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.
Rockefeller Global Leadership Program's Trip to Boston
This weekend, I took a bus down to Boston for an excursion sponsored by The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences, commonly referred to by students as "Rocky." Rockefeller Global Leadership Program (RGLP) is a free one-term commitment that allows you to meet other Dartmouth students interested in engaging in in-depth discussions about topics like cultural identity, self-awareness, and cross-cultural communication. We meet every Monday from 6-8:30 p.m. in one of the classrooms at Rocky, where we enjoy free catered food from local restaurants, engage in individual and small group activities, and talk with other members of the cohort about questions posed by our Student Program Assistants.
A major part of this program is learning to tolerate ambiguity and be comfortable with being uncomfortable. We weren't aware of where we were going in advance, so that made us go into every activity with an open mind and no prior biases. Our first activity on Saturday morning was to split into three small groups and choose a culturally or historically neighborhood or site in Boston to journey to together. While taking in the new environment, we were told to practice ethnography, or consciously holding off judgment or any prior interpretation of the people or practices of the group. Our group chose Boston's North End or "Little Italy," where we passed the 1680 Paul Revere House, the Old North Church, and walked down the lively Hanover Street (felt close to home!). We heard people conversing in Italian on the streets, soaked in the scrumptious smells of Italian food, and snapped photos of historic architecture. We also ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant for lunch, where I tried lobster ravioli for the first time before visiting the Boston Waterfront and Quincy Market.
Our group takes a rainy day selfie in front of beautiful cherry blossoms on the way to Quincy Market. We got a lot of steps in!
Later that day, we met up with the larger group for a tour of the Institute for Contemporary Art and enjoyed Once On This Island, an incredible coming-of-age musical about Haitian culture that challenges stereotypes related to class, race, and gender. I really loved immersing myself in these artistic venues with my new friends. Dartmouth paid for all of our tickets and hotel rooms, giving us $60 each in spending money, making everything very accessible.
Before entering the theater
The performance is about to begin!
At the end of the program, we reflected on how Boston compares to the places we are accustomed to living in, the adjustments we may have made to our normal behaviors, and whether or not any parts of the trip made us feel uncomfortable or stressed, along with why we think we felt this way. I feel much more in tune with my thoughts and feelings from taking time to process experiences rather than immediately moving onto the next task—a skill I want to take with me throughout Dartmouth and beyond!
Enjoying Japanese hot pot before boarding the bus back to Hanover!
Regardless if you are a social science major, Rocky hosts other programs besides RGLP such as Dartmouth Leadership Attitudes & Behaviors Program (DLAB), Management & Leadership Development Program (MLDP), and Rockefeller Leadership Fellows (a capstone leadership program for seniors). I highly recommend you check them out if you're interested in learning more about yourself and the world around you outside the classroom!
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!
