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.
Dartmouth's famous, one-of-a-kind "D-Plan" allows students to fully take the reins of their own academic journeys. You can double major, double minor, modify a major, and more. Course selection may seem intimidating, but Dartmouth provides an excellent array of resources—ranging from a faculty advisor to the Undergraduate Deans Office—to encourage academic exploration.
For incoming first-years ('25s woohoo!), in early August your deans should send you a super helpful Explore Engage Excel brochure outlining the College's first-year writing, distributive, first-year seminar, language, and world culture requirements. The PDF also includes a comprehensive description of each course.
This was the front cover of the Explore Engage Excel packet from last school year.
Some of my best tips for course selections are...
Go beyond the class title. Do your research. Read the syllabus and talk to upperclassmen who have taken the course before for guidance… Is it super reading heavy? A lot of problem sets? Is the prof a huge fan of multiple choice tests and you know that's not your cup of tea? Strive to take a balance of classes — and I don't just mean subject-wise, I mean ones that include a variety of assignments as well.
Some high school AP/IB/British A-Level exam scores will place you out of certain major or language requirements. For example, a 4 or 5 on AP Calculus AB will give you a Math 3 credit, so you would become exempt from a prerequisite to many majors including economics, quantitative social sciences, computer science and more, placing you into a higher math class.
During the fall of your freshman year at Dartmouth, limit yourself to three classes so you have time to acclimate to the college environment of living in Hanover. There's no need to overload yourself with too much academically while juggling the transition into college life.
Last but not least, there is no such thing as a "wrong" class! During your four years, you will stumble upon hidden gems, perhaps interesting enough to persuade you to declare a major or minor in a field completely different from what you submitted on your application to Dartmouth. For me personally, after taking an Introduction to International Development class for the first time ever in the fall, I became interested in taking more classes within the departments of INTS International Studies/GEOG Geography. I'm now halfway through with the International Studies minor (having taken INTS 16 Introduction to International Development, INTS 18 Global Health & Society, and GOV 5 International Politics) and excited to learn more about topics like climate change, international health crises, global inequality, terrorism and violence in the INTS/GEOG classes to come. The liberal arts is designed to offer you a broad understanding of the world with mastery in at least one field, so don't worry about mapping out every little detail.
Next term, a few courses have caught my eye, including ENVS 17 Marine Policy, ECON 39 International Trade, and ENVS 3 Environment and Society. I'm excited to update you of my final course selection for 21F once that rolls around, but until now, hope you all have wonderful summers!
After returning from an enriching study abroad program, I'm diving into a bustling spring semester here at Dartmouth. Here are my four courses I'm taking this term!
Dartmouth's liberal arts curriculum pushes students to explore new departments and draw connections between seemingly disparate disciplines. Come explore my Economics, Physics, and Asian, Societies, Cultures, and Languages classes!
