "Developing Vietnam" study abroad program! Here is a—little overdue—photo journal of my three weeks in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
When I arrived at Dartmouth, I assumed dorms were the only housing option. It wasn't until sophomore year that I discovered Max Kade House, a German-themed Living Learning Community, and realized what I had been missing.
Whether you're braving the cold on your way to class or participating in classic winter activities, there are plenty of ways to make the most of a Dartmouth winter!
