Hello friends! My name is Diana D'Souza, and I'm pursuing a double major in Government modified with Economics and Chinese. On campus, I'm the Co-President of Women in Business and a Chinese language research assistant. I'm also involved in the Dartmouth Outing Club and recently led a fishing first-year trip at the Boston Lot Lake. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, reading, and spending time outdoors.
I ended up taking this class for two reasons. First, I needed to fulfill my CI requirement; second, my friend was also taking it. Regardless, it ended up being my favorite class fall term. Professor Washburn is an engaging, spontaneous professor and we studied everything from memes to The Tale of Genji. By the end of the term, I found myself to be a more confident and humbled writer.
This was my second time taking a 9 am class with Chen Laoshi. She is understanding, funny, and always eager to help. Even though this was a fast-paced class with daily quizzes, weekly tests, and new vocabulary sets every other day, I became extremely close with my classmates and more excited about learning the language. We ended the term over a feast of dumplings Laoshi prepared!
Because this term was online, I used my extra time to study a subject that has always fascinated me. Professor Ayubi was incredibly accommodating by allowing us to complete work at our own pace. The most memorable parts of the class were examining anti-Muslim materials during a virtual tour to Rauner Library and exploring Muslim punk rock through the movie Taqwacores.
SummerEdison, NJ - Remote Internship
My summer plans were derailed due to the pandemic, but Mr. Forbes, a Dartmouth alum, graciously allowed me to intern at his consulting firm. Over the course of two months, I became a master at navigating Microsoft Visio and writing grant narratives. I also lifeguarded the 5am shift (pain) at my local community pool.
Students at Dartmouth say ENGS 12 will change your life, and I'm one to agree. Professor Robbie helped me rethink and redefine my approach to creativity and radical collaboration. After the class, I became involved in the design community, participating in the Designation, 3 Day Start Up, and Tuck's entrepreneurship program, TuckLAB. I'm even a TA for the class now—oh, how the tables have turned!
WinterEdison, NJ - Remote Internship
In hopes of studying abroad, I declared a five-year D-Plan. I'm still a '23 at heart, but I'll be graduating with the '24's. I ended up working at my local newspaper, TAPinto News, and continuing my linguistics research with Professor Donahue.
SpringEdison, NJ - Remote Internship
With the help of the Magnuson Center, I landed an internship at Q30 Innovations, a medical device company. As a law development intern for Mr. Greene, a Dartmouth alum, I compiled a 20-page patent portfolio and provided recommendations for FDA clearance. I also took part in two Rocky programs, RGLP and MLDP.
Professor Dorsey is by far my favorite Dartmouth professor. He hosted in-person office hours every Friday, where we talked about anything from Japanese healthcare to craft beer to our personal lives. The class was an absolute blast, in which we dissected comics and listened to Japanese folklore. Class highlights included a field trip to a nearby Japanese Zen garden and a zoom call with Japanese folklorist Nakagawa Goro.
This was my hardest academic term to date, but I’m extremely proud of my work in this class.
Over ten weeks, Professor Samwick challenged us to design a financially viable social
enterprise. My team ended up creating BayStay, a one-stop service for homeless individuals in
the Bay area to locate a new roommate and temporary communal housing. The best part of the
experience was getting to interview leading experts on homelessness and pitching our business
model to an angel investor!
Given my areas of study at Dartmouth, it’s no surprise that I loved my introductory international
relations course with Professor Powers. She did a great job helping the class transition to in-
person learning by providing us with reading guides and laying out clear expectations in her
memos. We used high-level theory to explain the motivations of terrorists and the likelihood of
nuclear war. In my final paper, I presented my own analysis of why the United Nations was
powerless to prevent Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In this upper-level government seminar, my classmates and I met once a week for three hours.
Although it was sometimes tough to focus, I appreciated having the rest of the week to prepare
and complete readings. During the term, we debated a range of topics, including whether the
government should regulate marriage or whether having a nanny was inherently anti-feminist.
Another cool aspect of the course was that the class was entirely driven by student discussion
and debate. Professor Rose pushed each student to flesh out her thoughts through open office
hours and writing workshops. Looking back at my final paper, I’m really proud of my newfound
ability to argue complex philosophical topics in a clear manner.
SummerHanover, NH - On Campus
While most of the ‘23s are off campus, I’m spending my junior summer in Hanover because I
took a gap year! I’m spending most of my time this term as a Paganucci Fellow at the Tuck
School of Business. I’m also working for Dartmouth Admissions and serving as Co-President of
Dartmouth Women in Business. Even though I’m not taking classes, I’m definitely keeping
myself busy!
FallWashington, D.C. - Internship
I spent my off-term interning on the China desk at the U.S. Department of State (DOS). I loved
being able to apply what I learned in class in a professional setting and getting to see diplomacy
and foreign policy in action. Some of my internship highlights included volunteering for the first,
historic Indo-Pacific Summit and meeting North Korean defectors. Still, I’m excited to be back
at Dartmouth, taking classes again, after six months off!
