Oh, how the time has flown! I excitedly look forward to my June 2024 graduation from Dartmouth College, when I will walk away from Hanover, New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Government. I am spending the remainder of my senior year relishing in my friendships and exciting coursework, while also welcoming the independence and newness of postgraduate life. I am learning to navigate the most uncertainty I have encountered in my 22 years, and I have found this process to be net-positive! This past year, I had the opportunity to study abroad for the second time in my undergraduate career, this time focusing on climate science and climate justice affairs in San Francisco, Morocco, Nepal, and Ecuador with the International Honors Program. I also spent the summer interning in San Francisco at the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, where I wrote a People’s History of the Tenderloin neighborhood to advocate for housing justice and related social justice initiatives. The climate crisis (the focus of my study abroad program) and the housing/cost-of-living crisis (the focus of my summer internship) are felt acutely on Martha’s Vineyard, and have guided my academic and career trajectories. I plan to take this learning back home in some (still to-be-determined) capacity. And, in the vein of Martha’s Vineyard being my north star, I need to once again extend a massive thank you to all involved in the work being done at MVYouth. I was without words receiving this scholarship, and I am without words still. Thank you for shaping my understanding of community in a way that I carry with me to educational institutions, to workplaces, and in my relationships. This degree is also yours. Best wishes for the new year!
Alexandra Rego - Dartmouth College
My academic year has ended on a high. I have spent the past five consecutive terms enrolled as a full-time student –– including an exciting term in Buenos Aires, Argentina as well as an unforgettable sophomore summer term –– and have found a strong sense of community at Dartmouth College. This past fall was particularly grounding: I have settled into part-time employment at the Dartmouth Office of Admissions and Guarini Institute for International Education; I have taken on leadership positions within my sorority, Sigma Delta, which recently welcomed a stellar new rush class; and my coursework has been more exciting than ever.
At the start of the fall term, I declared my majors in Government and Geography with a minor in Hispanic Studies. The nexus of these disciplines excites me, and I hope to find a career which pursues justice through an anti-capitalist, anti-colonial, and political-ecological framework. This past term, I found myself particularly taken with two courses: an unexpectedly engaging Geography course, which introduced me to Geographical Information Systems (GIS) computer software; and an absolutely fascinating Government course, which covered the physical and strategic effects of nuclear weapons in great depth. With the Geography course, I presented a final project which mapped the associated storm surges of Category 3, 4, and 5 hurricanes (in line with erratic weather patterns accompanying changing climate) on Martha’s Vineyard and their consequences for the tourism-dependent Vineyard economy. And with the Government course –– by far the highest quality course I have had the privilege to take at Dartmouth College –– I found myself routinely poring over recently declassified White House correspondence and taking well-informed stances on one of humanity’s greatest threats. I feel immense pride in my growth since freshman year, and I am eager to see what the future has in store. As my understanding of community deepens, I grow increasingly privy to the theme of interdependence; I am deeply grateful to and empowered by MVYouth’s investment in me as I make my impact on our island and on our planet.
Alex Rego - Dartmouth College
My first year at Dartmouth College brought as much growth as it did adversity. My freshman fall term was on-campus and remote; my freshman winter term was off-campus and remote (inspiring an exciting cross-country trip with new friends); my freshman spring term was on-campus and remote; my sophomore fall was on-campus and in-person(!); and finally, my upcoming sophomore winter term will be on-campus with a hybrid format. My peers and I reconciled with sudden and distressing changes as we not only faced a global health pandemic, but also a localized mental health epidemic that took the lives of several of my classmates. The year undoubtedly brought a lot of hardship. On a positive note, however, it offered me learning far beyond my academics, as I find myself far more compassionate and empathetic than ever before.
As my academic path solidifies, I am on track to graduate with a double major in Government and Geography and a minor in Hispanic Studies. To supplement my learning this fall, I also received a microcredential from the Matariki Global Citizenship Programme, I participated in the Rockefeller Global Leadership Program, and I moved residences to La Casa LLC (a Spanish-speaking housing community celebrating Hispanic cultural heritage). I also became a sister of Sigma Delta sorority, Dartmouth’s oldest local sorority. Between these many activities–and stimulating in-person coursework–I found community at my school. I am more excited than ever to return to Hanover, New Hampshire for the coming winter, where I plan to ski, play hockey, and work in my free time. I also look forward to an exciting spring term, where I plan to study abroad in Buenos Aires before returning to campus for a fun-filled sophomore summer term!
MVYouth’s investment in me, my peers, and my island has continued to offer me inspiration amid all of life’s chaos. My freshman year taught me a great deal about gratitude and selflessness, and my appreciation for MVYouth only deepens with time. Thank you. Enjoy the new year and stay healthy!
Alex Rego - Dartmouth College
I am super grateful to have spent my first term at Dartmouth College on-campus in Hanover, New Hampshire. The transition was admittedly a bit jarring as administrators, professors, and students alike struggled to adapt to the challenges presented by COVID-19. The theme that surfaced from this struggle, however, was what attracted me to Dartmouth in the first place: community. I felt fully the support network which spans Dartmouth’s many endeavors, the Upper Valley, and the Ivy League. With the easing of COVID restrictions (as well as its hopefully imminent end), I endeavor to further connect myself to these many different communities. This past term, despite not operating at 100%, was one rife with growth and excitement. My classes––a writing course, a Spanish course, and an international relations course––were very engaging, and I am proud of my academic performance given this term’s online format. I also met many incredible people with equally incredible stories, and I spent a great deal of time exploring the beautiful natural environment of the Upper Valley. I know with full confidence that I made the right decision in choosing Dartmouth, and I cannot wait to return to campus in March. In the interim beforehand, I will be taking remote classes from Colorado and then from Puerto Rico, again speaking to the flexibility of Dartmouth’s current academic programming. I am very excited to literally and metaphorically expand my horizons. I would like to extend my gratitude to MVYouth for all your help, especially given the turbulence of this past year. I felt my island’s love more than ever before in this very challenging year, and your compassion not only makes a long-lived dream a reality, but also inspires me a tremendous deal. Thank you and thank you again!