Hey y'all! My name is Natasha, and I am a junior at Dartmouth College. I'm majoring in history and minoring in public policy and Chinese. In my free time, I love to watch New Girl, hang out with my friends, and explore the Upper Valley. Dartmouth is a pretty neat place— I hope you enjoy reading my posts about life here!
Academic Program
History Major and Minors in Public Policy and Chinese
One of the most interesting classes I have taken so far at Dartmouth has been PBPL 5: Introduction to Public Policy, which is taught by Professor Charles Wheelan. Although I didn't know a lot about public policy coming into the class, I finished the course with a greater understanding of how public policy is created and implemented in government. And even more importantly, I realized the influence of public policy on my everyday life.
The main reason why I enjoyed this class was because of Professor Wheelan's teaching style. Whenever I would tell an upperclassman that I was taking Public Policy 5 with Professor Wheelan, the first thing they'd tell me would be about how amazing of a professor he is. After taking the class, I can confidently say he certainly lives up to the hype. Professor Wheelan always related what he taught to current events, which made me appreciate the relevancy of public policy in my life. In addition, he is hilarious. There was not a single day of class where I didn't laugh at one of his (albeit sometimes corny) jokes!
Alongside being a great lecturer in the classroom, Professor Wheelan was a wonderful person to talk to outside of class. Besides his regularly scheduled office hours (which he held every Monday and Thursday), Professor Wheelan was very accommodating and would meet with students by appointment anytime during the week. Whenever I had a question, whether it be about what we learned in class or about something I read on the news, Professor Wheelan was always available to talk to.
Another reason why I liked my Public Policy 5 class was because of the numerous guest lecturers who came to speak to us. Some of the guest lecturers included Judd Gregg, who is a former governor and senator from New Hampshire, and Kyle Bailey, the campaign manager for the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting. It was truly inspirational to hear from such accomplished people who work in the field of public policy.
Overall, Public Policy 5 was an unforgettable class that I'd take again in a heartbeat. My professor was amazing, and I made some great friends in the course as well. Although it was a lot of work, I learned so much about public policy and the role it plays in society. I am definitely looking forward to taking more public policy classes in the future!
Dartmouth changed my life. A large part of that change comes from the support I have received from professors. Learn more here about some mentor-mentee relationships I have made!
In Solid Mechanics, we designed and constructed a bridge that held 10kN, around 1000kg! The process, from SOLIDWORKS design to laser cutting to gluing parts together, took us weeks, but it was one of the most rewarding projects I have ever done.
Walking around the Wellelsey campus, it's clear that it was built with intentional incorporation of the surrounding nature. The architecture of many buildings were also mindfully crafted to support Wellesley's unique principles.
My first time in Chicago at the Society of Women Engineers Conference in Chicago, Illinois! Fully funded by Dartmouth, I had a great time meeting amazing companies and getting to know fellow women engineers.
Through Dartmouth's Guarini Institute for International Study, I am getting to take classes and experience life at Wellesley College, an all-women's school!
