A Fresh Perspective

In the final week of our freshmen season, we have just begun to realize how much Dartmouth means to us, even after only being here for a couple of months. From the first day nerves as we stood on the track one early August morning, facing our first sprint test (an obstacle which many of us freshmen admit to losing sleep over), to our last road trip – complete with shopping, breakfast buffets, and Zombieland – and the many moments in between, we have truly become a part of Dartmouth Volleyball. Between practice and class, we have had time to experience the classic freshmen fall traditions, including camping out on the DOC trips, running around the bonfire during Homecoming, and cheering on our football team as they crushed Columbia. Our defining experiences, however, have been with our teammates, both on and off the court. Since the day we received our Big Sister packages in the mail a couple of weeks before preseason began, we knew that we were among a very lucky group of freshmen and were becoming a part of something special. Since we’ve been in Hanover, not only our captains, Annie and Amber, but all of the upperclassmen have given us invaluable advice on every imaginable topic and welcomed us with wide-open arms. It is hard to imagine the season is almost over.

The days of wondering if we could ever again walk up stairs without wincing led to our first games in the blink of an eye. It's hard to grasp how quickly our final weekend has come, and while we feel as if we've been a part of this community for much longer than 3 months, the season has gone by more quickly than we could've ever imagined. Especially throughout this second half of our Ivy season, we have grown even stronger as a team, our patience and determination especially evident in the fact that 6 out of our 12 Ivy matches have gone to 5 games! We have celebrated exciting close victories over Harvard, Princeton, and Cornell with the great hope of success this upcoming weekend. There is nothing more that we could have wanted out of our first season.

However, these tangible achievements on the court are not what has defined our experience here at Dartmouth. In fact, some of our most memorable volleyball experiences have nothing to do with nets or the gym or volleyballs at all, but rather occurred "behind the scenes." None of us will ever be able to forget the lyrics to Superbass, Kendall's favorite song, after hearing it five times a day during preseason, and we will always remember Maddy's meowing. The moments we spent on broken down buses, eating dinner as a team in FoCo, and just walking across the beautiful Green (which was recently covered in snow!) on the way to practice have reminded us time after time of how lucky we are to be here at Dartmouth and on this team. After hundreds of hours together in the gym, weight room, locker room, and traveling all around New England, we feel like we're a part of something much bigger than just another college volleyball team, and we can't thank our team enough for that.


- Taylor Bradley '15, Liz Brailsford '15, Maura Manley '15, Lucia Pohlman '15, Alex Schoenberger '15

Lasting Impressions

As seniors on the team, this year is going faster than ever. It is
hard to believe we only have 4 weeks left and we would like to give
you all an update on how the first half of Ivies went since we are now
at exactly the half way point.

We’ve had a difficult schedule the first half of the Ivies as 3 out of
the 4 weekends have been on the road. Though we’ve had some tough
games, three 5 game matches and a couples heart breakers, we are
growing as a team. Every weekend we are getting better and thanks to a
few upsets last weekend, we are very much still in the running to be
at the top of our league.

Beyond the Ivy standings, this first half of the season, and this
season in general, is more about creating a new culture for the
Dartmouth Women’s Volleyball program. As a senior class it is our hope
that we can leave a lasting legacy and that starts with the culture we
are creating this year. Our team is learning more and working harder
than ever before, and we hope that this growth will continue beyond
our time here as players. We are so proud of how much we’ve grown
already, and can’t wait to put this to good use in the second half of
our Ivy season. We have a nice stretch of home matches from here on
out, including Homecoming this weekend and we can’t wait!

As we head into the last half of our season, we are excited for the
opportunity to play at home in front of all of our friends. The chance
to play the majority of the second round of Ivies at home is going to
be beneficial to us. We get to have the support of a great home crowd
that should help us be successful. As seniors we have
really come to understand how special it is to play in Leede Arena.

We are looking forward to being back on campus (finally) for Homecoming
weekend! We are going to pack the stands this Saturday and crush those
Harvard Crimson! Get it Green!

-Annie Villanueva '12, Kendall Houston '12, Maddy Baird '12, Amber Bryant '12

Sensational Sophomores

Hello followers!

Today marks the next installment of our fall blog. With our season in full-swing and classes having started, hear from our sophomores who are now seasoned veterans of Dartmouth. Enjoy!


