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!
You know Dartmouth's official name is Dartmouth College. But, is it actually a college?
The answer is no. Dartmouth contains world-renowned graduate schools of business, engineering, and medicine. So why would we choose to call ourselves a college instead of a university? The story behind that decision dates back to 1819 and a very significant Supreme Court ruling.
Legend has it that in 1815, after being removed as president by Dartmouth's Board of Trustees, John Wheelock persuaded the governor of New Hampshire to make the college into a public institution, governed by the state legislature. That is how "Dartmouth University" was born. The Board of Trustees at the time attempted to resist the decision by appealing in court with the solicited help of Dartmouth alumnus—lawyer, statesman, and former Secretary of State— Daniel Webster, Class of 1801.
Eventually reaching the Supreme Court, the landmark case Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward was the stage onto which Webster delivered a passionate and impactful speech about the college. His words have echoed throughout time, becoming a significant piece of Dartmouth history with the celebrated sentence, "It is, as I have said, a small college. And yet, there are those who love it!"
Webster's speech is said to have brought the judge to tears. The final ruling was in favor of Dartmouth College, which returned to its founding mission of a liberal arts education. The landmark case set the application of the Contracts Clause of the United States Constitution, and it's still referenced today.
Webster's speech became a reference point to the Dartmouth identity, with its core being the small liberal arts education Dartmouth has uniquely provided for 256 years. Thus, Dartmouth College chooses to be called a college—for it honors those triumphant years and makes a genuine testament about its dedication to its undergraduate students.
On a quiet spring Saturday in Hanover, I traded the usual campus buzz for Monet in the morning and archery in the afternoon—a reminder that Dartmouth weekends can be just as meaningful when they're slow, reflective, and a little unexpected.
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.
Read about the Sophomore Summer Soiree and how I got to witness the beginning of something that hopefully grows into a long-standing Dartmouth tradition!
Here is my list of the restaurants in Hanover within walking distance of Dartmouth. Whether you're touring campus for the first time or are a Dartmouth student in need of a new place to eat, feel free to reference this list!
As I approach the end of my first year at Dartmouth, I would like to reflect on some of the experiences and lessons I've learned throughout this school year.
