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.
When I first came to Dartmouth, I was amazed by the number of student jobs that were offered. There is one overall database students can utilize where professors, faculty, or different Dartmouth departments can announce when they are hiring, what positions are open, eligibility requirements, and how to apply. Throughout my time at Dartmouth, I have seen open positions for videographers, student graders, ski instructors, and research assistants being announced on the database! Numerous jobs are placed under the database, but students can also speak individually with professors or supervisors to see if there are any positions available in a job they are interested in. Needless to say, there are a variety of paths in which students can obtain a job!
This past fall term, I have been working for the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences (Rocky) as a student assistant for Deputy Director Sadhana Hall. Working at Rocky has been an opportunity for me to broaden the people and resources I know of at Dartmouth, and especially in the Center. Moreover, it is able to provide me with an income I can utilize to cover costs that scholarships or financial aid do not cover.
Although it is another extracurricular activity I have to balance with schoolwork, I have found my time working at Rocky to be very enriching as I am able to meet a variety of people and learn a lot more about the work Sadhana does. As her student assistant, I have spent a lot of time working closely with her and seeing how she navigates her relationships at Dartmouth. She's taught me not only about how I can utilize Rocky, but she has also taught me about leadership since she has worked in several different sectors. As my job, I help Sadhana with any projects she is currently working on or future projects that she knows require immediate action. For instance, I have helped organize the content she presents for her leadership conferences, I have made leadership handouts, communicated with alumni for her, and have been working on promoting her newly released second book through visuals, social media, etc. On weeks that we are busy with exams/papers/projects, she also tries to help us find a balance for work and school, understanding that we are students first, but also helping us be professional in a work setting. Because of her busy schedule and numerous diverse involvements, there is never a dull week! It makes my work very interesting and it feels great to know that I can continue learning a new skill. Moreover, Sadhana has always treated me with the utmost respect and has made it clear that she is always there to help out! My time has been amazing thus far, so I can't wait to see how I can continue to grow with the help of Sadhana!
One of my other favorite aspects about my job is that I am able to work with another '24 (sophomore), Kristabel Konta. Having another student to work with feels great because the work environment feels livelier and more like a team project than a job!
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.
I have written about being a student worker plenty of times in the past, but I have yet to talk about one of my favorite jobs ever: ticket selling at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.
This is my final term before senior year, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. One thing I am excited about is the classes I am taking this term, so let me tell you more!
This past interim, I was part of an interfaith group that traveled to Washington DC! Houses of worship were a huge part of the trip and we were fortunate to have some wonderful tours and conversations.