The volleyball team has been on campus since August 18th. With a schedule consisting only of eating, sleeping, and playing volleyball for a month, it’s hard to swing into gear for classes, which finally started on September 21st. Our team represents a variety of majors including biology, engineering, psychology, English, and government, and this term we are collectively taking courses in a number departments such as African American studies, sociology, and earth sciences. Personally, I am on the pre-med track, so this term I am taking Biology 12- Cell Structure and Function. I also am taking a course in the philosophy department (Reason and Argument) and one in the Women and Gender Studies department (Sex, Gender, and Society) to get some distribs (distributive class requirements) out of the way.
BUT the most exciting part of classes starting this fall is that Ivies are also starting! This weekend we played Harvard and won in an exciting 5 game match. We play Penn and Princeton next week, so we are really excited to get two more wins on the road at the start of our season! Go Big Green!
- Rose Dicovitsky '14

I believe that one of the greatest challenges for a student athlete at Dartmouth is developing a strong sense of focus on the task at hand. During preseason, all we are responsible for is playing volleyball. All we need to focus on is becoming stronger, better players. However, once the term begins, life becomes much more complex. There are classes to attend, friends to see, and work to finish. In a single day, aside from volleyball, I may have three or more hours of class as well as any daily errands, meetings with professors, extracurricular activities, or time that I have to spend in the library. Sometimes I am rushing around doing so many things that I barely have any time to breathe. Yet I know that as soon as practice time comes, that is all I can focus on. When I step into the locker room, all the other aspects of my life fall away, and I am just a volleyball player once more. In the gym, I do not think about what homework I need to finish or what test I need to study for. I only think about what I can do to better myself and better my team. This concentration is a skill that I believe directly results from being a student athlete and that will greatly benefit me in my future endeavors.
- Meghan Cooney '14

THE LODJ
It’s a motel from the ‘60s. It’s off-campus. The Lodge (or the LODJ as we affectionately call it) is not the most sought after upperclassman housing, but it has character, and for that its inmates, I mean residents, love it. My roommate, Rose Dicovitsky, and I find lots of ways to keep occupied in the LODJ when we’re not playing volleyball or studying for our Women’s and Gender Studies class. I’ve recently discovered the TV show Dexter, which is a new obsession. Even though he’s killed and dismembered dozens of people, I’d still probably marry him because he’s a nice serial killer and has some rockin’ abs. Rose and I also do fun arts and crafts. We painted wooden letters of our initials to put above our beds so we don’t get confused when we come home late at night from away games. The other night, Rose and I started an invite only two-person dance party. When that got old (which was pretty fast) we decided to film a documentary of our lives in the LODJ. We predict an Oscar in our future. We joke about the LODJ, but all in all, it is what you make of it. We also get our own full bathroom, shower and all! Not too shabby if you ask me. See ya Mid Faye[rweather dorm].
- Vivian Snider

Classes have started, and it’s time to be the student part of student-athlete. In a matter of a few days, things go from your life revolving 100% around volleyball, to having to buy over-priced textbooks and getting to class on time. While things can get pretty hectic, fall term is still one of the best. The campus is beyond beautiful, all the leaves are changing and it’s getting cooler outside. But the very best thing about fall term starting is that we are finally into the Ivy part of our season. All the hard work that we put in the past year – trudging through the snow to winter lifts, waking up early in the spring for sprinting, working hard all summer – is finally getting put to use. We played our first game away against Harvard. Playing in the Ivy League can be a battle, the teams are all fairly even and every point counts. Against Harvard we played 5 tough, tough games. It was a scramble for every point, but we pulled it out in the end, coming home with the W. Focusing on the little things, even when classes make life difficult, is making us better every day. All of the work we’ve done motivates me to keep pushing a little harder, no matter how tired I am. Fall term can be a stressful 10 weeks with so much going on, but keeping my mind on the goal (that ivy ring) reminds me to keep pushing through, keep remembering the little things, and keep going strong.
- Elisa Scudder '14

And We're Off!

Greetings readers! This Fall we've decided to split up our blog entries by class. Every few weeks you will hear from a different class about what is going on in their worlds and in the world of Dartmouth Volleyball. First up, we have the Juniors!

