Hi all! Welcome to my very public blogging page! I am Toni Fabian '25, the middle child of my family, from a small town in sunny Southern California. I plan to study economics and human-centered design. I am passionate about culture, educational equity, and social justice. I will be writing about all things Dartmouth, from the infamous FOCO cookies to the resources and opportunities offered here on campus. I am truly so excited to bring you along with me while I navigate my college journey!
Academic Program
Intended majors: Economics and Sociology; Intended minor: Human-Centered Design
Each week I was responsible for completing problem sets, quizzes, classwork, and discussion boards. Every week we related what we learned in class to the real world. For example, we read about food banks and their past struggles with efficiency. As a class, we discussed solutions and delved deeper by asking questions and collaborating with each other. I loved this class a lot because Dr. Petre made learning really fun and is so kind! I learned a lot of information ranging from different elasticities of demand and supply to the indicators of poverty. This class was awesome!
For my FYS (First-Year Seminar), I took a history course called Gender and Urban Transformation (9L slot). Our class discussions drew from primary sources and historical analyses that dabbled on gender and its intersection with race, sexuality, and class in the development of U.S. suburbs and cities. Essentially, we explored urbanization and suburbanization as a multi-gendered process. I developed my research skills as I drafted an annotated bibliography, book review essay, and prospectus on the Chicano Movement's impact in the realm of higher education from the 1960s to the present in California, Texas, and Chicago. I learned a ton, I am so happy that I took Professor Rabig's course!
Sociology 1 is the introductory course for the Sociology major, and I loved this class so much! We had a ton of class discussions and the material was very insightful. We were assigned a term-long discussion group, and my group leader was so kind and knowledgeable. We analyzed and discussed the reasons behind class stratification, power dynamics, and social and economic inequalities in society. This class has truly helped me further develop my sociological imagination and changed my perspective in life. :)
For the entire summer, I interned for Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano (SJC). Breakthrough SJC is a non-profit organization situated in Southern California that aims to close the achievement gap for underrepresented and underserved students. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have served as a teaching fellow this summer and for Dartmouth's support in preparing me for this amazing and unforgettable experience!
I am writing this blog post as I enter the fourth week of my spring term. As I am reflecting on this previous week, I want to talk about a very important and special project that happened this past weekend. The Carnival: The Caribbean Experience took place at the Shabazz Center for Intellectual Inquiry. I worked alongside the Office of Pluralism and Leadership (OPAL), Shayne '22, and the Carnival Committee to celebrate the many cultures across the 13 nations and 700 islands of the Caribbean.
For context, we began the process for the Carnival events in the winter. This year's theme focused on acknowledging that there is no one way to celebrate the Caribbean Carnival. We centered the events to highlight rich Caribbean culture through social connection, food, dance, and community. This entire experience was so meaningful to me as I was given the opportunity to contribute to this year's Caribbean Carnival. I learned so much about the many necessary steps to execute the Carnival from the creation of schedules, to partaking in Carnival Committee meetings, to preparing a presentation to request funding from the Elections Planning and Advisory Committee (EPAC).
I am writing about this project because I want to reflect on this entire process and the importance of showing prospective Dartmouth students the possibility of exploration at Dartmouth. It was truly amazing getting to collaborate with peers, OPAL, and the overall greater Dartmouth community to make this project a reality. I learned a ton from this experience and will carry the lessons that I have learned well after my Dartmouth journey, as I continue to navigate my future. I want to thank all of the sources that contributed to ensuring that we had enough funding to support the Caribbean Carnival. Most importantly, I want to emphasize that Dartmouth has many opportunities for growth and this experience has equipped me with such happy and memorable memories.
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!
Witnessing an eclipse was one of the most exciting days in my life to date, and a solid reminder of our place in this universe. Read on to hear about it!
Coming back from Spring break usually means coming back to an entirely different campus than the one you left in the Winter – but that was not the case this year! Read on to hear more...
