Hello, and welcome to my corner of the woods! I'm Lauren, a '27 from Munger, Michigan. On campus, I enjoy writing sports for The Dartmouth, going on as many DOC trips as I can, and hanging out with my friends. I also love Woccoming, doing the daily NYT mini crossword, and paddling!
I took this class as part of Dartmouth's first year writing requirement. We read a pro cyclist's life narrative, discussed research papers on controversial topics in sports, and wrote our own papers on a contentious sports technology of our choice. I really enjoyed this course's emphasis on discussion, and the small class size!
This was my first class in the classics department, which was super exciting as a classical studies major! We learned about the ancient Olympics and the connections between athletics and other aspects of ancient Greek society. I loved the final project in this class, which involved creating an argument about how the ancient pentathlon was scored!
To conclude my language requirement, I took Latin 3! This class was super exciting because we began to read ancient texts and poetry. We also took a class trip to the Rauner Special Collections library so we could physically handle and read some manuscripts. And as an added bonus, Latin counts as a prerequisite for my classical studies major!
As a part of my language study abroad in Italy, I also took a class on Italian history and culture! We went on field trips to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, participated in walking tours of Rome, and watched a lot of great cinema in this class! I loved it so much that I decided to minor in Italian.
This class, in addition to being a pre-requisite for my major, was super interesting! I loved learning about archaeology through hands-on projects and lectures that felt like TED Talks.
My favorite course on my Italian LSA+ in Rome is focused on Italian literature, which we are studying in a reverse-chronological order! It has been incredibly fun to see different topics and styles evolve over time and to learn from the works of the best writers.
One of my favorite activities on campus is the Dartmouth Civics Student Association—a group of students working together to provide everyone on campus with the resources they need to be civically engaged and consistently vote.
Many students arrive at Dartmouth not knowing where to start when it comes to participating in local or national elections. Dartmouth Civics aims to remove those barriers by providing clear and unbiased information through multiple channels and providing opportunities to get involved!
I joined last spring as an "ambassador," helping board members by creating social media posts that spread awareness about upcoming elections and events. One of my favorite tasks was leading "walking trains" to the polls—groups of students heading to vote together. We wore flair (a Dartmouth tradition of wearing crazy outfits for special events), played energizing music, and turned what might have otherwise been a long and cold walk into a super fun community event!
Over the summer, I applied to be the Membership Director for fall term and was accepted. In this role, my responsibilities increased and my focus shifted from external engagement to building our internal community. My key responsibility was onboarding new members, which involved making sure everyone felt welcomed and excited about the club!
One of my responsibilities was creating a poster for the Student Involvement Fair!
Creating a strong community within Civics was my top priority. The work we do in Dartmouth Civics isn't just about encouraging voter turnout—it's about creating a culture of civic responsibility and making voting a lifelong behavior. Through small touches, like creating a personalized "Welcome to Civics" poster for each new member's dorm room door, to term-long initiatives like pairing first-years with board members for mentorship through our "Civics Buddies", I tried to make Dartmouth Civics a great group to be a part of.
Eleanor and Bea after one of our walking trains last year!
My fellow board members did amazing work as well, working with people from across campus and beyond to create and distribute a comprehensive 2024 election guide. We tabled in high-traffic areas like Novack and Collis, answered last-minute questions from students, and even helped students register to vote through drives on campus.
In addition to all of the work we accomplished last term, Dartmouth Civics also made time for fun events. After our weekly all-club meetings, we walked together to FoCo (the Class of 1953 Commons, our dining hall) for a big group dinner. Some members went to the Norwich Farmers Market together on a team-building trip, and the board met weekly for a cozy meeting (often with tea and homemade treats).
Being part of Dartmouth Civics has shown me the power of collective action and how small groups can create real change. It was inspiring to see students from different backgrounds collaborate and contribute their unique ideas and talents to a common cause. This fall, Dartmouth Civics reminded me of what democracy is all about: people coming together to shape their communities and their futures.
I am incredibly proud of the work that Dartmouth Civics was able to complete last term, and I can't wait to see what the future holds!
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.
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.
All three of my classes this term visited the Hood Museum of Art for curated art study sessions related to class content. I have had these sessions in prior terms too, and I really enjoy these experiences.
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.
