Olá! I'm Luana from Brasília, the capital of Brazil. A couple of years ago I was, just like you, looking through this blog hoping to get to know Dartmouth. But now, I get to tell you why I love being a Dartmouth student! From the academic opportunities to the community, I'll show you how grateful I am to have chosen the College on the Hill. So, consider this an invitation to accompany me as this blog becomes your looking glass into life in Hanover.
As a bookworm who loved dissecting and analyzing novels or philosophical works, a writing class focused on classical literature with weekly discussions was the right fit for me. Between reading Sophocles, Nietzsche, and Rawls, I had the opportunity to reassess my approach to reading, deepen my interpretations, and improve my public speaking skills while broadening my recognition of the significance of critical thinking.
I'll be honest: Physics has never been my favorite subject, until now. This term I am taking Introduction to Physics, a course that has shown me new horizons of what science can do. This class wasn't about calculating the movements of falling objects, it was about mathematically comprehending natural phenomena. The grandeur of that became evident as my professor, an accomplished experimental physicist, would passionately lecture on kinematics, waves, thermodynamics, and more.
I went into the woods and explored the fantastical worlds of the Brothers Grimm tales. It was definitely a thrilling and meaningful experience to analyse Snow White's virtues and Little Red Riding Hood's morals as important pieces of European culture. In other words, I got to study my childhood fairy tales, journeying through their real-world impact on a sociological, psychological, anthropological, and historical perspective.
For this summer, I decided to go home! Along with enjoying family and friends, I had the opportunity to learn a great deal during an internship at one of Brazil's top financial services institutions. There, I supported strategic growth and market positioning initiatives, delivered analysis and recommendations directly to senior stakeholders, and designed and executed internal engagement strategies to enhance organizational alignment and employee experience across business units. I also used this time to travel a little bit, exploring some of Japan. All in all, it's been a wonderful summer!
Beyond the Green: Unlocking Graduate Gems at Dartmouth
Dartmouth is well known for its distinguished graduate schools of business, engineering, and medicine. With world-renowned professors and an outstanding alumni network, many undergraduates hope to take part in such an enriching environment. Here is your personal guide to the programs and opportunities Tuck, Dartmouth Engineering, and Geisel offer specifically for undergraduates.
Considered the sixth best school of business, Tuck offers 3 classes undergraduates can elect: Financial Accounting, Principles of Marketing, and Business Management and Strategy. Taught by MBA faculty with the purpose of introducing students to these important concepts in depth, these classes are an amazing opportunity for sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Not only that, but the Tuck School of Business offers 3 programs tailored to undergraduates that explore diverse concepts:
1. TuckLAB: Entrepreneurshipis a 40-hour certificate program that happens every spring. Its focus is on providing students with the business skills necessary to leverage their liberal arts education in the marketplace. Students go through classes taught by MBA faculty and a startup competition, where distinguished Tuck alumni are the judges.
2.TuckLAB: Energyis a certificate program where students are introduced to key concepts in energy transitions to integrate and apply their knowledge from a multi-sector and multi-stakeholder perspective. With classes taught by experts in energy, sustainability, business, and society, students dive into finance, policy, entrepreneurship, and organizational change in the energy sector.
3.The famous Tuck Business Bridge Program is also an option. This intensive 3-week program offers students essential business skills by combining an intensive classroom experience at a distinguished business school and the hands-on training of an internship. With a 50-60 hours per week commitment, the Business Bridge Program is an enriching career experience.
Dartmouth Engineering is a world-class school of engineering that is not only a graduate school. The engineering school also has undergraduate degrees, provided by the Dartmouth Engineeringdepartment. With a wide array of engineering majors, from Energy to Biomedical, the school provides students with the possibility of leaving Dartmouth with a Bachelor of Engineeringand a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Sciences. Not only that, but a Human-Centered Design minoris also an option.
Furthermore, many study abroad programs are offered—from the Green City Program to exchanges with Thailand, Hong Kong, Denmark, and New Zealand—the opportunities for students to explore the world through engineering are endless.
One of the oldest medical schools in the country is at Dartmouth College, Geisel School of Medicine, named in honor of Theodor Geisel '25—Dr. Seuss himself—also offers opportunities for undergraduate students through research. By contacting professors, undergraduates may apply to participate in the research projects of the Geisel faculty.
With enriching graduate environments that are open to the participation of undergraduate students, Dartmouth provides an intensely well-rounded opportunity for all of its students.
In one of my previous posts, I mentioned how I joined a sorority earlier this fall by going through the recruitment process. I've come a long way since then. In fact, I am living in my sorority house for my sophomore summer!
Dartmouth is not just a college. With world-renowned graduate schools, why would we choose to call ourselves a college instead of a university? The story behind that decision dates back to a significant Supreme Court ruling.
During my sophomore spring quarter, I took on the challenge of four STEM courses, and while it has been intense, the unexpected connections across subjects and the joy of learning have made it one of my most rewarding academic experiences yet.