When I walked into my first volleyball workout at the beginning of this summer, I was so nervous that I could barely talk. Seriously, Alissa probably thought there was something wrong with the ’13 who had decided to switch from basketball to volleyball. So, needless to say, there were some butterflies in my stomach on August 18th when the rest of the team joined us here in Hanover. I didn’t have too much time to worry, though, because we started right in on volleyball and workouts. After meetings and an impact test on our first day, we all woke up bright and early and got to show off all the work we had done over the summer by running the fitness test. Once we finished, we jumped right into those lovely preseason two-a-days, accented with lifts and yoga sessions. We even squeezed in a team photo shoot, during which Alissa and I established the 13’s as the class with by far the most swag. Between all of that and the fact that Alissa and I were still in classes, my days felt pretty jam packed. Without realizing it, however, the fast pace at which my life was moving was actually preventing me from being affected by all those nervous thoughts. I didn’t have time to feel anxious! Before I knew it, I began to feel like a part of the amazing and tight knit group that is Dartmouth Women’s Volleyball. All the girls and coaches are so welcoming and caring, and they all made my first preseason unforgettable. I can’t wait for the rest of our season and to see what we all can accomplish together!

- Kylie Kufeld '13

'13 swag:

This past weekend, September 2nd and 3rd, we played our opening tournament at Bucknell. First tournaments provide just a taste of what is in store for the rest of the season. It’s a great chance to see how your team’s offensive and defensive systems match up against other teams.
After 2 and a half weeks of team practices, I was really looking forward to this tournament and excited to see a new opponent on the other side of the net. On Thursday morning, we started off the 7, questionably 8-hour bus ride watching the classic series, Friday Night Lights (season 5). After about three hours into the bus ride, we bombarded a Chipotle for a nice team lunch somewhere in Connecticut. After a few more hours on the road, we finally made it to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (which I discovered a few years ago is neighbored by Amish towns). We woke up Friday morning to prepare for our match later that day against Manhattan. We had a short team practice in the morning and went over film and a scouting report on our opponents.
When it was game time, we came out strong. Our nerves were calmed by our confidence in our preparation. We swept Manhattan in three games! It was an exciting start! Our momentum carried over to the next day, and we recorded two more victories over Fordham and Bucknell. We didn’t drop a single game all weekend! We left the Bucknell campus as tournament champions. Yannis (Annie Villanueva) and Scuddle (Elisa Scudder) were named to the all-tournament team. It looked like it was going to be a smooth bus ride back to Hanover. Boy, was that assumption wrong.
It was all giggles and smiles, until….our bus decided to struggle: THE STRUGGLE BUS. The power went out about one hour into our trip and we were stuck somewhere in Pennsylvania. We coasted at a bicycle pace until we got off the freeway and pulled into a gas station. We were stranded there for a few hours waiting for a new bus to arrive so Kendall and I decided to enjoy a nice 11pm breakfast at Twin Rocks Diner. We were joined by several other teammates and later by our assistant coaches. Besides being a tad frustrating, this whole dying bus situation turned out to be a great opportunity for a little forced team bonding. You really get to know people’s goofy sides when it’s some unreasonable hour and you're sitting at a diner in the middle of nowhere. Finally our new bus arrived and we made it back to Hanover by real breakfast time. All in all, it was a pretty funny situation and a good story to tell; besides this little mishap couldn’t have happened at a better time.
Aside from the drawn out journey back to campus, bringing home 3 Ws was a great way to start out the season, but the most exciting part about this past weekend was realizing the potential of how great we can be if we keep putting in work and continue to prepare with intensity. We saw the '15s off on their DOC trips and the rest of us are back, getting after it in the gym, preparing for our big weekend at West Point.

- Alissa Santa Maria '13

Twin Rocks Diner:

"...and the granite of New Hampshire is made part of them till death..."

The last couple of months have been a whirlwind! I left Dartmouth a few weeks earlier than my classmates to head to Houston, TX and start training to be a teacher with Teach for America. Flying back for graduation weekend was an emotional and bittersweet experience, and it felt sort of surreal saying my official goodbyes to Dartmouth. But luckily, I've been distracted by a busy schedule and haven't had much time to be sad about leaving my friends and my home for the past 4 years. This summer has been an incredible experience for me, and I've already learned so much and met so many new and wonderful people. Next week I'll be moving to Fort Worth, TX, and beginning in August I'll be teaching 10th grade Chemistry and assistant coaching the women's volleyball team at Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School! I'm so excited to be doing what I'm doing, and even though I'll miss Dartmouth, I love knowing that the experiences I had there are benefiting me every new place I go.

- Jessie Hartman '11

The Dartmouth Volleyball Family would like to wish the class of 2011 the best of luck with their future endeavors!!! Congratulations Jessie and Kelsey!

Back in the States!

