Random Campus Event: CONCERT!

As part of its summer arts festival entitled "eMotion", the Hopkins Center for the Arts invited Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars to perform on the Green last Friday. It was a free concert open to all and it was great to see Dartmouth students as well as locals setting up picnics on the grass in front of the stage. In this shot you can see Baker Tower off in the distance. Great music and a great way to kick off summer term.

More info on the arts festival here.

More info on the Refugee All Stars here.

Favorite Dartmouth Professor

This is a tough question because I have had so many wonderful professors, but if I had to pick one, it would have to be my Italian 1 and 2 teacher, Anna Minardi. I had never taken Italian before, so I wanted to try something new. Anna (yeah, she lets you call her by her first name) was really passionate about teaching Italian and making sure that none of her students fell behind. She gave everyone the opportunity to speak during class, so that we could practice our oral skills. Anna furthered enriched the class by showing movies and playing music that would help our listening skills, but really what student wouldn't want to sit in class and sing music with their prof???

Anna was such a down to earth person. Whenever we had a test or quiz, she would give us cookies! She would come to our Italian lunch table whenever possible just to chat with us and to get to know us better. We also had Italian movie nights and she would come to the student lounge areas and watch the movie with us.

After taking these Italian classes with Anna, I was super excited to go to Rome on a Language Study Abroad program. When I received a letter from my future host mom, Anna helped me with any translations that I didn't understand. I truly have a new appreciation for the Italian language and culture because of Anna.

My Favorite Prof(s) at Dartmouth

Answering this question is quite tough! I've had so many great professors during my time at Dartmouth, that I definitely can't pinpoint one single professor. My favorite classes were taught by professors that were creative, engaging, and genuinely interested in their students.

The professors that stand out the most are Profs. Christina Gomez, Lisa Baldez, and Michael Bronski. Each one of their courses was fascinating and made me challenge my own beliefs and opinions. I took Prof. Gomez's "Construction of Race in America" during my Sophomore Summer, and is possibly the best class I took as an undergraduate. We studied how race is a socially constructed concept (any Sociology majors out there?) and how our perceptions of race affect our daily interactions and assumptions. It was so eye-opening!

Prof. Baldez is an expert on Latin American politics and issues of race and gender. Her course "Gender and Race in Latin America" explored how racial politics and feminist movements influenced Latin American politics and democracy in the region. As a public policy minor focusing on International Policy, this course allowed to understand the different arenas for influence in policy-making, and how people directly impact the process.

Finally, Prof. Bronski is a constant favorite among students. He is a leading expert on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) issues and Queer Theory. He also loves movies! I took 2 courses with him, and most recently this Spring I took his "Judaism, Sexuality, and Queerness" class. We discussed the intersection between religion and sexuality, and how Judaism perceives homosexuality and LGBT people. We watched some interesting films, that were old, funny, and definitely entertaining all with a particular message and underlying tones.

As you can see all of these courses were in different departments and focusing on very different themes. That's what a liberal arts education is all about; allowing you to explore various subjects you may have not considered before and challenging you to think differently about the world. Come explore all the courses we have to offer, and take advantage of a class that might push your thinking!

Check out our departments here!

Who is your favorite Professor and why?

Each week, one of the Admissions Bloggers will post a question on the blog. During the week, you may see responses in the form of blog posts appear above. This week the question is "Who is your favorite Professor and why?"

Maybe you took a great class or maybe they have never taught you at all but you just love them beyond words. Either way, let the world know who and why!

In my case, I really enjoyed my first-year writing class with Professor Marlene Heck. The class was a writing seminar on the Founding Fathers, and as a lecturer in Art History and History, she brought a unique perspective to the class. Her passion is architectural and social history from the revolutionary period, so we managed to have long discussion about Thomas Jefferson and Monticello, his famous home. I remember one class period in which the class went to the Rauner Special Collections Library here on campus and the staff pulled out a number of rare books and artifacts from the Founding Fathers, including a large stack of letters between Franklin, Jefferson, Madison. The subject of the course really came alive for me when looking at Benjamin Franklin's signature first hand.

The class was an excellent introduction to writing in college and Professor Heck was always available if I had any questions. Even after the class, she agreed to write a number of recommendations when I was applying for internships, scholarships and Dartmouth leadership positions. In class, she demanded we move our tables and chairs into a circle to promote more discussion. Rarely, if ever, did Prof. Heck lecture to us. As a class, we churned through biographies of historical figures and discussed the formation of the ideals that became the foundation for the US government. What I remember and appreciate most from that course are the passionate class discussions and Prof. Heck's ability to both lead the class but also let us explore the subject our own way.

Check out Professor Heck's web page.

Who has been your favorite Prof. at Dartmouth and why?

Prospective students: feel free to comment below with anything or contact us with any questions!