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.
The Dartmouth Outing Club runs a series of break trips during spring break, from hiking the Virgin Islands with People of Color in the Outdoors (POCO) to bouldering Red Rock Canyon with the Mountaineering Club (DMC). These trips are of varying levels, but it's possible to go on a trip with little to no experience. As I scrolled through this year's options, I noticed that the Ledyard Canoe Club was hosting a beginner flat water canoeing trip to the Green River in Utah. Although I was on the fence about going, I ultimately embraced the challenge. It also helped that Dartmouth subsidized 55% of the trip and allowed me to make free gear requests through Dartmouth Outing Rentals. With a dry canoe bag, headlamp, and sleeping bag in tow, I journeyed from the East Coast to Utah earlier this month.
Upon landing at the airport, I finally met my trip leaders and "tripees," Dartmouth slang for the fellow members on the trip. We headed to a nearby camping location to pack supplies and load vans before heading out to the canoe rentals early the next morning. The first day on the water was cold, rainy, and windy. Still, I felt the group getting closer as we munched on tuna wraps, huddled near each other for warmth, and pitched tents under the stars.
Our first day on the water was rainy and cold, so we huddled around the campfire
We were lucky to experience beautiful views and sunny weather for the rest of our trip
Luckily, the sun was out and shining for the next five days on the river. We settled into a routine of making breakfast (chocolate chip pancakes were a group favorite), doing dishes, and packing up tents. Each day, we would have a new canoe partner to chat with during the three or four hours we spent canoeing each day. Being out on the river was the best part of the day. I loved getting to know my daily partner, from simple conversations about our family and academic interests to deeper discussions about religion and relationships.
Kalina '27 and fellow blogger was one of my favorite canoe partners
Occasionally, I would dip my toes in the river as the sun peaked, wondering if any fish were floating by and admiring the green-brownish hue of the water. The ten of us would grow quiet at times, looking at the sky with the geese chattering above us, watching a wild turkey family march in a line on the sand, and listening to the wind echo throughout as it bounced on the rocks. Best of all, I would stop to stare at the reddish-brown cannons around us in wonder at their sheer size. In these moments, I felt my mind go blank as I focused on the steady rhythm of paddling, floating, talking, and listening.
We were surrounded by canyons as we paddled 60 miles along the Green River
After our midday row concluded, we settled and made camp on a sandbank. Once again, we set up tents, flipped a canoe over to create a table, prepped ingredients for dinner, and searched for firewood. There was time to rest, as some opted to journal, draw, and read. There was also time for fun as others participated in sand cartwheeling contests, mud hikes, card games, and campfire games.
The trip was not without hurdles. After seven days of camping and traveling, I was excited to go home, shower, and sleep in my bed. Still, my time in Utah is an experience I will never forget, primarily because of the unique people and friendships I made, including a traveling songwriter, a bird enthusiast, and a future educator. As a graduating senior, I couldn't have asked for a better final trip.
A final group shot before heading to the airport, we made it!
With a solar eclipse sweeping across North America for the first time in nearly seven years on April 8th came a road-trip with hundreds of other Dartmouth students to a zone of totality near campus: St. Johnsbury, Vermont!
After returning from an enriching study abroad program, I'm diving into a bustling spring semester here at Dartmouth. Here are my four courses I'm taking this term!
Over half of Dartmouth students study abroad at least once during their undergraduate journeys—quite a high percentage, right? Do you want to know how to best prepare for your own abroad experience? Come check what it was like for me.
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