After five and a half months of 90 degree weather and lots of Pad Thai, I arrived back at Dartmouth on the Thursday of Green Key. The first place I went on campus was Floren for an early morning reunion with my teammates. It was so good to see everyone. Later that day I was already suited up and in the gym dusting off some of the rust with our new coaches.
Being back on campus was amazing. You really don’t realize how much you miss Dartmouth until you’re gone. What also amazed me was how easy it was to come back to the people at Dartmouth and feel like I haven’t missed a beat. I think since it is a common thing for Dartmouth students to be off for a term or even abroad, it is easy for people to relate to how you are feeling when you come back and it really eases the culture shock. The welcome back to Dartmouth was more than I could ever ask for.
After two individuals and observing a lift and participating in one, it was very evident that the team has worked extremely hard this term, harder than I’ve ever seen in my past two spring seasons. I was also incredibly impressed with the new coaches and all of it makes me so excited to get back to Dartmouth next August (August 17th to be exact).
Now I am back at home and enjoying the time I am able to spend with my family before I fly out to California to start my summer internship with a pharmaceutical/biotech company. Luckily, this summer I won’t be far from a few of our incoming freshmen and hopefully I will be able to visit Annie and Kendall since they will also be on the west coast. I can’t wait to get back into a routine of working and working out and really getting ready for next season.

- Amber Bryant '12

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

It’s finally here: the end of my freshman year. It seems like it has flown by, but I have so many amazing memories. All of my friends from home repeatedly ask, “How do you like Dartmouth?” and I only have one answer: “I absolutely love it!” So now that the year is coming to a close, I have been reflecting on some of my favorite memories from each term.

Fall: My first term was pretty busy because we were in season. We traveled almost every weekend, so we spent a lot of time together as a team. Some of my favorite memories from fall term were on the bus. A few of our bus rides were pretty long, so our team started watching the Friday Night Lights television series. We would all (even our coaches) get really into it and yell at the characters. We even started looking forward to bus rides because we were excited to watch the show.

Winter: Winter in New Hampshire was a completely new concept for me because at home, it doesn’t get below 45 degrees. Elisa and Vivian started laughing at me the first day it snowed because I was so excited. My favorite day in the winter was when we went iceskating! Elisa, Vivian, and I went to Occom Pond with some friends, and we rented skates. We spent all afternoon skating around the pond (I struggled a little bit) and watching some students play pick-up games of ice hockey.

Spring: Now that the weather is starting to warm up, everyone is taking advantage of being outside. It seems like whenever the sun is out, everyone flocks to the Green. On this past Thursday, it was sunny and 75 degrees. Being from southern California, I miss the sun, so I spent all day outside! After conditioning in the morning, I had breakfast outside Collis with Meghan, Annie, and Alissa. Then while they had class, I did some of my reading on the Green. Eventually Elisa came and joined me, and we took a nap under the sun. We later even took our lunch outside to the Green. In the afternoon, I went to my seminar, and our professor allowed us to sit outside for class. I’m happy to say that my arms and legs got a little darker that day (even though they still look pretty pale from being covered up all winter). Hopefully summer will take care of that!

- Rose Dicovitsky '14

Bday with the Besties

Tuesday, May 3rd, was my birthday: turned the big two zero. Yes, believe it, I made it through those teenage years. As every college student comes to realize sooner or later, spending a birthday away from your family can be tough- missing the overwhelming love and birthday dinner traditions. (I heard Annie’s family even shoves a little cake in her face on her birthday every year.) However, being able to spend this day with my team, who has undoubtedly become my second family/best friends made it an extra special one. Celebrating with this group of girls was more than I could’ve asked for.
On the day of my birthday, I walked into the locker room to see my locker decorated with streamers and stuffed full of balloons, not to mention my picture of dreamy Ricky Rubio was even touched up with a little graffiti. After practice, the entire team took me to my favorite restaurant in Hanover, yummy Yama, and then we headed to the Collis porch for a little Lou’s chocolate cake and some public birthday singing. Maddy’s makeshift candles constructed out of wooden coffee stirrers made for some extra excitement. To remember this day, I will always have my birthday card that has Coach Hirsch’s (aka Mayo’s) birthday rap recorded inside.
Having my teammates do all these memorable things for me on my birthday made me realize that sometimes I take the Dartmouth Volleyball team dynamic for granted. I could not name another team on campus that is as close as our team. Maybe it is due to the fact that there are only nine of us, or maybe it is due to the forced, close proximity in our van rides to spring games, or maybe even our unified goal to PTD on the reg (aka regular). Whatever it is has created irreplaceable friendships and bonds that I treasure. Everyday, I look forward to the locker room dancing, the trash talking through the net and the (not always) friendly competitions in the weight room just as much as I look forward to the life updates over impromptu Collis dinners, the team blitzes of whatever youtube video is making Vivian laugh at the time, the continuous facebook pokes from Kendall, and the occasional texts from Annie asking me to do little favors for her “on my way to the weight room” (which are really starting to add up). All these little nuances, on and off the court, make our team dynamic so special. We know each other so well that it can get a little creepy at times. Occasionally, outsiders even question the way we interact sometimes.
All in all, I want to say thanks to the team for making my 20th birthday a memorable one, but more importantly thanks for being my teammates and best friends. Like Drizzy Drake says, “Man I love my team and I love my team. I would PTDie for them …”

