Hi! I'm excited to welcome you to my blog! I'm Andrea Agola, a '26 born in Kenya and raised just outside of D.C. As the eldest child of three, I'm the first to go off to college! Dartmouth enables me to explore my passions in both the sciences and humanities. Don't even get me started on the numerous extracurriculars that pique my interest, like the Dartmouth Dickey Center, research projects (WISP & DHMC), and dance groups (Soyeya). Follow along as I navigate my unique college experience!
Academic Program
Sociology major, International Studies Minor, Pre-Health
Favorite Thing Right Now
Studying abroad on the French LSA+ in Toulouse, France!
This term I'm taking an introductory anthropology course about Language and Culture, a calculus math class, and an accelerated (levels 1 & 2) French class. With the 4th week of the term underway, as I think about some of the spaces on campus that I frequent a lot outside of my classrooms, the Shabazz Center for Intellectual Inquiry–the African & African American Living Learning Community, is among the top of the list.
The center's mission is "to enhance the intellectual and cultural milieu of the Dartmouth College campus with particular regard to those issues which pertain to the historical and contemporary experiences of people of African descent." True enough, I have spent time in Shabazz both studying and having fun with friends. Some of my freshman friends live there along with other sophomores and upperclassmen.
My friends and I often study (especially for our math class) in the Shabazz library.
Many African & African American campus groups/organizations hold meetings and events in Shabazz throughout the week and over the weekend. It's been great to find out that there are so many organizations that aim to support African & African American students like DASA (Dartmouth African Student Association), Black Praxis (an undergraduate digital arts magazine), NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers), Morning Glory Community Fellowship (a student-led, interdenominational Christian group) and much more.
Over the last few weekends, I've gone to a 90's themed dance party, a DASA event, and many spontaneous gatherings. After busy weeks, it's been nice to unwind to great music (like Afrobeats!) and food while mingling with students of similar identities and backgrounds. I've especially found a large Kenyan community who I can relate to and many upperclassmen who have openly shared their experiences and given advice on everything from class selection to study spots to the best clubs to join.
Students sing at a DASA Karaoke Night.
Having these communities of people and the Shabazz space has really helped me feel seen, supported, and empowered on campus.
Dartmouth is no stranger to a variety of student-run full-year performance groups in dance, a cappella, improv, and comedy. Sophomore summer is particularly special, as most of these groups allow sophomores to audition and join just for the summer.
In one of my previous posts, I mentioned how I joined a sorority earlier this fall by going through the recruitment process. I've come a long way since then. In fact, I am living in my sorority house for my sophomore summer!
Dartmouth is not just a college. With world-renowned graduate schools, why would we choose to call ourselves a college instead of a university? The story behind that decision dates back to a significant Supreme Court ruling.
On a quiet spring Saturday in Hanover, I traded the usual campus buzz for Monet in the morning and archery in the afternoon—a reminder that Dartmouth weekends can be just as meaningful when they're slow, reflective, and a little unexpected.
During my sophomore spring quarter, I took on the challenge of four STEM courses, and while it has been intense, the unexpected connections across subjects and the joy of learning have made it one of my most rewarding academic experiences yet.
Read about the Sophomore Summer Soiree and how I got to witness the beginning of something that hopefully grows into a long-standing Dartmouth tradition!
