Hi there! My name is Kiara Ortiz, a '24 from New York! I'm interested in studying Neuroscience along with Public Policy on the pre-health track. In my free time, I like to read sci-fi, play board games, and brag about my (supposedly) awful science puns. If you don't find me lost on the Green, I'm probably playing Werewolf or Trivia on Zoom with other '24s. Stay tuned to learn about the Dartmouth community I fell in love with and more about our virtual reality!
Academic Program
Intended major: Neuroscience; Intended minor: Public Policy
On my first day of class, some '25s (first-years) texted me for advice for the first day of class. Frankly, I was looking for some advice myself; I hadn't been in an in-person college class before. On the first day, our professor gave an enthusiastic "Good Afternoon," which the class kindly reciprocated. He started to get to know us and asked questions related to our majors, class years, and interests. Before class started, he knew everyone's name, recognizing us even with masks on. Dartmouth professors are famous for wanting to establish quality connections with their students which makes our learning environments more special.
We had a roller skating rink at Collis Student Center!
With all campus facilities open, there were more fun campus events and projects. For example, I went roller skating in Collis hosted for LGBTQ+ and Latinx and Caribbean heritage months communities on campus. There was a roller skating platform added in the Common Ground of our student life center and we were able to borrow skates (for free) and skate! Was I good? No! Was it fun? Yes!
My physics lab
Speaking of open buildings, labs were also open this term. It was a nice shift from virtual labs to be able to get hands-on with projects and collaborate with students. If you see the photos to the right, this is what our lab looked like. It was open 24/7 so that we could complete our experiments before our scheduled lab session so that we could focus on data analysis and further questions.
We also had in-person club meetings! One club that I am heavily involved with is Student Assembly, which is like student government. I was a peer-elected Senator for the West House '24s, so I am able to work on cool projects and build relationships with the administration. This term I was a member of the mental health committee and was able to help with a forum where students could ask questions to members of the administration and share recommendations on what they'd like mental health policies to look like at Dartmouth.
Long story short, I had a pretty great first in-person term as a sophomore! Can't wait for next term!
Here's a picture of a mental health Student Assembly event!
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.
Valentine's Day at Dartmouth is an exciting day to spread love and appreciation for the people around you! On campus, a myriad of programs are hosted for all students to enjoy.
