Hey y'all! My name is Natasha, and I am a junior at Dartmouth College. I'm majoring in history and minoring in public policy and Chinese. In my free time, I love to watch New Girl, hang out with my friends, and explore the Upper Valley. Dartmouth is a pretty neat place— I hope you enjoy reading my posts about life here!
Academic Program
History Major and Minors in Public Policy and Chinese
One of the most interesting classes I have taken so far at Dartmouth has been PBPL 5: Introduction to Public Policy, which is taught by Professor Charles Wheelan. Although I didn't know a lot about public policy coming into the class, I finished the course with a greater understanding of how public policy is created and implemented in government. And even more importantly, I realized the influence of public policy on my everyday life.
The main reason why I enjoyed this class was because of Professor Wheelan's teaching style. Whenever I would tell an upperclassman that I was taking Public Policy 5 with Professor Wheelan, the first thing they'd tell me would be about how amazing of a professor he is. After taking the class, I can confidently say he certainly lives up to the hype. Professor Wheelan always related what he taught to current events, which made me appreciate the relevancy of public policy in my life. In addition, he is hilarious. There was not a single day of class where I didn't laugh at one of his (albeit sometimes corny) jokes!
Alongside being a great lecturer in the classroom, Professor Wheelan was a wonderful person to talk to outside of class. Besides his regularly scheduled office hours (which he held every Monday and Thursday), Professor Wheelan was very accommodating and would meet with students by appointment anytime during the week. Whenever I had a question, whether it be about what we learned in class or about something I read on the news, Professor Wheelan was always available to talk to.
Another reason why I liked my Public Policy 5 class was because of the numerous guest lecturers who came to speak to us. Some of the guest lecturers included Judd Gregg, who is a former governor and senator from New Hampshire, and Kyle Bailey, the campaign manager for the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting. It was truly inspirational to hear from such accomplished people who work in the field of public policy.
Overall, Public Policy 5 was an unforgettable class that I'd take again in a heartbeat. My professor was amazing, and I made some great friends in the course as well. Although it was a lot of work, I learned so much about public policy and the role it plays in society. I am definitely looking forward to taking more public policy classes in the future!
A statement I never thought I would make. Being completely honest, during my first term I was counting down the days to go back to Arizona. However, being away from Dartmouth made me realize how lucky I am to be here.
Dartmouth's Chinese New Year celebrations brought a sense of home through themed dining, student-led events, and cultural gatherings, fostering community and appreciation for the holiday.
ENGS 12: Design Thinking—one of Dartmouth's most popular courses. Read on to hear about my experience, key takeaways, and how the class reshaped my approach to creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.
A history class that starts with music, brings the past to life through debates and museum visits, and just might make me a history minor—welcome to History of China Since the 1800s.
All three of my classes this term visited the Hood Museum of Art for curated art study sessions related to class content. I have had these sessions in prior terms too, and I really enjoy these experiences.
