Aloha to the page of a wanderlusting writer juggling college life and several other hobbies into an eternally-short 24-hour day. I hope to shed light on the Dartmouth experience as I explore the brave new world of Hanover, NH and everything going to college here has to offer. In my free time, you can find me trying to learn a new language or building the perfect Spotify playlist (alternative/indie, anyone?). I hope you enjoy!
Taught by Gordon Henry, an Anishinaabe poet and author, this class taught me to explore Indigenous storytelling within digital contexts. I took this class with only seven other classmates, allowing us to really engage with films, comic books, and television shows in Indigenous languages or produced by Indigenous artists.
Taught by Timothy Pulju, this class taught me how to identify and understand how languages evolve over time and why. I analyzed and reconstructed fictional languages of imaginary nations in order to understand the link between language and culture, and ended up having such an appreciation for the complexity and beauty of language's place in history!
Taught by Lindsay Whaley, this class let me discover a newfound love for ancient apocalyptic literature. We analyzed ancient texts and compared them to modern apocalypses, looking at the zombie apocalypse phenomenon and other apocalypses in pop culture and comparing them to the ancient tradition of writing apocalypses. Additionally, I learned the Greek alphabet and now I can even stumble through ancient Greek passages.
FallNew Orleans, LA
Favorite Class: Native American Literature and the Law
Taught and organized by David Peterson, this class let me get into the shoes of a real linguist as we did fieldwork (virtually!!) with the Zophei language. I learned how to describe a never-before-learned language's phonology (sound system), how to characterize its grammar and words, and ultimately got to present my research to experts in the language family around the world in a workshop at the end of the term!
WinterHanover, NH
Favorite Class: Native American Literature and the Law
Taught by N. Bruce Duthu, this class taught me how Native literature can provide lens by which to evaluate, critique, and ultimately revise Federal Indian Law. During this class, I read works by Native authors like Tommy Orange and Louise Erdrich '76 alongside the opinions of definitive case opinions in American law and explained how literature can be a catalyst for Indigenous sovereignty.
Supervised by N. Bruce Duthu, I spent this off-term performing research after being awarded a Sophomore Research Scholarship to study contemporary Hawaiian cultural and linguistic revitalization. I studied 19th-century newspapers and contemporary Hawaiian texts in order to understand how Hawaiian language revitalization both past and present has advanced and continues to enable a contemporary bodied Hawaiian politic of sovereignty.
Taught by Laura McPherson, this class taught me about how languages create meaning through words. During this class, I learned how to analyze different languages' morphological processes and compare different approaches within the field as to morphological structures.
Taught by N. Bruce Duthu, this class offered me a glimpse into the lived realities of Native people in Indian Country Today. I learned about the economic, social, cultural, and historical roots for the struggles of Indigenous people today within the United States, and was able to write about the contemporary battle for Native Hawaiian visibility and Hawaiian sovereignty.
Taught by Laura McPherson, this class taught me how to engage in language documentation and how, as a linguist, we can put our skills to use to help communities seeking to document and revitalize their languages. I worked on the Satawalese language, spoken on the island of Satawal in the Federated States of Micronesia. Ultimately, my team created two dictionaries - one in English, one in Hawaiian, a website, and several materials that focused on the Satawalese tradition of wayfinding and non-instrumental ocean navigation.
Taught by Charles Eastman fellow Sunaina Kale, this class taught me about the role of sound in delineating, conceiving, and comprehending relations between people and the land in Indigenous musical traditions. Over the course of the class, we discussed Indigenous musicians, listened to music from Native peoples around the world, heard from masterful Indigenous musicians, and ultimately presented a project that creatively analyzed a song of our choice. My project focused on the song "Ask Yourself" by Foster the People, and I wrote a poem that integrated aspects of Indigenous languages and worldviews to answer questions posed by the song.
This term, I formally began the research process for my upcoming honors thesis in the Linguistics department on Hawaiian semantics! While living in Hanover, I also began working as a Senior Fellow with the Admissions department—a position I will be holding for the entirety of my last year at Dartmouth.