- Alissa Santa Maria '13

Sunshine and Spring

Now that we’ve finished all of our official spring games, and team practices are coming to a close, the Big Green is moving outdoors – to volleyball on the Green. The men’s club volleyball team has been setting up a net for some outdoor volleyball, and we’ve been all too happy to play against them. It’s finally getting consistently warm, and it’s the perfect sunny spring temperature for some grass volleyball. After a long day of conditioning and lifting, there is no better way to relax and prepare myself for the library than getting some sunshine and playing volleyball.

We even had a guest visitor to our game yesterday – Dartmouth’s president, Jim Yong Kim. We were playing a friendly game of the women’s team verses the men’s team when President Kim walked by, and offered to serve the ball in for us. After giving the men’s team a tough serve (and after winning the point) he high fived all of us and went on his way.

Most other Colleges are getting out of school, but I couldn’t be happier to have more time on campus, and have the chance to really enjoy the New Hampshire spring. I look forward to more outdoor activities, but especially to being on the green with my team.

- Elisa Scudder '14

The Green Community

Though there are still cloudy days and the occasional snow flurry, it’s springtime in Hanover, and the Green is green once more! Though covered in feet of snow all winter, the grass has now returned. The Green is beautiful again, and we Dartmouth students are enjoying it to the fullest.

After surviving my first real winter, I was ready for some sunshine again. Sure, the snow was pretty and fun for a month or two, but the spring is where it’s at. As a Californian, I wouldn’t exactly call the temperature ideal yet; however there have been a number of beautiful days for us to enjoy. You know the kind… Those days when everyone wants to be outside. When it feels acceptable to break out some sandals. When the sun is shining and the temperature is pleasant, but not too hot. On beautiful spring days like these, the Green is the place to be.

Dartmouth students love the Green because it is perfect for many things, like eating, studying, playing, or sleeping. I happen to be an extreme case- the Green is by far my favorite place on campus. When it is even a little bit warm, you can find me on the Green. Last Friday, I spent six straight hours out there, eating lunch, playing Frisbee, and just hanging out.

I love the Green for a couple reasons. Being so large, it has plenty of room for activities. The most popular Dartmouth pastime is Frisbee, which I am just starting to get ahold of. Other common ones are football, soccer, baseball, and even volleyball! The Green is also a beautiful place just to sit and do work without having to be in the library. The sunshine somehow makes studying substantially more bearable. The most important reason is the ability of the Green to bring people together. On the Green, you can really see and feel the sense of community that brings most people to Dartmouth in the first place. Because it is the central part of campus, everyone is always walking by. This makes it easy to see your friends, to meet other people, and to forge bonds through relaxation or play. For example, one day I started throwing the Frisbee around with two of my friends. After about an hour, I found myself playing with about six people that I had never met before and having a blast.

The Green is a central place that all students can enjoy, whether it be alone, with friends, or with new acquaintances. The love that Dartmouth students share for the Green magically brings everyone together as a community. This is why the Green is my favorite place to be.

- Meghan Cooney '14

P.T.D - "Play 'Til Death"

So our team has entered into our fourth week of training, and we are coming up on our last spring play date this week against Boston College. Practices have started to pick up, and we are shaking off all that rust from the winter!



As we get back into the swing of things, our team has adopted the saying of "P.T.D. Play Till Death." Since it is only the spring, and we have such a long time until our season, it can sometimes be difficult to remember why we are putting in so much effort when August seems so far away. In order to keep motivated we use P.T.D. as our daily reminder to keep pushing ourselves and know that we are working hard for a reason. It is so easy to get lost in all the things going on around us, but when you hear someone yell "P.T.D." you know it is time to WORK!


As our last spring play date is getting closer, our team has begun to focus on smaller details of our volleyball game. For the setters, Alissa and I have been working really hard on more accurate ball placement for the outside and middle sets. We hope that focusing on these smaller details will make our last match as competitive as possible!


By Thursday, our team will be ready to P.T.D!!!


