Hi guys! I'm Chidera and I'm a '25 from Lagos, Nigeria. I've lived in a big city for nearly half of my life, so it's great to experience the scenic outdoor spaces surrounding Dartmouth. Outside of the classroom, I conduct research with the economics department, I'm a peer tutor for the Academic Skills Center and I'm also involved with the Dartmouth Energy Alliance.
Taking this class was a random and unexpected decision that I am so happy I made. This class was about the intersection between human and primate evolution and our social behaviors. It really opened my eyes to how unique and beautifully diverse different societies are, and how this uniqueness influences our biology in interesting ways.
Taught by Professor Doyle, this has been my favorite class at Dartmouth so far. It was a calculus integrated with economic applications of the concepts we learned. It was the first time this class was offered at Dartmouth, and Professor Doyle made sure we all had a thorough understanding of the material. The fact that we were also able to see the real-world applications of the calculus concepts also made the class uniquely interesting.
I took this class to fulfill Dartmouth's first-year seminar requirement. In selecting a first-year seminar class, I sought out a department that I would not have taken a class in otherwise. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience and I learnt so much about Parisian Impressionist painters in the late 19th century like Monet, Manet, Degas, Morisot and Renoir. It also taught me about the political, social and economic conditions that typically inspire pivotal art movements.
SummerWashington D.C.
This summer, I interned at the International Finance Corporation in DC, through the Rockefeller Center's First-Year Fellows program which gives first-year students the opportunity to engage in public policy early in their Dartmouth careers. I lived with about twenty other members of Dartmouth's Class of 2025 and got to experience life in a vibrant city while gaining professional work experience.
I spent this term in Accra, Ghana for the African and African American Studies department's Foreign Study Program (FSP). I'm so glad I was able to take advantage of one of Dartmouth's study-abroad programs. During this FSP, I got to explore a new country and city while taking classes taught by the amazing professors at the University of Ghana.
After being away from campus for six months, I decided to start working towards fulfilling my distributive requirements. To fulfill my ART distrib, I took a Russian film class with a friend. It was an amazing experience and a testament to the ways a liberal arts education encourages you to approach each class through an interdisciplinary lens. For my final essay in this class, I explored the ways that government and political culture affect the nature of the film industry in different countries.
This class is one of the prerequisites for the international economics track's culminating experience. Dartmouth's economics major allows you to focus on a specific field that you're interested in, while also having the opportunity to take a couple of classes in other fields. Before taking this class, I had always been interested in international economics and this class definitely cemented my interests in the field.
I used my sophomore summer off term to conduct research with the economics department through the Dartmouth Economics Research Scholars and with the funding of the James O. Freedman Presidential Scholarship. My research project, which was mentored and advised by a faculty member, focused on the effects of European Union climate policy on the economy of my home country, Nigeria. It gave me the opportunity to apply and better understand several concepts I learnt in economics classes at Dartmouth.
This was the most enjoyable and impactful class I have ever taken at Dartmouth! Each assigned reading and class discussion was more enthralling and thought-provoking than the last. This class taught me how to think outside the box, write academic articles in the field of the humanities and how to intellectualise and synthesise my own lived experiences in a way that contributes meaningfully to existing literature in African Studies. Lastly, it taught me to think critically about pressing social issues within the African continent.
Over the past eight weeks, I've been interning at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Washington, DC as part of the Rockefeller Center's First-Year Fellows program, a program that gives first-year students the opportunity to engage in public policy through internships mentored by Dartmouth alumni. My internship experience has been a fulfilling and interesting part of my summer and I've learnt so many important lessons all while making new lifelong friends and forming new memories.
Firstly, this summer wouldn't have been nearly as awesome as it has been without the immense support from Dartmouth's Rockefeller Center, and the other amazing First-Year Fellows I met and lived with throughout this summer. Before we started our internships, the Rockefeller Center hosted a five-day Civic Skills Training, where we leant vital skills like workplace communication, project management, and public speaking that helped us thrive in our various fellowship placements. Additionally, we had frequent Zoom check-ins with the Rockefeller Center staff to discuss our successes, challenges and other lessons learned.
First-Year Fellows during Civic Skills Training
At work, I interned in IFC's Climate Business Department and was mentored by a member of Dartmouth's Class of 2008 who went above and beyond to ensure that I was having a memorable and fulfilling internship experience. Over the 8-week internship, I had two main assignments: a project summary report for IFC and an independent research project on carbon capture utilization and sequestration. Through these two deliverables, I was able to learn so much about the work of incredibly talented and intelligent people in combatting climate change through development finance. The work environment at IFC was warm and welcoming and I met and interacted with several other interns and full-time staff all while learning more about my professional career goals and ambitions.
Me in front of the International Finance Corporation building
However, this summer wasn't all work and no play! I lived in an apartment building with 25 other First-Year Fellows right beside the US Supreme Court and the US Capitol. Our apartment was in the best location possible, and I shared it with the two best roommates I could ever ask for. Throughout our summer, and with the help of DC's remarkable public transportation system, we explored countless museums, went window shopping in Georgetown, rode rollercoasters at Six Flags, attended hilarious comedy shows downtown, and went plane spotting at Gravelly Point Park (to name a few).
First-Year Fellows at dinner
I was initially nervous about interning and living with a new group of people I didn't know so well. However, in these eight weeks, I've made wonderful friends and explored a new city, all while developing myself personally and professionally.
This is my final term before senior year, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. One thing I am excited about is the classes I am taking this term, so let me tell you more!
In this post, I share what I'll be doing during my off-term this spring, and also give some advice for finding internships and off-term work in the context of Dartmouth's quarter system!
I can't believe it's already week 8! With this term almost wrapping up, I wanted to share my favorite course this term, ANTH 76: Evolution of Upright Walking.
FYREE is a program organized by Dartmouth Engineering that offers first-year undergraduate students an early opportunity for hands-on experience and mentorship.
