Hi everyone! I'm Madison. I grew up in Pasadena, California, but spent eight years living in Manila, Philippines, and one year in Spain. I'm planning to double major in Film and Media Studies and Sociology, with a minor in Human-Centered Design. I love spending quality time with people and having good conversations. I'm so excited to share my college journey with you!
Academic Program
Majors in Film and Media Studies and Sociology, Minor in Human Centered Design
Speaking with students and alums, many praised Dartmouth for its strong alum network—lifelong relationships, a willingness to help, and job opportunities. But it wasn't until I experienced these alums' friendliness and incredible support firsthand that I understood what everyone was talking about.
Leading up to Dartmouth, I attended several reception events hosted by the Dartmouth Club of Los Angeles (DCLA)—a group of "more than 2,800 Dartmouth alumni, partners/spouses, parents, and other family members." Each event featured different guest speakers covering various topics, including a former editor-in-chief of the LA Times discussing journalistic integrity and President Sian Leah Beilock addressing leadership in a complex world and its implications for Dartmouth's future. On top of that, these events were also a great way to mingle!
A few other '28s and I took an iconic 0.5 selfie with President Beilock during her visit to LA.
The day after I got into Dartmouth early decision, I attended a Christmas event with my dad,my sister, who is a Dartmouth '24, and her friend. A few Dartmouth alumni greeted me at the doorway, and when they saw that my name tag marked '28,' their eyes lit up with excitement. Every Dartmouth alumni I spoke to raved about how special of a place it is and how lucky I was to be attending next Fall. At the event, I felt slightly intimidated by a group of upperclassmen watching me. However, after approaching and talking to them, I realized they weren't scary. In reality, they were all just very excited to see a '28 in the room.
My sister Sydney, her friend Diana, and several '27s I met at the event.
About three months later, I attended a Media Arts Reception event. It was the last weekend for the Film and Media students in the Los Angeles Domestic Study Program (DSP) for their winter term (read about fellow blogger Kabir's experience on the DSP here through his "Los Angeles Diaries" blog series). The panel included three panelists, one being film producer Jethro-Rothe Kushel '03. One thing that resonated with me during the discussion was Jethro's account of receiving a grant from Dartmouth to take an off-term and produce a documentary about homelessness in LA during his first year, which changed the trajectory of his life. Shortly after, I approached him to learn more about his experience. I mentioned that I, too, had produced a documentary during my sophomore year of high school titled "Tondo: The Forgotten People of Manila,"and we exchanged LinkedIn profiles to connect.
Jethro later invited me to lunch in Pasadena. When we initially met, he had no idea I was a '28, an incoming first-year student at Dartmouth. He thought I was part of the LA study abroad program. Even though I was still in high school, Jethro believed in my potential and generously offered me a paid summer internship at iFlix.ai, a startup AI technology company in the film and television industry focused on commercial content creation; I humbly accepted the offer.
This past summer, I worked as the company's Marketing/Operations Intern. I learned valuable skills by reaching out to angel investors and venture capitalists, attending calls with them, building the company website, managing corporate emails and spreadsheets, and assisting my boss with special projects.
With my internship experience over the summer, I can confidently say that people aren't lying when they claim that Dartmouth alums are eager to help those affiliated with the college. Before Dartmouth even started, I had already built a strong network of upper-level students, incoming '28s, and alums across various industries. The college provides fantastic networking opportunities, and the alum community's support is immense. You can truly feel their pride and love for the school and commitment to giving back. This passion is especially evident in the DCLA's dedication to hosting various events that bring together people of all ages who share a connection to Dartmouth. From organizing food and venues to arranging speakers and coordinating details, I am genuinely impressed by the DCLA's organization arranging these events throughout the year.
