Welcome! I'm Olivia Koo '26, hailing from Los Alamos, New Mexico. I am studying biological chemistry on the pre-med track, and I'm excited to be supplementing it with music, as a classical pianist and singer-songwriter! Some of my favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos about video games, singing and playing my guitar, and reading New York Times op-eds. Look through my page for information about Dartmouth's pre-med track, STEM research, acapella/music, and study abroad opportunities!
Unsure whether I would enjoy the biology-heavy pre-health track, I took an intro biology class. I surprisingly found myself so invested each class—I didn’t think I’d ever be excited trying to determine if the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) had DNA or RNA, but here we are! I found it a great introduction to thinking processes at Dartmouth.
I loved coming to this class with its supportive environment! The professor's feedback really helped me improve in my writing. This course guided us through personal narratives and organizational writing while discussing what it really means to be authentic. It also introduced me to the library’s resources for writing and research!
This class was definitely not easy! The accelerated version of general chemistry, it was my first class at Dartmouth that used a textbook, and I had to adapt and learn how to use a textbook for a class properly. But that didn't mean I didn't have a good time! The classes were full of physical demonstrations, and I felt very supported in the lab and beyond.
This was the first group music class I took, and I loved it! Each class we'd move a little forward in time; one day we'd talk about medieval chants, and by the next couple weeks, we talked about Baroque music. We even got to observe original medieval music scores from the Rauner Library, and attend a performance of Baroque music by the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra!
Songwriting 1 was the first time I was able to work on something creative/in the arts at Dartmouth, and I really loved it! I got to learn how to improve my songwriting and get to know a community of fellow songwriters on campus. The class was both supportive and constructive, and I pushed myself to my creative limit with the assignment of writing one new song a week. This class inspired me to continue writing and being expressive, whether in an academic setting or not.
For one of my classes on the London Music FSP, I got to attend a myriad of musical performances in London and discuss them with my class! It was a once-in-a-life-time experience–getting to watch multiple operas, ballets, jazz sets, and a musical, as well as seeing beautiful performances from the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, and more, helped me grow my ear so much and my inspirations as a musician.
I took this class to learn a little more about the social landscape around medicine, and this class delivered that by a mile. From environmental exposure to racial inequities in medicine/health to the discussion of medicine itself as a manipulative tool in colonialist social structures, this class helped me rethink medicine and my role within it.
For the past year, I've helped coordinate the subclub Dartmouth Forte, which exists within the club Dartmouth Generations! Generations focuses on connecting students with seniors in the Upper Valley, primarily those who have Alzheimer's. There are a variety of activities available for students to be involved in within different subclubs, from participating in movement therapy and art therapy, to travelling to the Kendal at Hanover Senior Living Center to have some insightful conversations with residents. You can read more about Generations here.
I lead the music side of things! Dartmouth Forte is the subclub that organizes music performances for seniors in the Upper Valley. As student musicians, we perform songs that we like of any genre in a casual setting. From classical to oldies to newer songs, we jam and let our audience join in. I personally play guitar and sing (my go-to has been Fast Car by Tracy Chapman).
So far, we've collaborated with the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center's Aging Resource Center and the Bugbee Senior Center. This past Saturday, we got to play some music at the new Memory Café, led by medical students at the Geisel School of Medicine! The Memory Café's aim is to provide a social group for people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia and their families. This past Saturday, three of us played some songs for the beginning of the session. After that, we all did chair exercises together, and families were provided canvases and paint to create some pretty paintings. I got to sit with some people and speak with them about their lives–it was a wonderful time!
The three of us made a painting together! We didn't quite finish, but I think the vision was pretty cool. (Credit: Tanaka Chikati '25)
I'm so excited to see what comes next for Forte in the fall!
When asked about my favorite term at Dartmouth, I'll enthusiastically answer, "Sophomore Summer!" Whether it's the enhanced beauty or community on campus, one aspect stands out as the highlight of my term: the start of summer dance ensembles!
Coming back to Dartmouth for my senior year, I have been loving pursuing my major. However, what I love about the liberal arts education is that you can take classes for interest far beyond any classes in your major.
