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Diana D'Souza

Class of 2023
Student smiling for photo holding Dartmouth pennant over head
About 

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.

Academic Program 

Government, Economics, Chinese

Favorite Thing Right Now 

Scoops ice cream

Hometown 

Edison, New Jersey

Pronouns 

She/her/hers

You are here

Diana's D-Plan

What's a D-Plan?

    • FallHanover, NH - On Campus

      Favorite Class: Comparative Literature 1: Read the World

      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.

    • WinterHanover, NH - On Campus

      Favorite Class: Chinese 22: Intermediate Modern Chinese

      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!

    • SpringEdison, NJ - Remote Learning

      Favorite Class: Religion 26: Islam in America

      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.

    • FallEdison, NJ - Remote Learning

      Favorite Class: ENGS 12: Design Thinking

      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.

    • SummerHanover, NH - On Campus

      Favorite Class: ASCL 70.18: Social Revolutions East and West

      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.

    • FallHanover, NH - On Campus

      Favorite Class: ECON 77: Social Entrepreneurship

      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!

    • WinterHanover, NH - On Campus

      Favorite Class: GOVT 5: International Politics

      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.

    • SpringHanover, NH - On Campus

      Favorite Class: GOVT 86.27: Ethics of the Family

      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!

    • WinterHanover, NH - On Campus

      Favorite Class: ASCL 80.08: Imperialism in Modern East Asia

      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.

    • SpringHanover, NH - On Campus

      Favorite Class: ECON 37: Gender and Family Issues in Modern Economics

      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.

Perks of the Humanities LLC

Looking back at my housing selection process, I realized there is very little information available about the LLCs. I wrote this blog post to tell you five reasons why I love the Humanities LLC.

  1. No. 1

    Free movie tickets

    One of the biggest misconceptions about the LLCs is that residents must take extra classes and participate in structured discussions. There are no required courses or discussions, but my floor does have many residents that are passionate about music, writing, philosophy, theatre, and dance. One of my floor's shared interests is watching shows at the HOP, the cultural hub of campus. A large part of the Humanities LLC funding goes towards purchasing free HOP tickets. I have attended Telluride at Dartmouth, where I watched movies such as Ford v Ferrari and The Assistant months before they were released to the public. My roommate has attended the Film & Media Alumni Fest, where she participated in a weekend of movies and networking events led by Dartmouth alums. 

     

     


     

  2. No. 2

    My two-room double

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    The LLC community is one of the quietest dorms on campus, so I often study in my dorm. The accompanying photo shows my half of the room, which includes a closet, desk, chair, dresser, and bed—which were all supplied by Dartmouth. The other half of the room (which is not pictured) is my roommate's room, which is separated by a wall and a door. I cannot say that all dorms at Dartmouth or in other LLCs look like mine, but my room is a source of comfort and one of my favorite spots on campus. 

     

     

  3. No. 3

    Free LLC Dinners

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    During the beginning and end of the term as well as during midterms and finals, the LLC community will order food from local restaurants. Students come swarming for free Chinese food from Han Fusion and Thai food from Tuk Tuk. We also have "Humani-teas," where we drink tea, eat snacks, and chat with a Dartmouth professor. 

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Posted 02/15/2020 at 9:00 AMAll List Posts
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S(no)w Problem!

Yes, my friends, it was time for the infamous Dartmouth snowball fight, where the entire college is summoned to the Green at midnight to have a massive snowball fight.

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Posted 01/15/2020 at 11:30 AMAll Text Posts

I'm Ready To Go Back

When I was in high school, I loved having days off. I was the kid who would avidly check The Snow Day Calculator and count down the days until Christmas break.

  1. No. 1

    Spending time with friends and family

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    I was the only one from my high school to go to Dartmouth. Even though I was afraid that I would fade with my former friends, I kept in contact through FaceTime sessions and group chats. One of the best parts of coming home was getting to see my friends and hear about their college experiences. I was also glad to see my family for the first time since September, especially since they effectively spoiled me for the first week I was home. 

  2. No. 2

    Working at the YMCA and as a bi-weekly blogger

    I had worked as a swim instructor and lifeguard at the Edison YMCA since sophomore year of high school. Before I left for school, I promised my co-workers and boss that I would come back to visit during break. For the past several weeks, I have spent my Fridays and Saturdays playing with my former students, giving swim evaluations, and telling everyone about Dartmouth. In addition, I have continued to chronicle my adventures by talking to you guys here, on my blog!

     

  3. No. 3

    Improving my Mandarin with Duolingo

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    One of my friends challenged me to learn Russian with my newfound free time. After downloading the Duolingo app, I realized that I am horrible at Russian; however, I must admit that I am highly addicted to Chinese Duolingo. (I am proud to report that I am ranked first in the Diamond League.) I even started preparing for next semester's classes by buying and skimming through my textbooks. 

     

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Posted 01/15/2020 at 9:00 AMAll List Posts
Students posing for a photo at their winter externship in New York City

My Winter Break Externship

During finals week, I reached out to Colette Ellis '84, a life coach who aims to improve mental health in businesses and schools. She offered me a three-week externship at her company, Start Within Consulting LLC, in New York City.

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Posted 01/8/2020 at 9:00 AMAll Text Posts

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