I took this class because it was the final culminating experience for my Chinese language major. Professor Ericson gave really engaging lectures that made it feel like he was reading us a story. As a capstone project, I wrote a 20-page paper about imperial Japan's use of visual propaganda in Manchukuo, analyzing primary texts in Chinese and Japanese.
This class explored the economics behind the gender gap, child penalty, and labor market discrimination. My favorite part was the MBA-style class study, which focused on the rationale behind Patagonia’s generous parental leave policies. Professor Olivetti was so helpful and held frequent office hours. Definitely take this class, even if you aren’t an economics major.
I started studying Chinese during my freshman year of high school. When it came time for me to apply for college, I knew that I wanted to continue my studies, so I searched for universities with strong language departments. I did some initial research on Chinese language and culture offerings at Dartmouth before I applied. But when I arrived on campus, I found the Chinese language curriculum and supporting cultural programming even more robust than I had imagined.
There are several ways to explore Chinese language and culture at Dartmouth. The best starting point is to take classes in the Department of Asian Studies, Cultures, and Languages (ASCL). There isn't an official "Chinese major" at Dartmouth, but all classes are listed under ASCL. I have taken eight Chinese language classes, from Chinese 4: Advanced Beginning Chinese to Chinese 40.03 "Modern Chinese Short Stories." Almost all Chinese language classes offer or require drill, which are 45-minute small group sessions with a student instructor to work on tone and pronunciation. Students can also request a language partner, often with a heritage speaker, for more personalized language practice. Other incredible opportunities to tap into Chinese culture involve living in the Chinese Language House or joining clubs like the Dartmouth Chinese Culture Society.
I think the Chinese Language House looks the most beautiful in the fall
These are regular activities offered year-round at the college. The ASCL Department, the Office of Residential Life, and the Chinese Language House often collaborate to host special events. I managed to squeeze in two of these events in just this weekend! I started strong with a "Chinese Kung Fu and Calligraphy Workshop" event this Friday hosted in the Chinese Language House. The session began with a martial arts demonstration from George Leung '07. George walked us through several movements, demonstrating poses with Yeel '26. Although his actions were dance-like and beautiful, George emphasized each movement's hidden power by revealing one move that could break an opponent's wrist. I even got to talk to George one-on-one at the end of the session, and he shared his experience studying Chinese language and linguistics at Dartmouth.
George Leung '07 and Yeel Lee '26 demonstrate a martial arts technique
For the second part of the afternoon, Professor Zhang led us through a calligraphy workshop. He walked us through properly holding the brush before performing several demonstrations in different script styles. I was pretty impressed but intimidated by how professional Professor Zhang's characters looked, especially since he started us off with a complicated "dragon" character to honor the Year of the Dragon. My friend Kate '24 and I tried our best to to mimic Professor Zhang's techniques. We weren't the best, but we enjoyed snacking on pineapple cakes and getting to know the underclassmen in the introductory Chinese courses.
Professor Zhang demonstrates how to write the traditional Chinese character for "dragon"
Kate '24 started getting the hang of it after her first calligraphy session!
A few days later, on Sunday, I attended a lion dance performance in an early celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPHIM). The performance featured Gund Kwok, America's first all-female lion dance troupe. At the beginning of the show, troupe leader Cheng Imm Tan introduced herself and the group's origins. Females were previously banned from participating in the lion dance because they were seen as too weak. However, Tan has always been committed to women's empowerment and has worked to elevate female martial arts performers for the past 26 years.
A "Buddha" figure watches over the lions and welcomes in the Lunar New Year
I had seen a lion dance before in Boston's Chinatown, but this was my first time being able to experience a performance just feet away. I was amazed by the versatile strength of the women. Their movements were strong, meant to lift the women to the top to reach a standing position, but there was also a beautiful and graceful fluidity to their movement. I especially enjoyed it when the lions ripped up cabbage "money" and threw oranges "gold" at the crowd to ring in prosperity and luck for the year. These are just two of the many events happening throughout the year to celebrate Chinese culture. Although Hanover, NH, is 7,000 miles from China, I love finding little pockets of Chinese culture on campus!
Welcome to the first part of Dartmouth Debunked, a series of comprehensive blog posts answering common questions first-years have prior to their arrival at Dartmouth. This post will cover all the housing options for a first-year student.
Sophomore Summer has already defined itself by its exciting, unfamiliar experiences and the relaxed atmosphere of campus. With new classes and clubs in full swing, here is what I have been up to during this wonderful time on campus!
In the summer, prospective students might take the time to visit potential colleges and universities to apply to. But what are some things to look for as you peruse campuses and take in the view, especially during the summer? Here are some ideas!
"What's your major?" seems like a pressing question for every freshman, but now that my freshman year is behind me, I know I shouldn't have worried as much.
