Hey all! So excited to see you here. My name is Sydney and I'm a '24 passionate about energy, education, the environment, and economic policy. I grew up in Southern California, but have also lived abroad in Gibraltar, Spain, and the Philippines. When not blogging or working at McNutt as a Senior Admissions Fellow, you can catch me involved in the Dartmouth Energy Alliance, Energy Justice Clinic, and Greek Life. I hope my blog can give you a window into Dartmouth from a student's perspective.
Academic Program
Majors in Economics and Environmental Studies, Minor in International Studies
Taught by Professor Tine, this class focused on many interdisciplinary topics within the field of education. I loved learning about the significance of early pre-K interventions on long-term behaviors, the layered complexities of the American public school system, the neuroscience behind how the brain processes new information, and much more!
As someone interested in international studies, this course opened my eyes to the complex world of global health – both the biological and social sides of achieving equity. I found this class especially applicable given the COVID-19 pandemic and often transfer knowledge from Global Health & Society into my everyday life.
Searching for Justice is a perfect blend of studying literature and law. Highlights from this course include an op-ed I produced on anti-Asian hate crimes and a fictional short story adaptation based on Japanese internment camps from Korematsu v. United States. This first-year seminar exposed me to many different court cases, and I’m now strongly considering a future career in law!
SummerClaremont, California
I spent my summer back home in Southern California, working at my high school alma mater as a Summer Fellow for their Junior Scholars program. I had a wonderful time designing curriculum for the Journalism program, planning activities for middle schoolers, and providing support in the dorms. I also spent quality time with my cousins and bonded with family by the beach.
I am an aquaphile, a lover of all things related to the water. This environmental studies course on Marine Policy was perfect for me because it dove into how humans have impacted the oceans. From coastal development to deep sea mining, we explored how to think like a policymaker and consider the many different stakeholders involved in global marine issues.
Wow, the Practice of Science Policy and Diplomacy was a blast! I was eager to get to class early every day for this Public Policy seminar. Professor Burkins introduced me to writing effective policy memos, participating in a Model Arctic Council simulation, and presenting our SDG 7: Affordable & Clean Energy recommendations with a state coalition.
Energy Justice examined issues of culture, power, and inequity in the necessary shift away from fossil fuels. Taught as a Social Impact Practicum, this class deepened my interest in pursuing a career in energy and environmental law. During junior year, I’m excited to continue working with Professor Kelly as a Presidential Scholar researching justice and accountability in corporate energy systems.
During my Sophomore Summer, I really enjoyed studying food systems and accessing Dartmouth’s Organic Farm as our lab for Professor Ong’s Agroecology course. It was an incredible New England summer experience learning to visualize data in R, conducting fieldwork outdoors, and working as a team on scientific research projects. A term highlight was tasting freshly tapped maple syrup from Dartmouth’s very own Sugar Crew!
I was one of six Dartmouth Economics exchange students at University College London this term. All four of my modules—UCL’s equivalent of classes—gave me a new perspective on Economics and Geography through a British lens. Economic History was my favorite as we studied industrialization, the demographic transition, and the East Asian economic miracle after World War II. I grew a deep appreciation for how the events of our past can offer important lessons for us today and into the future.
WinterNew York, New York
Since Dartmouth students typically spend their Sophomore Summer on campus, the D-Plan allows us to take a different term off to develop personally and professionally. I spent my off-term working as a corporate legal assistant intern at a law firm in New York City. It was such a thrill to live and work in the Big Apple! With many fellow Dartmouth '24s also in the NYC area, my days out of the office were full of yummy food, catching up with old friends, and exploring iconic city sights.
Drawing upon disciplines like law, psychology, and popular culture, Writing and Speaking Public Policy was all about becoming more persuasive communicators. Professor Kalish provided us with such thoughtful, detailed feedback on our assignments and arranged for class field trips to the Jones Media Center and Hood Museum of Art. I especially enjoyed the flexibility offered for our small group media campaign project, where I created a children’s book on the benefits of bringing universal pre-K to New Hampshire.
SummerMystic, Connecticut
During my junior summer, I interned as a Yale Conservation Scholar at Mystic Aquarium. Working in the Education & Conservation department, I mentored high school interns about marine science communication and public engagement. Besides attending weekly professional development workshops with the Yale School of the Environment, I also helped out with summer camps, traveling classroom programs, and citizen science projects.
I traveled to Southern Africa for the first time with Dartmouth’s Environmental Studies FSP. From conducting research on invertebrate diversity in the Namib Desert to speaking with community members at Uibasen-Twyfelfontein Conservancy, we studied Namibia's socio-ecological systems. Highlights from this incredible trip include experiencing game drives at Etosha National Park, discussing ecotourism at the Cheetah Conservation Fund, and learning about Namibia’s integrated coastal zone management approach with government officials from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
Econometrics was a pleasant surprise! While I came into this statistics-heavy course without a Stata coding background, Professor Fetter’s amazing explanations helped me feel confident about the new material. I learned so much about the assumptions required for causality and now feel equipped with the analytical tools to evaluate Economic research papers in an entirely different light.
And... Spring Has Sprung: Foundations in Social Impact
This past week, I've been quite busy juggling midterms and working with my First-Year Foundations in Social Impact team to polish up our final deliverables and presentation. The goal of the non-profit consulting challenge differs year by year as the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact selects a new community partner, but Team Michael Callen (which consisted of six different members including myself) was tasked with helping the Norris Cotton Cancer Center convince LGBTQ+ populations in rural New Hampshire and Vermont to quit tobacco. We focused on this demographic specifically because the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center receives a steady flow of LGBTQ+ patients due to its highly sought after Transgender Clinic and welcoming patient care. We spent our fall term discovering our personal leadership styles, developing our professional skills in preparation for the challenge, and connecting with a cohort of around 40 other students. Winter was when we conducted the bulk of our group consulting project — honing in on the research, revision process, and creation of our infographic. This spring has been when everything has been wrapping up; we polished our deliverables together and just submitted the final versions into our community partner.
Our deliverables included 21 tailored facts about the benefits of quitting tobacco, with careful attention to the systems working against the LGBTQ+ community by Big Tobacco, an Infographic featuring some of the most provocative information, and a PowerPoint presentation that explores research methodology and key findings to representatives from our community partner, who were all very eager to watch our final presentation.
Our 15-minute presentation happened last Thursday in The Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center.
Myself, along with two members of my team, delivered our final presentation last Thursday evening to the Norris Cotton Cancer Center in The Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center. In creating these deliverables culturally tailored to the LGBTQ+ population, we gained familiarity with health communications while developing our abilities to produce customized solutions for targeted demographics.
As a Foundations in Social Impact alum myself, I feel prepared with skills to address some of our world's most pressing social issues like international human rights, racial justice, and more. You should definitely check out the Foundations in Social Impact leadership program, especially if you're a '25 interested in learning more about making a positive difference through service and collaboration. Fellow blogger and Foundations scholar Griselda Chavez '24's blog post does a great job covering the basics of the freshman-exclusive program.
Emma, Adri, Ben, and myself just finished our presentation!
At Dartmouth, I love the emphasis on exploration and that fact that one can get involved with many different organizations outside the classroom. My fellow Foundations scholars are extremely compassionate, empathetic, and hardworking changemakers who inspire me to make a positive impact on my community. It was an incredibly rewarding experience to take part in this year-long program and I'm happy to speak more to anyone with further questions.
Our final infographic deliverable aimed to convince readers to quit smoking tobacco.
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
