Hi guys! I'm Chidera and I'm a '25 from Lagos, Nigeria. I've lived in a big city for nearly half of my life, so it's great to experience the scenic outdoor spaces surrounding Dartmouth. Outside of the classroom, I conduct research with the economics department, I'm a peer tutor for the Academic Skills Center and I'm also involved with the Dartmouth Energy Alliance.
Taking this class was a random and unexpected decision that I am so happy I made. This class was about the intersection between human and primate evolution and our social behaviors. It really opened my eyes to how unique and beautifully diverse different societies are, and how this uniqueness influences our biology in interesting ways.
Taught by Professor Doyle, this has been my favorite class at Dartmouth so far. It was a calculus integrated with economic applications of the concepts we learned. It was the first time this class was offered at Dartmouth, and Professor Doyle made sure we all had a thorough understanding of the material. The fact that we were also able to see the real-world applications of the calculus concepts also made the class uniquely interesting.
I took this class to fulfill Dartmouth's first-year seminar requirement. In selecting a first-year seminar class, I sought out a department that I would not have taken a class in otherwise. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience and I learnt so much about Parisian Impressionist painters in the late 19th century like Monet, Manet, Degas, Morisot and Renoir. It also taught me about the political, social and economic conditions that typically inspire pivotal art movements.
SummerWashington D.C.
This summer, I interned at the International Finance Corporation in DC, through the Rockefeller Center's First-Year Fellows program which gives first-year students the opportunity to engage in public policy early in their Dartmouth careers. I lived with about twenty other members of Dartmouth's Class of 2025 and got to experience life in a vibrant city while gaining professional work experience.
I spent this term in Accra, Ghana for the African and African American Studies department's Foreign Study Program (FSP). I'm so glad I was able to take advantage of one of Dartmouth's study-abroad programs. During this FSP, I got to explore a new country and city while taking classes taught by the amazing professors at the University of Ghana.
After being away from campus for six months, I decided to start working towards fulfilling my distributive requirements. To fulfill my ART distrib, I took a Russian film class with a friend. It was an amazing experience and a testament to the ways a liberal arts education encourages you to approach each class through an interdisciplinary lens. For my final essay in this class, I explored the ways that government and political culture affect the nature of the film industry in different countries.
This class is one of the prerequisites for the international economics track's culminating experience. Dartmouth's economics major allows you to focus on a specific field that you're interested in, while also having the opportunity to take a couple of classes in other fields. Before taking this class, I had always been interested in international economics and this class definitely cemented my interests in the field.
I used my sophomore summer off term to conduct research with the economics department through the Dartmouth Economics Research Scholars and with the funding of the James O. Freedman Presidential Scholarship. My research project, which was mentored and advised by a faculty member, focused on the effects of European Union climate policy on the economy of my home country, Nigeria. It gave me the opportunity to apply and better understand several concepts I learnt in economics classes at Dartmouth.
This was the most enjoyable and impactful class I have ever taken at Dartmouth! Each assigned reading and class discussion was more enthralling and thought-provoking than the last. This class taught me how to think outside the box, write academic articles in the field of the humanities and how to intellectualise and synthesise my own lived experiences in a way that contributes meaningfully to existing literature in African Studies. Lastly, it taught me to think critically about pressing social issues within the African continent.
Sophomore summer is one of Dartmouth's most popular and beloved traditions. During this unique summer term after one's second year at Dartmouth, students are required to stay on campus and take classes in Hanover. Aside from the amazing intellectual experience that any Dartmouth term offers, sophomore summer also offers unique opportunities to bond with other members of your class, experience Hanover in the summer, and explore new extracurricular activities.
However, because of certain US immigration rules, taking classes during sophomore summer is a bit trickier (but definitely not impossible!) as an international student. There are several ways that international students are able to be on campus for sophomore summer. Some students craft their D-Plans (Dartmouth's unique quarter system) more carefully and intentionally to enable them to stay in the US during the summer term. Other international students use their off term to conduct research and/or work on-campus jobs. This term, I am doing research with a professor at Dartmouth's economics department, as part of the Dartmouth Economic Research Scholars program as well as the Presidential Scholars program.
One of the best parts of sophomore summer is being able to connect with members of your class. Although the D-Plan allows students to study abroad, intern, research and pursue their passions with a lot of flexibility, it often means that you may not be able to see certain people if they aren't on campus at the same time that you are. Because Dartmouth requires all students to take classes during sophomore summer, you get to bond and have fun with people who you might not have been able to see otherwise!
Many students also use sophomore summer as a time to try out new extracurricular activities with a lower level of commitment than a typical 9-month school year requires. Dance groups, acapella groups, and comedy groups are just a few of the campus organizations that welcome new members during sophomore summer, with auditions held during the first weekend of the term. Additionally, the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) and its sub-clubs such as People of Color Outdoors (POCO) and Ledyard offer fun summer activities open to everyone on campus. This term, I've been able to take advantage of the ceramics and pottery classes being offered by Dartmouth's Ceramics Studio.
About three weeks into the term, I definitely understand why so many students and alumni have such fond memories and experiences from sophomore summer. As an international student, I was initially dismayed by the prospect of missing out on this part of the Dartmouth experience, but I was glad to hear all the other options available to me outside of only taking classes.
