Gratitude: Dartmouth Students Share Their Stories

Welcome to the November 2024 edition of the Dartmouth College Fund's student-produced vlog! In this month's video, four students reflect on what they are most grateful for at Dartmouth.

From finding belonging through programs like FYSEP and housing communities, to experiencing life-changing mindset shifts in the classroom, and unlocking opportunities through internships and mentorships in the alumni network—these stories highlight the profound impact of your generosity.

Each day at Dartmouth, students embark on transformative journeys of growth, connection, and discovery—opportunities made possible by the generous support of our alumni donors.
 

Full Video Transcript

Hi, my name is Trinity. I'm a 25 and I'm a classics and linguistics major with a minor in education from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Hi, my name is Kledian. I'm a 26 from New York City and I'm majoring in economics and minoring in religion.

My name is Wica-Ta-Wi. I'm a 28 from Polson, Montana, and I plan to study Native American and indigenous studies with a minor in public policy.

My name is Titus. I'm a Dartmouth 27. My hometown is Piedmont, Oklahoma. I'm currently a government major and Russian area studies major.

[Wica-Ta-Wi]: One thing I'm grateful for is definitely having the opportunity to be a part of FYSEP. At the very beginning, I was very unsure about traveling over 2,000 miles to go to a very strange college. But eventually I was able to find my own community and now it feels like everywhere I go I have people that I know.

[Trinity]: Last fall during one of my Dartmouth off terms, I was able to do an internship at Ready CT with Dartmouth alum Shannon Marymon. Having this mentorship experience was super great for my growth, not only as a student, but seeking a career in the education sphere. I'm so grateful to the Dartmouth Alumni Network for providing me with this opportunity.

[Titus]: My favorite professor here at Dartmouth and the one that has impacted my academic journey the most would've to be Professor (Steve) Swayne through his course Political Ideas. Within this course, we were exposed to philosophical ideas spanning thousands of years reading Plato, St. Thomas Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke. The course really just broadened my perspective of the world, and most importantly, it taught me not what to think, but how to think.

[Kledian]: As my time at Dartmouth has progressed and I'm now a junior I have found so many sources of community, and especially in Christian life, such as Agape, as well as an Aquinas house. I've been really fortunate to find these different types of groups and to find such an inclusive and welcoming community on campus. I feel like that's not just an exception at Dartmouth, but also the standard, as everyone is very open.

[Wica-Ta-Wi]: I would especially like to give a huge shout out to financial aid because they were able to make this possible. Being a first generation low income student, finance is a very big factor for me in choosing a college, and that's a big part of why I'm at Dartmouth College.