Hello! My name's Griselda Chavez & I am a second-year student from Southern California. I am majoring in Economics modified with Public Policy and double minoring in Human-Centered Design and Environmental Science. At Dartmouth, I have been involved with Dartmouth's Center for Social Impact, the Rockefeller Center, the Dartmouth, and People of Color Outdoors (POCO). Stay tuned to learn more about what Dartmouth has to offer and how as a first-generation college student I have navigated college.
Academic Program
Economics Modified w/ Public Policy, Human-Centered Design, Environmental Science
Although the topic and issues were not completely new to me, I was able to learn more about why current immigration policies existed and the history behind several immigration policies. I absolutely loved the class because Professor Kim was passionate about the course, and the numerous readings we were assigned were very insightful and encouraged class discussions.
The course centers on the educational issues of public school systems and how by creating certain policies or programs we can improve schools and use them as a tool to promote social mobility and equity. The students who took the class were always very passionate to discuss and came from a variety of majors and educational backgrounds, thus enriching class discussions. Furthermore, I loved that Professor Wheelan encouraged us throughout the entire term to "think outside of the box" and inspired us to continue pushing for more change.
During the spring term, I was very confused as to what major I wanted to pursue and decided to give economics an opportunity, never expecting that I would enjoy it. Professor Petre did an amazing job of demonstrating how economics could and is used for social issues like environmentalism, minimum wage, and discrimination. Learning about the concepts and employing them was very important to me because I felt like I could learn how to best help communities.
Prior to committing to Dartmouth, I was incredibly excited to experience all of the seasons that Dartmouth had to offer. However, I was also really scared because I wasn't sure what to expect and how I might react, specifically during the winter. Now that I have experienced every season in New England, I thought it would be really nice to share how I have enjoyed each season and what the weather for each term has looked like.
The beginning of the fall is a great time to go kayaking and canoeing because the views of the trees turning from green to red, yellow, and orange are beautiful and the weather feels nice and crispy. Getting to enjoy the Connecticut River is one of my favorite things about Dartmouth.
During the fall you can also check out apple orchards and pick some apples to make yummy desserts like apple pies and apple crisps! Sometimes the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) will organize shuttles that can take you or different organizations like FYSEP (First-Year Summer Enrichment Program) and community houses will organize such events.
BEMA lights happen during the winter and it is an event where there are different cool displays of light and art scattered around BEMA, which is an outdoor amphitheater. I think this is an innovative way that Dartmouth continues to create events for students and get to see cool displays of work.
There is a nearby farmer's market that has a variety of pastries, food, and products to check out. We visited it during the spring and it was super lovely! A friend grabbed a refreshing drink and a baguette (which everyone loved!) while I bought an apple turnover.
The weather during the spring is probably one of my favorites because everything looks so green and the sun sets later. Here we are at Starrs Pond (about a 10-minute drive from campus) for Sigma Delta's (my sorority) spring formal where we invite guests and enjoy some light food, pictures, and music.
On the third floor of Fairchild, a building often used by the Environmental Studies and Geography department, there is a corner that serves as the perfect study spot to have a nice view and get some work done. This is one of my favorite summer study spots because you can enjoy the view without suffering from the heat. This summer is surprisingly really rainy, so it also serves as a great place to escape the rain but enjoy the thunderstorms.
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a phenomenal total solar eclipse occurred — and we happened to be within the path of totality. As a result, Dartmouth hosted a variety of eclipse-related events on- and off-campus. Find out how I spent the eclipse!
Traditionally, Dartmouth students take three courses during a term, but I decided to take four courses this term! Learn about course load and the academic system at Dartmouth.
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!
