"I felt validated and empowered by the other geographers there, who applauded my research and encouraged me to continue with it."...

One of the most rewarding aspects of her time at Dartmouth was the mentorship she gained from students in classes ahead of her, who encouraged Puja to follow through on goals and try new things. Now as the upperclassman, Puja also finds it rewarding to be a mentor to younger students by actively sharing her experiences.

Dartmouth's annual student-run Hackathon is an on-campus event in which students form teams to create and develop innovative software and hardware projects. HackDartmouth attracts hundreds of the best hackers from the New England area as well as Canada and provides a 24-hour opportunity to showcase their talents....

I came to Dartmouth knowing that I wanted to do something great with my time here, but I had no clue what that could be. I was undecided on my major, minor, and extracurricular interests and I truly was uncertain if I would ever find my passion. I should not have been so skeptical.

"Activism has always been communal, likewise, so is scientific advancement. To build space for black and brown scientists, we need to be included in professional networks pushing for our success. Once in, we also need to make space for even more diverse scientists."...

In offering advice to incoming students, Lauren encourages them to not be so rigid with career goals. Travel as much as possible, get out of one’s comfort zone, and learn to adapt. “Don’t ever think you are underqualified for an opportunity that interests you,” says Lauren. “There are so many resources at Dartmouth to help you explore and grow—take advantage of them!”...

I visited a science center and two village centers. These visits were positive because I got a chance to meet the users of the chatbot application I was helping build. Besides the joy that came from seeing the kids interact with the games, I gained insights into Indian cultural attributes that have made some of Pratham’s models possible....

The Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) Annual Conference, one of the largest political science conferences in the country, was an amazing opportunity to learn what new research projects are being conducted around the world and to receive feedback for my own project. The conference featured many paper panels and poster session across a variety of topics, and I was able to listen in on presentations on perceptions of trade, public opinion, methodology in Asia, machine learning, and immigration attitudes.

Luckily, I quickly discovered that the perfect Rocky student was a figment of my imagination. Though some of the students participating in MLDP were government majors or public policy minors, the cohort was diverse, insightful, genuine, and kind. I was shocked at how easy it was to form friendships with people I had never crossed paths with on campus before.

Mark Daniels, originally from Topsfield, MA, is graduating from Dartmouth College with a major in Government and a minor in Public Policy. The professors and staff at Rocky have helped shape Mark’s journey at Dartmouth. Marks looks up to Professor Charles Wheelan as someone who constantly illustrates his passion for what he teaches. Mark was able to connect with Professor Wheelan because of similar policy interests and enjoys how public policy professors are personally invested in what they teach....