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 third week of my spring term. As I am reflecting on my Dartmouth experience so far, I want to spend some time talking about the classes that I am taking this term. I hope that by talking about my classes, prospective students know about the possibilities of their Dartmouth experience. In my first year, I took classes that genuinely interested me and classes that I am passionate about. You have plenty of time to meet your requirements for the major, distributive, and world requirements. My advice is to utilize your first year to pursue passions that you want to further pursue.
This term I am taking Sociology 1, which is the introductory course for the Sociology major. I really enjoy this class; we have a ton of class discussions and the material is awesome. We are assigned a term-long discussion group, and my group leader is so kind and knowledgeable. We analyze and discuss the reasons behind class stratification, power dynamics, and social and economic inequalities in society. This class is helping me further develop my sociological imagination and I am very excited to learn a ton more this term! :)
Secondly, I am taking Economics 21, an intermediate microeconomics class (required for the major). This class has helped me further develop my multivariate skills and I am learning how to utilize the knowledge that I learned in Economics 1, but with a calculus approach. This class is very interesting because Professor Doyle is very kind and makes learning really enjoyable. Right now, I am learning about compensated and uncompensated demand, and the role of the lagrangian function in maximizing utility or minimizing expenditures.
Thirdly, I am taking Modern Arabic Literature in Translation, a class that has beautiful and unique readings. Right now, we are analyzing and discussing Midaq Alley. The imagery in this book is eye-opening and I am genuinely enjoying this class. The class is humongous (140+ students), but if you ever have the opportunity to take it, I 100% recommend it. See you all next week! :)
This spring in Spare Rib, the intersectional feminist zine and feminist collective on campus, has been quite busy and exciting with a bunch of new events. Keep reading to find out more!
What kind of classes do you take in a subject-based Foreign Study Program? Here's a rundown of my classes in the Music FSP in London to give you an idea of what academic life is like in the program!
