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.
Getting into college is a very exciting part of your senior year of high school, but choosing where to go, as well as when to go, can be a daunting decision. Although I got into Dartmouth in March 2020, I decided to defer my admission by a year and enroll in the fall of 2021. It was a decision I was uncertain about at the time, but I'm now so happy that I made it. Taking a gap year can be a transformative learning experience. If you're wondering what you could do during a gap year, I'd love to share my gap year experience with you!
I spent a large part of my gap year exploring certain fields of study and confirming my interests in others. When I graduated high school, I was not entirely sure what I wanted to major in at college. However, I knew that I wanted to major in a social science discipline, and I loved economics in high school. So, I took some economics courses on EdX and Coursera and watched a lot of TED talks and the practical applications of economic theories ad concepts. Exploring the field of economics through these online resources cemented my interest in the subject and gave me a better idea of what classes to take at Dartmouth.
One of my favorite TED talks about economics that I watched during my gap year
During my gap year, I also volunteered at a children's hospice in my hometown, Lagos, Nigeria. It was a great opportunity to learn more about childcare and disabilities. It also made me feel much more connected to my community. I had volunteered at the same hospice for a few days during one of my summers in high school but couldn't continue volunteering because I had to go back to school. However, my gap year gave me the opportunity to continue volunteering and contribute to my community in a more meaningful way than before.
Me and my friends who volunteered at the children's hospice
Most importantly, my gap year allowed me to explore my hometown in new ways. Since I attended a boarding school in a different town from the one I grew up in, I was often away from home for long periods of time. By taking a gap year, I was able to discover all the fun activities and attractions my hometown has to offer. I visited new places, met new people, and developed a more profound connection to the city.
Planning on visiting Dartmouth as a prospective student or an interested person wanting to see our beautiful campus? In this post, I share insider tips to ensure your visit is fulfilled!
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!
When I was in high school, applying to college seemed to be the hardest and scariest thing. I had no clue what to expect at all. So, I decided to share my thought-process regarding choosing to go to Dartmouth!
