Welcome to the woods! My name is Matt Catrambone and I'm super excited to be joining the People, Places, Pines team as a new blogger. As of now, I am majoring in biology and quantitative social science (QSS), but who knows where I will end up! I will be sharing my journey as I try out classes, activities and research opportunities in various departments. Outside of the classroom, I like to listen to music, hike, ski and explore the surrounding area with my friends. Nice to meet you all!
Greetings, everyone. Checking in on another Sunday evening after a busy but very fulfilling week. I hope you all are doing well! This week, I wanted to talk about my experience with the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact, aka DCSI, or the service-learning center here on campus. I remember when I was applying to Dartmouth, I had trouble finding information as to what the service program looked like. I hope that by offering my personal experience with the Center, I can help some like-minded applicants. To see a more general overview of their programming, I would consider visiting their website: https://students.dartmouth.edu/social-impact/.
After settling in in September, there were several events where we could get to know the programs on-campus. To me, this was very overwhelming at first, but eventually, I realized that I didn't have to be a part of everything that interested me. I was going to have to make some choices: one of those was to work with DCSI. Upon listening to the presenters' enthusiasm for their well-intentioned programs, my excitement for involvement grew very large.
Currently, I am involved in two programs. The first is Foundations for Social Impact — a first-year cohort of likeminded, passionate students where we learn about practices in social impact and develop leadership and communication skills so that we can create meaningful change. The lessons aren't confined to the classroom, though. We often visit places on campus like the Hood Museum of Art or the game lab and learn from a diverse set of professionals who practice social impact, but in very different ways. I'm even more excited for the spring when we work on a consulting project for a nonprofit organization in the Upper Valley. It will be a great way to apply the skills and gain practical experience while building relationships with my peers. Highly recommend for any Dartmouth student interested in making a genuine, actionable impact!
Aside from Foundations, I'm a part of DREAM which I've written about in previous blog posts. Although they are no longer affiliated with the DCSI, the organization works closely with Dartmouth students on a village-based mentoring program with local communities. It's been a great way to fulfill my passion for direct service and interaction with kids. If DREAM isn't for you, don't worry! There are many other DCSI "Youth Education and Mentoring" programs that many of my friends are involved in. For instance, Eddi and Lauren (pictured below) are a part of America Reads, a nationwide organization that grants older students the opportunity to mentor children, travelling to local underprivileged schools to promote the importance of literacy. Here is a link to more YEM experiences: https://students.dartmouth.edu/social-impact/programs-initiatives/students/youth-education-mentoring-programs-yem
One of my favorite parts of the DCSI is how it is so diverse in the program offerings, even expanding its presence into the classroom with SIPs. Social Impact Practicums are project-based learning opportunities that are embedded into select courses' curricula. Although I am yet to take one, I have heard only good things from peers. They range in discipline from sociology to engineering courses, offering an option for all types of students interested in a variety of social issues. Check out more here: https://students.dartmouth.edu/social-impact/programs-initiatives/faculty/social-impact-practicums-sips
As always, please reach out with any questions. I hope this was an informative overview on my experience as a first year. I can't wait to update you all on my future involvements and journey in social impact.
The Lunar New Year festivities continue! Here's a photo gallery of Korean Student Association, Malaysian Student Association, and Vietnamese Student Association's celebrations!
A weekend of embracing the cold and finding fun activities to do! From winning money at a game show to the Annual Snowball Fight, this weekend is a core memory of my experience with Dartmouth winters!
Where can I find internships? How do resumes and LinkedIn work in college? Am I behind if I do not have it all figured out my first year? All great questions so let's get them answered…
A bit about the different organizations celebrating Lunar New Year on campus, and a photo gallery of Dartmouth Chinese Student Association and the Chinese Language Houses' celebrations!
One of the most important aspects of being a Dartmouth student is knowing how to be a college student and manage your time effectively. As a first year student, these are resources that have helped me.
