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.
#DartmouthAroundtheGlobe: Lifelong Friendships and Adventures
The people you meet in college will undoubtedly become some of your best friends. In Hanover, it wasn't uncommon to hike in the middle of a rainstorm, buy famous Vermont local ice cream, and go on a thrifting adventure all on the same day, but whether it be over FaceTime or on the West Coast, I've continued the bonds with friends I've made from an epic freshman year during the summer.
To kick off summer break, I took a trip up to the San Francisco Bay Area after finals to visit my friend Elizabeth '24, whose family graciously hosted myself and Adri '24, our friend from El Paso, TX. We hiked to so many cool places, saw an endless sea of redwood trees, tried an abundance of different foods, walked across the Golden Gate Bridge, and spent hours in the warm Santa Cruz sand. As in Hanover, the lush nature was so beautiful, though of course, we traded pine trees for redwoods and palm trees having flown to California. We also visited our friend Caroline '24, who lives ten minutes away from Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and I hiked to Villa Montalvo Lookout Point in her hometown!
After a few days up in the Bay, Adri flew an hour South with me to Los Angeles. It was lovely introducing Adri to my grandparents and getting to know her aunts in the area. Elizabeth couldn't make it because she was starting an internship in Chicago, but there's always next time! Adri and I visited Universal Studios Hollywood (and even ran into California Governor Newson delivering a speech to commemorate reopening day!), enjoyed the panoramic views from Griffith Observatory, and learned how to surf for the very first time. We also hung out with our friend Emily '24 and got to see her adorable dogs.
I hope this recap of my summer break so far can help animate Dartmouth's diverse community, full of adventurous and welcoming individuals from a variety of backgrounds. For future '26s or incoming '25s, don't stress about making friends! You'll find your people — whether it be in classes, clubs, teams, the dorms, or the most random places in between. Dartmouth is also a smaller and more intimate community of under 4,500 undergraduates (roughly 1,100 or so per grade), so chances are you'll get to know a sizable proportion of your class over the course of your four years.
Here's a throwback film photo taken early Spring term, playing Spikeball with friends on the Green! I'm so glad many of my friends thought of packing a film camera to capture memories throughout the term.
Although I miss Hanover, I appreciate the opportunity to spend time with my friends safely vaccinated on the West Coast; truly no distance can separate the strong bonds we've formed in less than a year. Later this summer, I will work as a Junior Scholars Summer Fellow at my high school alma mater, attend a virtual commercial real estate program, see my cousins from Minnesota, and fly to a music festival in Tennessee with some Dartmouth friends. I look forward to what the rest of the summer holds in store — both the planned and the spontaneous adventures. That's all for now!
Adri and I enjoyed hiking the trials near Elizabeth's home. So peaceful and fun!
Planning on visiting Dartmouth as a prospective student or an interested person wanting to see our beautiful campus? In this post, I share insider tips to ensure your visit is fulfilled!
It's not every day that my Intro to Chinese Culture and Understanding the Universe classes were both canceled, but the cosmos had other plans. Welcome to a rare weekday in my life with no classes!
