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.
April showers really do bring May flowers. This spring term started off a little chilly and rainy, but it's been consistently sunny and warm for the past few days! Spring in Hanover is truly indescribable; in a matter of days, the trees on campus regrow their lush green leaves and flowers bloom on every corner. As this past weekend drew to a close, I realized how much time I've been spending outside, enjoying the beautiful Hanover weather. Keep reading to hear about an interesting, fun-filled, and outdoorsy weekend at Dartmouth.
My weekend usually starts at about 2pm on Fridays, since I have only one class for the day, my first-year seminar. I usually try to get most of my work done for the week at this time, so I can enjoy the weekend as much as possible! I had a quick lunch with a friend under the shade of a tree on the edge of the green. After this, I went down to the river to help my friend who was shooting a short film for one of his classes. The beautiful Connecticut river with the sunlight reflecting on it was a beautiful setting for the film. I was there for about two hours, enjoying the weather and pretending to be a film major for the day! Later, I had a "sister date" with two other '25s and a '24 who is a member of a sorority at Dartmouth. "Sister dates" are one of the informal events hosted by the Inter-Sorority Council where anyone who is interested in joining a sorority at Dartmouth can meet members of those sororities and learn more about Greek life in general. For our sister date, we decided to have dinner on the green (yes, again!) and had an amazing conversation about classes, Greek life, and life at Dartmouth in general
I started out the next day, Saturday, by attending the Dartmouth Undergraduate Economics Research Conference. The conference featured presentations by 10 undergraduate economics students on research they have conducted through their culminating experiences. Since I am currently taking an introductory statistics class in the economics department, I felt that attending the conference would be a great way to learn more about the kind of research that is done in the economics department. After the conference, I went to an outdoor concert where one of Dartmouth's many amazing student bands, Toad Boat, was performing. After the concert, I went down to the river with one of my friends. Laying on the dock, listening to music and enjoying the awesome weather was such a great way to relax! I ended the day with a fun outdoor dinner at Jewel of India, an amazing restaurant in Hanover, just a walking distance from the center of campus.
On Sunday, after a weekend of concerts, hanging out at the river and other fun activities, it was time to study and prepare for the week ahead. As I walked to Umpleby's, another restaurant in Hanover, for a breakfast sandwich, I couldn't help but notice the lovely flowers blooming on the side of the street, adding color to an already beautiful spring day.
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
As a senior, one of the most exciting things for me is my thesis project. In this blog, I describe how to approach making a senior honors thesis. As Dartmouth focuses on their undergraduate research, many students complete a thesis, so let's dive in!
Homecoming—a time when current students and alumni gather to relive cherished memories and exhibit large amounts of school spirit. Find out how I spent my second Homecoming Weekend at Dartmouth!
