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.
In addition to being a student, there are plenty of opportunities to gain practical experience while earning some extra cash. From ski instructor to laboratory research assistant and everything in between, Dartmouth students take on jobs on campus and around the Upper Valley that suit their needs—be it to learn a new skill, develop a budding one, or do something that contributes to the community. Here is a breakdown of my experience with jobs on campus.
My first job ever started my freshman fall as an admissions blogger. I had been a regular visitor of People Places Pines since the beginning of my senior year of high school, when my admissions regional representative shared this resource in her local presentation on Dartmouth. The blog itself was a huge reason why I chose to apply by the binding Early Decision deadline, as it helped me discover so much more about Dartmouth from a student's lens. When applying to Dartmouth in late 2019, I checked the site nearly every day for fresh content. I especially loved reading about how bloggers have tailored their individual D-Plans to fit their interests, short snippets of their favorite classes, and why the Dartmouth community is so special beyond academics, so when the application went live during the summer before freshman year, I was ecstatic to have the chance to apply. Becoming part of the People Places Pines blogging team has allowed me to both share my college experiences with others and self-reflect on key milestones for myself. Today, as an Admissions Communications Intern, I now help manage over 50 bloggers and am involved each year with the recruitment of the new team members. I also get to practice my Canva and social media outreach skills helping create Instagram posts, stories, and reels.
During my sophomore year, I became an undergraduate advisor (UGA) for first-year West House residents in the River Cluster. The job pays $2,000 per term for new UGAs ($2,100 for returning staff) and a credit to the UGA's student bill equivalent to the cost of the 80 Block Choice meal plan. Coming from a boarding high school, I found fostering a supportive and uplifting residential life community especially at a smaller intimate school like Dartmouth to be super important. Through this role, I organized French Hall's Best Dorm Competition, built community through weekly floor meetings, and helped first-years navigate the transition to college life. This spring, I will be returning to campus from my NYC off-term as an upperclassman UGA in my own first-year dorm, Russell Sage!
A '25 signs the French Hall welcome board during Move-In Weekend in 2021.
As research was something I was always intrigued in but didn't know too much about what it entailed, during my sophomore year I applied for and accepted two positions that Environmental Studies program administrator Kim Wind emailed out to us majors. One of them entailed coding through World Bank environmental impact assessment reports for forest restoration cost information under the guidance of my ENVS 3: Environment and Society professor J.T. Erbaugh—a cool blend of my Economics and Environmental Studies academic interests. The other, which I am still involved in to this day as a James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar, is research in Dartmouth's Energy Justice Clinic. I have learned how to conduct ethical interviews with stakeholders and qualitatively organize data while researching the role and history of community choice aggregations in renewable energy transitions, particularly in California and New Hampshire.
Professor Kelly's Energy Justice course in the Anthropology/Geography departments poses for a photo during Spring 2022. Students in this Social Impact Practicum have the opportunity to become further involved in the Clinic by becoming a paid research assistant.
Lastly, this winter term, I am working remotely as an ECON 21: Microeconomics individual tutor for the Academic Skills Center. This experience has helped me solidify my grasp of the material as I prepare to return to campus and take more Economics courses this spring term. It's highly rewarding to see my students make progress and have 'aha' moments as I help them work through tricky problem set questions and prepare for midterms. Tutoring also allows me to refresh knowledge from the past which can be applied in all my future classes and jobs going forward.
These are just my experiences, but my friends have worked as language drill instructors, class notetakers, Dartmouth Leadership Attitudes & Behaviors Program (D-LAB) facilitators, Hanover Scoops ice cream scoopers, and more. There certainly is a job for everyone while in Hanover!
As I approach the halfway mark of my Dartmouth journey this spring, I find myself reflecting on the significance of distributive and world culture requirements in shaping my academic experience.
This is my final term before senior year, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. One thing I am excited about is the classes I am taking this term, so let me tell you more!
This is part two of me "nerding out" about my honors thesis! If you want to learn more about independent projects, theses, or the humanities at Dartmouth, check it out!
Many small classes at Dartmouth are seminar-style and are the cornerstone of the intellectual exploration and intentionality that define the learning experience at Dartmouth.
I've officially completed all of my English major requirements for Dartmouth. Since I'm now a veteran English student, I'll walk you all through one of Dartmouth's coolest departments!
