Hi, and welcome to my corner of the woods! I'm Lauren, a '27 from Munger, Michigan. Outside of academics, I'm a member of the Ledyard Canoe Club, the Dartmouth Organization of Rural Students, and Dartmouth Sports Analytics. I can't wait to share stories from my final year at Dartmouth with all of you!
I took this class as part of Dartmouth's first year writing requirement. We read a pro cyclist's life narrative, discussed research papers on controversial topics in sports, and wrote our own papers on a contentious sports technology of our choice. I really enjoyed this course's emphasis on discussion, and the small class size!
This was my first class in the classics department, which was super exciting as a classical studies major! We learned about the ancient Olympics and the connections between athletics and other aspects of ancient Greek society. I loved the final project in this class, which involved creating an argument about how the ancient pentathlon was scored!
To conclude my language requirement, I took Latin 3! This class was super exciting because we began to read ancient texts and poetry. We also took a class trip to the Rauner Special Collections library so we could physically handle and read some manuscripts. And as an added bonus, Latin counts as a prerequisite for my classical studies major!
As a part of my language study abroad in Italy, I also took a class on Italian history and culture! We went on field trips to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, participated in walking tours of Rome, and watched a lot of great cinema in this class! I loved it so much that I decided to minor in Italian.
This class, in addition to being a pre-requisite for my major, was super interesting! I loved learning about archaeology through hands-on projects and lectures that felt like TED Talks.
My favorite course on my Italian LSA+ in Rome is focused on Italian literature, which we are studying in a reverse-chronological order! It has been incredibly fun to see different topics and styles evolve over time and to learn from the works of the best writers.
I’m absolutely loving this hands-on introduction to paleography, and the fact that my class meets at Rauner every day! I can’t wait to hear from our guest lecturers, too, and I’ll be sure to share those experiences on the blog. All in all, Latin 10 was a great way to get back into the language after a term away in Rome.
I signed up for this Latin class after the FDOC (first day of class), and I'm so glad I added it to my sophomore summer schedule! Our class is combined with GRK 30.08 History and Structure of the Greek Language, and it has been incredibly interesting to compare the ancient languages and learn a bit of Greek.
FallIvrea, Italy
This term, I'm interning with the Olivetti Leadership Institute in Ivrea, a small town in northern Italy.
WinterHanover, NH
For my second off-term, I'm back on campus! I'm keeping myself busy by working, spending time with friends, and working on my to-be-read list.
I signed up for this course to complete my final distributive requirement for graduation, and it has turned out to be one of my most rewarding classes! It’s been fascinating to explore a region of the world I hadn’t formally studied before. As a bonus, the lectures are incredibly engaging and I always leave class feeling like my perspective has been broadened.
SummerMunger, Michigan
This summer, I'm spending time at home working on post-graduate applications and hanging out with my family. I'm also working remotely for the Hood Museum and spending a lot of time traveling to visit Dartmouth friends across the country!
I'm not asociology major. I haven't even taken a class in the department. But one of my favorite extracurricular activities at Dartmouth is conducting research for the sociology department. I found the position on JobX, Dartmouth's student employment site.
I work on the Humans of the Upper Valley project, an initiative that interviews members of the community stretching from east-central Vermont to west-central New Hampshire, centered around the Connecticut River and Dartmouth's campus in Hanover. Our goal is simple: document the stories of the people who call this region home.
The Upper Valley is full of surprises, like an alpaca farm just a short drive from campus.
In this position, I've had the opportunity to interview everyone from a bus driver for the Upper Valley's free Advance Transitservice to an educator at the Vermont Institute of Natural Scienceto a children's book author. I've been given advice on where to get the best Chinese food in the area, directions to the best swimming holes, and tips for learning how to Nordic ski.
At Dartmouth, the term can be fast-paced, and there's always something happening on campus. So much is going on within a few blocks that I'll be the first to admit that there have been weeks where the farthest I've ventured is Umpleby's Bakery for my morning coffee. That's why this project has been so grounding for me. It forces me to step outside that bubble and remember that I live here.
I love traveling to Quechee Gorge to sightsee with my parents when they visit!
Every interview teaches me something no classroom lecture could. I've heard about the economic challenges facing rural New England from people who feel them firsthand. I've learned how longtime residents really feel about the college's growing footprint—the good and the complicated. I've sat across from people whose families have been in the Upper Valley for generations and listened to stories of resilience, humor, and quiet pride that have completely reshaped how I see this place.
The Upper Valley has plenty of local businesses, like Mac's Maple in Plainfield.
I try to volunteer in the Upper Valley with organizations like Willing Hands when I can!
The project has also reinforced something I love about Dartmouth: nobody blinked when a non-sociology student wanted to join a sociology research project. There was no gatekeeping—just encouragement and mentorship. That's one of the reasons I feel so at home here, both at Dartmouth and in the Upper Valley.
There was never a single "aha!" moment of clarity when I knew that Dartmouth was right for me, yet now, it is impossible for me to imagine having chosen anywhere else.
From a tight-knit study abroad cohort to intimate classroom moments and inspiring literary talks, French has grown far beyond a minor — becoming a thread that runs through the most meaningful parts of her Dartmouth life.
Amid the whirlwind of a ten-week term, the quietest moments — studying in the sun, cooking with a friend, running through Pine Park — turn out to be the ones worth savoring most.
One of my absolute favorite classes I've taken at Dartmouth has been Cinematography I, which completely changed the way I watch films and think about storytelling. Read on to hear more about my experience!
Curious about the requirements needed to complete your plan of study at Dartmouth? Come explore with me what each distributive requirement means at Dartmouth!
