lone pine

Sydney Wuu

Class of 2024
Sydney Wuu '24

About 

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

Favorite Thing Right Now 

The Student Wellness Center massage chairs

Hometown 

Pasadena, California

Pronouns 

she/her/hers

You are here

Sydney's D-Plan

What's a D-Plan?

    • FallOn Campus

      Favorite Class: Introduction to Education: Learning, Development, and Teaching

      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!

    • WinterOn Campus

      Favorite Class: Global Health & Society

      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.

    • SpringOn Campus

      Favorite Class: Searching for Justice

      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.

    • FallOn Campus

      Favorite Class: Marine Policy

      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.

    • WinterOn Campus

      Favorite Class: The Practice of Science Policy and Diplomacy

      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.

    • SpringOn Campus

      Favorite Class: Energy Justice

      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.

    • SummerOn Campus

      Favorite Class: Agroecology

      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!

    • FallLondon, England

      Favorite Class: Economic History

      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.

    • SpringOn Campus

      Favorite Class: Writing and Speaking Public Policy

      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.

    • FallSouth Africa and Namibia

      Favorite Class: Dartmouth’s Environmental Studies Foreign Study Program (FSP)

      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.

    • WinterOn Campus

      Favorite Class: Econometrics

      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.

What I Love About Dartmouth

In no particular order, here are a few places and ways I love to spend my free time as a student at Dartmouth. I hope this post can give you a glimpse into how wonderful campus life can be!

  1. No. 1

    Rollerblading

    sydney wuu rollerblading

    Rollerblading is one of the most popular spring pastimes here at Dartmouth. On nice days, expect to see groups of friends zooming around campus, from Occom Pond all the way to the Green. I’m just a beginner, but I’m improving with every practice session.

  2. No. 2

    Zipcar Adventures

    sydney wuu top of gile

    Five friends and I reserved a Zipcar (a car-sharing company) to hike to the top of Gile Mountain, a 20-minute drive from campus. When I came here in the fall, the view was a sea of red, orange, and yellow, so it was amazing to see the contrast from October to April.

  3. No. 3

    Spring Days Outside

    sydney wuu spring baker

    This photo was taken at the side of Baker-Berry Library. I appreciate how there are so many spots around campus for students to do work outside and enjoy some vitamin D!

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Posted 06/16/2021 at 9:00 AMAll List Posts

Top 7 Big & Small Things I Love About Dartmouth

As my second term on campus comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on my time so far by listing my top seven reasons why I can't imagine myself at any other college but Dartmouth.

  1. No. 1

    People, Campus, and the Surrounding Outdoors

    sydney wuu skiing friends

    Spending time with friends outside is one of my favorite pastimes. Last fall was filled with long hikes, bike rides, stargazing on the golf course, and even swimming across the Connecticut River. This winter was packed with a different type of fun — taking advantage of New England’s snowy weather with sledding, ice-skating, skiing, and building ice sculptures! Much of campus is centralized and walking distance from one another, and Dartmouth provides free buses to facilities like the nearby Skiway. I took this photo while having fun with my friends a couple weekends ago at the Dartmouth Skiway.

  2. No. 2

    The D-Plan

    sydney wuu d plan

    Dartmouth’s unique “D-Plan” allows me the flexibility to customize my academic schedule quarter-by-quarter. Looking ahead, I’m super excited to experience my sophomore summer in 2022 (when the entire class spends the term on campus taking classes for bonding mid-way through their college career!).

  3. No. 3

    Liberal Arts Flexibility

    sydney wuu week 7

    Adding onto the D-Plan’s flexibility, Dartmouth’s well-rounded curriculum with a focus on undergraduate teaching offers so many avenues for exploration. We can choose from over 2,100 different class options every year to fulfill our four-year world culture and distributive requirements. As I look towards spring term, I am excited to explore my First-Year Seminar called ENGL07.55: Searching for Justice (which fulfills a Western world culture requirement and Literature distributive), MATH010: Introductory Statistics (which satisfies a Quantitative and Deductive Sciences distributive), and PSYC001: Introductory Psychology (which counts as a course on Social Analysis)!

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Posted 03/7/2021 at 2:02 PMAll List Posts

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