Mucho gusto! Let's get to the fun stuff first. I love journaling, dancing in the gym, and being outside in some sunshine. I am from Tucson, Arizona and a '28. I am a proud first generation and low-income student who comes from a loving Mexican and Native American family. Aspiring law student, an early riser, and bubbly personality are all some ways to describe me. So before you leave, welcome to Dartmouth! I am Dezstany and I hope you join me on this journey into the woods!
Academic Program
Government or Native American and Indigenous Studies
This course was one of the reasons I chose to apply early decision to Dartmouth! I know, how could one course even influence such a big decision? Hearing Professor Duthu describe cases regarding the dispossession of Native tribes, the cultural tensions that many Native youth experience because of the effects of the Doctrine of Discovery, and economic development issues amongst many Native reservations made me edge out of my seat with excitement. The description did not disappoint because although it is one of my earliest classes, I always find myself running to class to learn something new. Professor Duthu presents in a way that wakes you up, makes you laugh, and encourages you to ask some pretty tough questions about tribal regulations. It has been extremely interesting how "bullets of the past are hitting present targets", meaning that many federal policies that happened decades ago still have very noticeable impacts in Indian Country (land in which tribal members own or previously occupied). I love being able to schedule office hours for any leftover questions. Would definitely recommend it!!
Career Resources and Thinking about Jobs after Dartmouth
The future. It can honestly be quite scary to wonder what one will be doing with their lives after their four years at Dartmouth. However, there are many spots on campus that help assist that anxiety.
Working as an intern for the Center for Professional Development (CPD) at Dartmouth allows me to see all the professional support services there are available. At the Center for Professional Development, there are many career coaches that offer to meet with students to look over resumes, practice interviews, and additional support for law, medical, and business school. There are also student interns that help with more general questions such as looking for internships or searching for specific fields to dive deeper into; I was offered the intern position after volunteering for the Center for Professional Development at their first career fair within the 2024-2025 academic year.
The Center for Professional Development brings in a lot of guest speakers to showcase different opportunities. For example, this week we have Goldman Sachs, Teach for America, Yale Law School Admissions, and paralegal career options coming to speak with all Dartmouth students. These events are extremely accessible, and serve as a great opportunity for students to ask questions, learn about various career paths, and obtain useful contacts.
A really cool and new addition to the CPD is the career exploration generator. The career exploration generator is an artificial intelligence software developed by Dartmouth that assists with helping students find internships or careers. My job as an intern is to assist students as they navigate which values are important to them along with which skills they obtain that could be correlated with a potential career.
Looking back on my college selection process, I only considered financial aid as the main affordability/aid factor—yet the career guidance that Dartmouth offers is another major form of support that helps students prepare for their next step.
This is my main view while working at the Center for Professional Development!
An additional resource that I really lean on at Dartmouth are the professors! All professors host office hours for students to come in and ask questions. These questions can range from material covered in class to potential connections in possible careers. This close relationship allows me to see all the different pathways that are available and waiting for me to explore!
The first-generation community at Dartmouth is an extremely tight knit and supportive community! This past week, we celebrated first-gen week, with a myriad of activities and lots of chances to meet new people!
One of the most important aspects of being a Dartmouth student is knowing how to be a college student and manage your time effectively. As a first year student, these are resources that have helped me.
I can't wait to celebrate Winter, so I just had to write a blog post all about it. Read on to hear about all the fun (and affordable) Winter activities at Dartmouth!
