Ei! My name is Antônio Jorge Medeiros Batista Silva (yes—four last names!) and I'm a '25 from Governador Valadares, Brazil. My journey to Dartmouth has crossed two continents, three countries, and over 10 schools—and I'm a strong believer that everyone's path to the Big Green was unique in a way. At Dartmouth, I study Linguistics, Native American & Indigenous Studies, and Spanish. I am passionate about social justice, language-learning, and the oxford comma!
This has been a very interesting term for me. As per tradition, on our fifth term at Dartmouth, students are to declare their major. And, well, this week I got my major plan approved! I am officially studying Linguistics modified with Native American & Indigenous Studies (NAIS) as my major, along with a Spanish minor! Being able to modify my major was one of the reasons I chose to come to Dartmouth. I have worked along with Prof. Stanford from the Linguistics department and Prof. Duthu from NAIS to design a plan that would fit best my expectations, both for college and life!
Coming from an Indigenous background, language revitalisation is what mostly drives my interest in Linguistics. The possibility of diving deep into both fields could not be more amazing. I get to keep the somewhat science-y portions of Linguistics that I like, such as phonology and syntax, while still experimenting with the more anthropological and social aspects of NAIS.
As I just got approved for the Linguistics program abroad in New Zealand, this major came at a perfect time. I will manage to not only learn from the best scholars of the area here in Hanover, but also complete two credits in the University of Auckland. The process of declaring a major is fairly simple: once you know what you want to study, all you have to do is design a course of study with all the classes you intend to take to meet that department's requirements. Once that is submitted, the department chair might reach out to you, maybe schedule an appointment to review it, and bam! You have a major!
The Ling major shirt!
In my case, for it being a modified major, I had to go through the consultation process with both departments. But, honestly, it was just a chance to get to know the chairs a little bit better, chat about my ideas, and get their insights on how I can get where I want to be. I even got a t-shirt from the Linguistics department!
Nonetheless, this term, I am taking LING15 - Language Acquisition, NAIS42 - Gender Issues in Native American Life, and THEA16 - Theatre and Society II. All these classes, in away or another, help me get done with my major. And, honestly, that is the beauty of the liberal arts, no? With LING15, I am completing the LING portion of my major, while NAIS42 takes me further into the second portion. THEA16 came in a perfect time, since, although not a theatre major, I am a big fan of Prof. Santana, and truly looked forward to being her student once again. In no world would I have imagined myself taking theatre in a degree path that has almost nothing to do with it.
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.
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.