- Kendall Houston '12


* photo taken from www.images.google.com

The Little Green

Dartmouth Volleyball is back for spring season, and we're so happy to be reunited. After spending the winter mostly apart, we've been so excited to jump back into training together. The team has been conditioning in the morning, lifting and practicing in the afternoon, and working hard doing it. We all like to challenge each other in the weightroom and sprints. Alissa (Santa Maria '13) and I have an ongoing competition- I think she's one victory ahead of me right now, but not for long!

It's definitely been an adjustment to get back into the swing of classes and homework after being in New York, but it feels good to start practicing together again. We have been working on our new and improved quick offense, and despite a little rust at the beginning, we are getting the hang of it! We had our first Spring tournament this weekend where we played 6 sets against UNH and Hartford. We ended up 4-2, and got some great practice playing together.

There are only 8 of us on campus right now, so instead of the "Big Green" we've been jokingly calling ourselves the "Little Green". Spring is always an awesome time for our team to bond- there are fewer of us, and we haven't seen each other in forever. We spend a ton of time together both training and off the court as well with lots of impromptu team lunches, dinners, and homework sessions. We're all starting to get so excited for season this fall, and can't wait for our new 15's to join us! GO LITTLE GREEN

- Annie Villanueva '12

"There is Nothing Better Than..."

Since most of fall term was spent in a class-gym-library cycle, with some sleeping and eating here and there, this winter we (the freshman) have really gotten a chance to get involved with all the wonderful things here at Dartmouth. By far the best thing we’ve done this winter was helping out at the Girls & Women in Sports Clinic in Lebanon. We had the opportunity to teach kids ranging from 5-12 some basic volleyball skills, showing them how to pass, set, and over-hand serve. We all got a chance to explain each skill, which gave me a new appreciation for coaches who work with younger players. It was beyond adorable watching a group of 5-year-old girls, most of whom the ball was bigger than, pass & set back and forth.


Sports have played such a huge role in my life, eventually allowing me to be at Dartmouth, so being able to give some of that back was amazing. While most of those girls won’t become professional volleyball players, being able to show them what sports can add to your life was the best way to give back to my new community here at Dartmouth.

Another great thing about being a female athlete is the chance to bond with the other teams here at Dartmouth. The women’s field hockey and soccer teams were also at the clinic with us, giving us the change to spend time with other athletes. The athletic community is so strong here at Dartmouth, and being able to bond with other freshman athletes is a great experience. We are all going through winter training and experiencing our first out of season term, giving us so many things in common (but mostly, we can all bond over being sore all the time!). Having more free time this term allows us to explore all the great things Dartmouth offers, both through the athletic department and the school itself.


There is nothing better than being able to share what I love and introduce volleyball to younger girls, and I wouldn’t want to be doing it with any other team or any where other than Dartmouth.

-Elisa Scudder ’14, Ashburn, VA

I Believe I am Making a Difference

Hi everyone, from the Big Apple! I'm writing this from my teeeny tiny apartment in Manhattan, where I am living and working for this term. I want to give everyone an update about what I've been up to on my off-term - an opportunity I am lucky to have had thanks to the D plan.


This term I am working as an administrative/programming intern and teaching artist for a New York non-profit called Art Start. Art Start runs art and music programs in several homeless shelters in Manhattan and the Bronx, giving a creative outlet to New York's most at risk kids. Working here has been one of the most powerful experiences of my life - I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity. Every morning, I work in the Art Start office, helping my boss, Johanna, the executive director, catch up on expense reports (I'm getting really good at excel spreadsheets!) or doing research and helping to write grants. Because Art Start is so small, I've been given a lot of responsibility on the administrative side of things. Its a ton of work - running a nonprofit is NOT easy - but such good experience, and I've begun to feel really invested in the organization, and believe that I'm really making a difference.


My favorite part of the day though is teaching workshops! I help teach two visual arts workshops on Mondays and Wednesdays, and music on Tuesday and Thursdays at two different shelters. I have fallen in love with the kids, and in love with teaching. It's hard work - the kids can be realllly rowdy, and they vary from age 5 to 12, so keeping everyone quiet and focused can be extremely challenging. But there are moments where everything comes together - we write an awesome song together, or create a mural that everyone is proud of, and that's what I live for! These kids come from extremely tough backgrounds and upbringings, and many of them have 6, 7, or 8 brothers and sisters, all living in the shelter. Art Start gives them the chance to express themselves, receive 1-on-1 attention from a stable adult who cares, and makes them feel special and appreciated. Although most of these children will not grow up to be artists or musicians, I hope that the time we spend with them and the bigger lessons they learn about confidence and respect will allow them to grow into proud adults who can break the cycle of poverty, gangs and violence they were born into.


