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.
The Dartmouth Center for Social Impact is where "passion becomes action." Dartmouth's Center for Social Impact is a community continuing to grow, and I am incredibly happy to have joined them through different programs and initiatives. Their support and resources are amazing for students that are looking for ways to participate and give back to the Upper Valley. There are so many different programs offered at several different stages of people's lives which enable students to take the opportunity to try something new! Here are a few programs:
There is the Foundations in Social Impact program which is designed for first-year students to create skills through a real-world, non-profit consulting program. The program enables students to reflect on what it means to be involved in social impact work and then places students into groups that are asked to complete certain deliverables. During my freshman year, the Norris Cotton Cancer Center wanted our cohort to create deliverables that served to increase awareness about cancer screening and smoking. It was my first exposure to DCSI and an experience that taught me a lot about non-profit consulting, teamwork, and the greater Dartmouth community.
Moreover, one of the summer programs I hope to participate in is the Matariki Global Impact Summit, which is a newer program. The goal of the program is to unite different members of the Dartmouth community such as students, alumni, and professors that believe in collective action and social impact work. It is a two-day program where students are transported to Moosilauke Ravine Lodge (Moosilauke is a lodge owned by Dartmouth where students, families, travelers, and others can be accommodated and enjoy a meal with a scenic view). Several activities are held throughout the day as the community examines what it means to be a global citizen.
There are also ways to be informally involved with DCSI. For instance, there are courses called "Social Impact Practicums (SIPs)" which are project-based experiential learning opportunities for Dartmouth students to take their course teachings and apply them to issues in the Upper Valley. DCSI has an existing database where students can see what courses are being offered each term and learn more about them. The classes are cross-listed with a variety of departments like Spanish, Anthropology, Studio Art, Psychological & Brain Sciences, Classics, Engineering, and so much more!
Lastly, the opportunity to engage with DCSI also exists post-grad! Bridges to Impact exists for recent grads in Boston, NYC, and DC that are working, volunteering, or studying in social-impact-related fields. It is a great opportunity to be mentored by Dartmouth alumni, expand your network, and attend workshops and events that are catered towards people in social-impact careers. I really love how through this program, DCSI ensures that students also feel supported after they graduate, and have people they can connect to after moving into a new city.
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!
