Hi there! I'm Nathan, a '27 from Lynn, MA (just outside Boston). I'm an intended Engineering Sciences Major and Studio Art Minor—I like to understand, design, and create things. I also love reading about history, writing, and photography (hence this blog). On-campus, I'm involved in the Triathlon Team, French Living Learning Community (LLC), and Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship. Explore my posts for an inside perspective of everything Dartmouth has to offer!
I took this class to explore the Biology Department and it ended up defining my freshman Fall. I grew close with other biology-minded students and together we delved deep into cellular mechanisms and processes in a fast-paced environment. The labs were long but rewarding and everything about this class made me a better scientist—Professor Bezanilla is an amazing teacher! I would recommend this class to anyone with a passion for biology and research.
“Who do I want to be?” is a question that I frequently ask myself as an undergraduate (and I’m sure you will as well). A good place to begin answering this question, however, is “Who am I ?” Taking Investigative Memoir as my first-year seminar allowed me to explore this question via personal reflection and expressive writing—something that has helped me frame my identity at Dartmouth with the rest of my life. College can be a surreal experience, but Professor Sharlet’s introduction to the world of creative nonfiction has given me the ability to transform my own perceptions into tangible, recorded stories.
As a kid I drew a lot; I was inspired by architectural books like “Pyramid” and “Castle” and fascinated by illustrations in “The Way Things Work.” All of these books are by the author David Macaulay—and I had the opportunity to take this very class with him! I completed weekly sketchbook exercises, worked on visually communicating inventions, and was able to receive personal feedback. The theme of visual illustration as a tool in engineering resonated strongly with me, inspiring my interest in an engineering major modified with studio art. Given my long relationship with his work, this class was truly a dream come true.
SummerAmherst, Massachusetts
I interned at a running biomechanics research lab in Amherst, MA, to explore my interests in kinesiology and running shoe design! I was able to self-fund the internship through a grant from the Dartmouth Center for Professional Development (CPD). I spent the rest of my summer reading, spending time with family, and took a trip to Quebec before returning to campus.
The first of a two-part series on classical mechanics, this class made physics refreshing and enjoyable. The content came primarily through lectures given by Professor Caldwell, who was extremely clear and made each class memorable with demonstrations, jokes, or historical tangents. The lab section, which involved hands-on physics experiments, reinforced my understanding of the material in a practical sense. I took this course as an engineering requirement, and I found it to be my favorite quantitative course thus far.
At the beginning of the term, I learned about a unique program offered by theMagnuson Center for Entrepreneurship that allows students to develop foundational skills in venture capital (or VC for short). The opportunity reminded me of the TuckLab Entrepreneurship program I pursued last Winter—which was incredibly engaging—so I decided to give it a try!
What is Venture Capital?
For those that haven't heard about VC, it's essentially finance for early-stage startup companies. Startups that need to grow often require outside investments and external VC firms are searching for such startups to grow their investment portfolio. VC exists in nearly every startup industry and requires a combination of hard and soft skills to be successful—I find it complicated but exciting!
What is the program?
The program itself is a term-long series of workshops led byProfessor Jim Feuille from theTuck School of Business; it's a shortened version of the course offered to Tuck MBA students! We meet every Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:30 PM, and Professor Feuille takes us through each stage of the investment process. We started with learning how VC funds are structured, delved into company valuation, and have since begun applying our knowledge in real-deal screening exercises. The content has come in both in-person lectures and recorded presentations to be viewed on our own time. The exercises included sorting through real company pitch decks, brainstorming pros and cons, and coming up with due diligence questions we would ask the founders. Professor Feuille has tremendous knowledge and experience as a VC himself, and he's incredibly generous in supporting us during these workshops. The best part of his lectures are personal case studies of investments he was involved in.
Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC)
As an opportunity to further develop a VC mindset, the program leads into Dartmouth's annualVCIC competition, which is an event that extends nationally and allows college students to test their VC skills. While the beginning of the program has given me a much better understanding of what the VC space is like, I'm looking forward to the competition as a way of putting my knowledge to use. Currently, I'm working with a team on our latest deal-screening exercise, where we select a startup and pitch the investment to the rest of the program cohort. After a few of these practice deal screenings, we'll participate in the competition and try our luck at advancing to regionals.
Ultimately this workshop series has given me insight into the world of Venture Capital and allowed me to connect with the Tuck School of Business as an undergraduate. While it isn't a for-credit course, I've learned essentially the same skills as graduate level-MBA students!
It's hard to believe that it has been a year since I wrote my first end-of-fall-term reflection. It felt like only yesterday that I stepped into my dorm room this September, eager to reunite with my friends.
Applying early to a university can be overwhelming and confusing. As someone who did not apply to Dartmouth through early decision, here are a couple tips that I could have used when thinking about applying early to a school!