I'm so thankful that Dartmouth has given me the chance to experience something so different from the small town in California where I grew up. I'm also lucky enough to have teammate Kendall here, and its fun to enjoy city living with her. Although we miss the rest of the team, who are having adventures of their own, scattered around the world from Hanover to Barcelona to Bangkok to Bolivia. I work from 9 to 9 every day, and I spend a ton of time riding the subway and hustling around the city! Its true what they say about New York - this city really doesn't ever sleep. But I think this is the experience of a lifetime, and I can always sleep when I get back to Hanover!

Lots of love from NY
Annie "Mama" Villanueva '12, Santa Barbara, CA
Annie's Art Start bio: http://art-start.org/the-family/teaching-artists/

From the Other Side of the World

Amber (on the right) & her roommate in front of Rama V/Chulalongkorn statue

Back at Dartmouth it is common to take the winters off and study abroad. Unfortunately there are not many options for Engineers to study abroad and get credit towards their major. Luckily Dartmouth recently established a semester abroad exchange program with Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. And that's where I've been for the last month and a half.

My first impression of Chula came on orientation, we arrived at school and were told that due to inter and intra university sporting games, we would not have school for the next two weeks. So I went to Vietnam for 10 days and had an amazing time. Then I came back and started school a bit later than expected.

Now that I've gotten into the swing of things my weeks consist of five 3 hour classes spanning Monday through Wednesday. Thai class on Monday and Thursday and the occasional volleyball pick up game Tuesday and Thursday nights. Classes are very different than Dartmouth. The pace is much slower and the students have a bit less enthusiasm for the subjects. However, the Thai students have been more than welcoming. In almost every class people have approached me to see how I am doing or if I need anything.

Wat Po Temple in Bangkok

I was also set up with the university women's volleyball team and now have become good friends with many of the players. Last week I was invited to one of their birthday dinners at an amazing restaurant right on the river that runs through the city. The atmosphere was great as we were serenaded by a wonderfully singing Ladyboy.

So far I am in love with Thailand. Not only am I getting a different perspective on a subject I love, I have been able to play volleyball with locals, eat full meals for less than $2 everyday (and the food is amazing), live in a tropical climate (sorry for everyone who is buried under the 10 ft of snow back home), meet some amazing people from all over the world, and finally, travel! (We are heading to Ko Tao, Turtle Island, this week).

This experience has been once in a life time and so far I can't get enough of it, but it has also made me realize that I am very lucky to have amazing friends and family back home waiting for me. Being away really makes you appreciate the people and things you love at home.

--Amber Bryant '12, Libertyville, IL

Winter Workouts

Meghan, Elisa, Viv & Rose

Usually, freshman are the only members of our team on campus in the winter, while our underclassmen are taking part in fabulous internships or study abroad programs. This is our chance to work with our fitness trainer, Amanda, and improve our strength, endurance, speed, and agility. We have been working hard this quarter with conditioning and lift three times a week, plus an additional volleyball practice a week.

Elisa & Rose

Some of the girls are recovering from leg injuries, so for the first few weeks, we started off with non- running conditioning. On Monday, we had a leg-intensive lift followed by spinning. Wednesdays included a pool workout and an upper-body lift. On Fridays, Amanda led us in an intense spin workout and then lift. However, after two weeks of this schedule, Amanda decided to add the running component. Because Vivian and I were healthy, she had us run the sprint test this last Monday before lift. I had not been training for it, so when I learned what I was about to do, I was not exactly confident that I could pass. After passing 3 out of 5 sets easily, I realized that the spin workouts had been helping me with my strength and endurance. Knowing that I can pass the sprint test, I feel like I am ready for the rest of Amanda’s conditioning.

Meghan & Rose

We also started volleyball practices, but because of NCAA rules, we can only practice for two hours a week. The first week was a little rough. We were all pretty rusty, so we just worked on some fundamentals like passing, serving, hitting, and digging. The next two weeks were much better. We even started to look like volleyball players again! Since there are only four of us practicing, it allows for some great one-on-one time with our coaches. I already feel like my serve has improved after only three practices because I am able to get the individual critique that would be more difficult to receive when the whole team is here. Also, Amanda’s strengthening is already helping. I feel more power in my swing when I hit and serve! Now that I am stronger and getting into better shape, I am looking forward to seeing the rest of my teammates and playing with them again in the Spring!