Welcome to People Places Pines! Each week in the month of April, student bloggers will be bringing a post to you called "First-Gen Friday" — a series of interviews with current Dartmouth students who are the first in their families to have a traditional four-year college experience. This week, Gabe Gilbert '23 sat down with members of the admissions office to answer questions about what it's like to be part of the first-generation, Indigenous, and Questbridge communities at Dartmouth. Be sure to check back each Friday for a new student feature!
Describe your community on campus.
At Dartmouth, my community is populated by fellow First-Generation/Low-Income (FGLI) students who are active in several of my social circles on campus, which consists of fellow Questbridge students and also the First-Year Student Enrichment Program (FYSEP) attendees. On a day-to-day basis, I find my closest friends in Dartmouth's Indigenous community.
How have professors supported you as you transition to college?
My professors have been there for me extensively. Each of them have held office hours to provide extra help outside of class on their own time. One of my Linguistics professors mailed me a textbook for a class because it would've been a financial difficulty to purchase it. The professor for my First-Year Seminar met me outside of class at the Dirt Cowboy cafe to go over an essay with me during his own busy schedule after flying back from a conference in California the night before. My professors have been there, nonstop, and constantly supportive in order to see me succeed. Sometimes it's just a matter of asking for help, and help you will most definitely receive.
What does Dartmouth's financial aid mean to you?
Because of Dartmouth's financial aid, I am able to go to a world-renowned university without being an incredible financial burden to my family. I have seven younger siblings, all of whom live at home, and my parents often have enough on their plate trying to put food on the table to have to worry about college expenses. My mother came to this country from the Philippines at the age of sixteen, and had to work nonstop to forge a menial livelihood for herself, and my father was a college dropout. For my family, I represent their hopes and their versions of the American dream, and I'm happy to try my hardest because Dartmouth has realized college as a possibility for me.
Why did you choose Dartmouth?
I chose Dartmouth because of its beautiful location, its community intimacy, and its overwhelming focus on the undergraduate experience. I wanted to go to a school with faculty and peers that are passionate about the things they love, and I found in Dartmouth a place where the intimate learning environments I dreamed of really existed. Dartmouth's Indigenous and FGLI communities also truly cemented this place as somewhere I love to be, and I can't imagine it any other way. It's become a second home.
How has Dartmouth enabled you to learn more about the world at large?
Some of the professors I've had like Gordon Henry and Alexander Chee are renowned authors in their field and provide a very nuanced perspective while also treating us students, even as First-Years, as their equals in the classroom. The collaborative learning environment and multicultural student body makes it so easy to hear different languages and stories from around the world, but especially from the corners of the United States that I often forget about. I learn from faculty first and foremost, but I've learned a countless amount from my friends. My friends are the first people I turn to whether to ask for help with a language, knowledge about their communities, or lessons they've learned from their own cultures, and I'm so fortunate that Dartmouth put us all in one place.
What advice do you have for first-gen and low-income students as they choose a college?
Look at your future peers. Look at the lives of current FGLI students and ask them about their experiences. Ask them for their stories. See how their college treats them in all aspects of student life. I was empowered by my Dimensions mentor, Kellen Appleton '20, who was a fellow Questie and consequently found a wonderful place here (and a great dorm!) with his advice. He helped me solidify my choice and I couldn't be any happier with it. Ask upperclassmen, and if they have good things to say after spending one, two, three years at this school, it very well might be the place for you.
Learn about the different programs Dartmouth offers prospective students to explore campus life, learn about Dartmouth, and enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Hanover!
"What's it like working for admissions?" "Are you being truthful with your answers?" "Are you being scripted?" Let's dive right into all these questions.
It's been (almost) a full year since I was in your (figurative) shoes! Let's take a trip down memory lane and dissect my Dartmouth application process. Part one of a long journey!
Choosing the right college is a critical decision that extends beyond mere rankings. Without the benefit of campus visits, it's vital to thoroughly research and understand each institution to ensure a fulfilling and safe experience.
Summer is a great time for high school students to visit campuses and better make sense of the schools they want to apply to. In this blog, I will talk about some advice to make the most of your campus visit.
I was pleasantly surprised by how the Dartmouth connection extends far beyond its campus and even beyond the United States. Meeting and bonding with people through our shared identity as Dartmouth students has truly been a remarkable journey.