Viv

--Rose Dicovitsky '14, Altadena, CA

"La Vida es Una Escuela"

During the last three years, I've thought a lot about why I chose to attend Dartmouth, and I think I've realized above all else I knew it was a place I could challenge myself to grow. The D-plan forces each student to think of themselves as an individual. It creates a sense of possibility and future opportunity that can only be your own. I knew that if I attended Dartmouth I would leave my wonderful home in Austin and create new friendships apart from my elementary best friends. I knew that sometime during my time at Dartmouth I would experience things absolutely unexplored before. Such independence was always an integral part of my plan for my time in college.

Along the way, I fell in love with Spanish, geography, helping others, and travel. Now I find myself living in the Amazon region and for the coming months I am working at the Rio Beni Health Project in Rurrenabaque, Bolivia. An internship working in primary health care, at first seemed like a bit of a misfit for my government major. However, working with this foundation I cannot imagine a more incredible experience to transfer to my academic tract. The Rio Beni Clinic through its status as a non-governmental organization works to fulfill the Bolivian government's promise of the right to health by providing access to health care regardless of economic status. Each day I feel like I'm learning so much, sometimes during my afternoon chats about Bolivian politics with Modesto, a former political science professor, or observations of treatment by Alan, the executive doctor, or learning new dichos During meals with Ins, a recent medical graduate, I almost feel like I'm back at Dartmouth taking courses in Comparative Politics, Infectious Disease and Spanish. Instead though I'm living it.

"La vida es una escuela" (Life is a school), Ins shared with me over lunch a couple of weeks back. Here living on my own I don't know if there has ever been a more appropriate time to apply the phrase. During the week, I am constantly learning and surprising myself. On the weekends, I always plan an adventure like wandering through the Sunday open air market, attending a Bolivian circus, hiking local rails, or going on jungle excursions. I feel so fortunate to be living independently and I am absolutely certain that I will take away exactly what I need from these three months in South America. The thing that I chose Dartmouth most for: growth and development of inner strength and peace and the confidence in my own ability to create a fresh life anywhere in the world with the opportunity to wake up everyday ready for a new lesson.

--Madeline Baird '12, Austin, Texas

My First Snow

As a native Californian, I have only been in the snow a few times, and I have never encountered a real “storm” (a hard core storm in California consists of rain and some hail oh no!). I certainly have never been subjected to temperatures in the twenties or even the thirties. In fact, when I told people I was going to Dartmouth, they would say something along the lines of “Do you think you can survive,” or “Please don’t freeze to death.” I would then respond by saying it can’t be that bad- people from the west coast go to east coast schools all the time, right? I mean, it can’t be that cold. Oh how naïve I was…

As the second week of winter term comes to an end, I can officially say that yes, I can survive the cold. I can even survive a blizzard! (Well, it seemed like a legitimate blizzard to me at least, even though a lady in town described it as “wimpy.”) However, I would not exactly describe the temperature as comfortable. More like bone-chilling. We are not even that far into the winter, but it is downright COLD in my personal opinion.


Nevertheless, even though it sometimes feels like the arctic tundra to a sunshine loving Californian such as myself, I can honestly say that I am enjoying the experience of my first real winter. Walking in the snow, watching the snow fall, taking pictures of the snow- all of these things, though commonplace to an east coast dweller, are new and fun for me. I also participated in my first snowball fight this weekend, one that involved the entire college, and I plan on building a snowman soon.

Overall, living here in the winter can be quite enjoyable once you get past the numbing effects of the cold air and the wind. Buy a big coat, a good hat, a few scarves, and some wool socks and you are good to go. Although I was scared of the cold at first, I have come to appreciate the snow and even accept it as a crucial part of the Dartmouth tradition and lifestyle.

-- Meghan Cooney '14, Martinez, CA

Big Apple Bound

As my winter break is winding down, I am gearing up to take on Corporate America. While the rest of my teammates will be either on campus or on some adventure abroad, I head to New York City on January 11th for my off term. This winter I will be working for a company called Modern Luxury Media where I will be doing event planning and marketing.

I have been fortunate enough to spend the break here in Texas where it has been filled with sunshine and warmth! In between workouts and practicing with my old club team, I have taken up a few other hobbies. I have been playing golf and hunting every chance I get.

While I have loved having the chance to be at home for such a long time, spending so much time away from Dartmouth has made me miss all of my teammates and friends! I am already counting down the days until I go back for Spring Term!!!

Kendall Houston '12, Austin, TX