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Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Major: Neuroscience with minors in Spanish and anthropology of global health
At Dartmouth, Kelly Bach combined interests in science, athletics and mentoring. She conducted neurophysiology research as a presidential scholar, spent a term in Barcelona, and interned with the Reproductive Health Access Project while volunteering in the emergency room at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn. After two years playing varsity soccer, injury forced her retirement. Captaining the triathlon team, racing with the Ivy League champion cycling team, and hiking the “Fifty” filled the athletic void. Her most meaningful activities involved counseling peers while co-director of the Pre-Health Mentor Corps, as a “Vox Crooling” and First Year Trip leader, and as a sister in Kappa Delta Epsilon. Embracing the local community, she worked at Pierce’s Inn and as an EMT with Upper Valley Ambulance and coached soccer at Hanover High School. Following graduation, Bach will work in clinical research at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Favorite place on campus: Adirondack chairs overlooking the Connecticut River
“I feel a strong connection to both the Dartmouth and Upper Valley communities and have had incredible adventures exploring the beautiful areas that surround our campus. This little plot of grass, trees, and serenity right across the river has been the perfect place for me to slow down and recharge during my four amazing college years.”
(Photo by Eli Burakian '00)
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Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
Degree: Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
Erin Brioso grew up in Buffalo, N.Y., and Coconut Creek, Fla. She is a first-generation college and graduate student. She earned her BA in philosophy from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. Prior to joining the MALS program, Brioso worked in Nepal with a medical NGO organizing rural health camps. At Dartmouth, she has studied globalization with a focus on international development, with her studies culminating in a thesis titled “Re-Envisioning Development in the New Global Economy: A Case-Study Analysis of Top-Down and Sustainable Development Models.” As a student leader, Brioso was Graduate Student Council president and served on numerous committees, including the Alumni Council, the Healthcare Advisory Council, and the Homecoming planning committee. After graduation, Brioso will be moving to New York City to begin her career as a strategy consultant. Ultimately, she seeks to build a career that fosters strong communities through economic and social development.
Favorite place on campus: Dartmouth 105, the auditorium in Dartmouth Hall
“I love it here. It’s usually so quiet. People forget about it. Most of my MALS classes were in Dartmouth Hall and I would always come here before class either to do some last minute reading or to just listen to music and breathe. It was one place where I didn’t have to be or do anything, and I enjoyed that space immensely for it.”
(Photo by Robert Gill)
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Hometown: Corpus Christi, Texas
Degree: MBA, Tuck School of Business
After earning his AB in economics with honors from Harvard University in 2009, with a secondary field of study in Near Eastern languages and civilizations, Omar Abdelsamad worked as a corporate consultant and then in pharmacy strategy at CVS Caremark. At Tuck, he was student body president and chair of the student board, he helped organize the Tuck Builds program, doing community service in the Upper Valley with the Center for Business and Society, and he was an avid tripod hockey player. Abdelsamad also participated in Tuck Student Consulting Services. His fondest memories from Tuck are getting to know his classmates as they traveled together to Costa Rica, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, and Qatar. After graduation, he is moving to Seoul, South Korea, to work as a global strategist in consumer electronics at Samsung.
Favorite place on campus: The Raether Building and the porch looking toward the trees.
“Towering windows looking over dense trees provided numerous opportunities for quiet contemplation, studying, and socializing during my time at Tuck.”
(Photo by Eli Burakian '00)
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Hometown: Kennebunk, Maine
Degree: BE, with a concentration in mechatronics, Thayer School of Engineering
Margaux LeBlanc is a dual-degree student who graduated from Colby College with a BA in computer science in 2015 and spent most of her time with the Colby Outing Club. When she wasn’t with the outing club she was volunteering with Maine adaptive sports and recreation, indulging her passion for skiing. During her two exchange years in the Upper Valley, she found herself at home inside the walls of Thayer. She spent countless hours in those rooms, building mechanical walking beasts, heated bike handlebars, automated xylophones, and to top it off, a hybrid racecar. LeBlanc has loved cars since the age of 8, and finally had the opportunity to design and build one this year as captain of Dartmouth Formula Racing. After graduation, she is moving to Detroit, Mich., to work on battery pack software for General Motors’ hybrid and electrical vehicles.
Favorite place on campus: Thayer’s Allyn Lab
“This lab is where I learned the most at Dartmouth. I became a better leader here and I find the space comfortable because I know where everything is. This room is my own space within Thayer; it is where I can escape by plugging in some good tunes on the massive stereo system and crank away on work or tinker with a part I built. If it had a couch or bed I would have lived there at some point this year.”
(Photo by Eli Burakian '00)
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Hometown: Florence, S.C.
Degree: MS, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice
Margaret Brown lived in South Carolina for more than 20 years. She earned her bachelor’s in English literature from Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C., and then worked for five years for human services organizations including Habitat for Humanity and Hope Health, a community health center. In 2012, Brown moved to Hanover, and enrolled in TDI the following year. Currently, she is the manager for the community health improvement department at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. In this role, Brown works with a variety of community partners to develop strategies for improving health across the Upper Valley. Her favorite part of the job is working with community members, fellow students, and hospital and College leaders who are passionate about improving health and giving back to their communities. Brown and her husband have three children and plan to stay in the Upper Valley after her graduation.
Favorite place on campus: The Dartmouth Green
“My family and I have enjoyed many afternoons on the Green throwing the football or Frisbee, and never miss the Christmas tree lighting or the bonfire.”
(Photo by Eli Burakian '00)
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Hometown: Boston
Major: Psychological and brain sciences
As a psychological and brain sciences major, Thienan Dang channeled her interest in people into her study of human relations and consciousness. Her experience at Dartmouth was marked by her dedication to the various communities within and around Hanover. Dang spent time supporting those in the Upper Valley through her roles as a DREAM mentor and an intern at The Haven. As a first-year peer mentor and admissions tour guide, Dang instilled her excitement for Dartmouth into the next generation of students. She also co-chaired the senior class gift committee, where she worked to engage the graduating class in supporting financial aid for the incoming class. On her off term, she worked at a community health center in Boston that supports Vietnamese immigrants, a population that she aspires to serve. She credits Dartmouth for helping her find her passion for photography. After graduation, Dang will be working in Boston.
Favorite place: Aquinas House
“Any time I need to center myself and find some peace of mind, I always come to Aquinas House, where there are always encouraging words and baked goods to be found. It has truly become my home away from home.”
(Photo by Eli Burakian '00)
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Hometown: Great Neck, N.Y.
Degree: MD, Geisel School of Medicine
Haaris Beg spent most of his childhood shadowing physicians and volunteering at his local emergency room. At Geisel, he has been involved with a variety of research opportunities, including giving an oral presentation on melanoma at the 50th annual American Society of Dermatopathology conference, and compiling a database of hundreds of Barret’s esophagus patients who underwent ablative therapy at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in the first retrospective review of its kind. On campus, Haaris served as co-president of the orthopedic surgery interest group, and volunteered at the Mascoma Good Neighbor Health clinic. In his spare time, Beg enjoys running, hiking, traveling, reading, and debating current affairs. He will be returning to his native New York City as an internal medicine resident at NYU after graduation, but intends to return to the Upper Valley whenever possible to enjoy outdoor activities.
Favorite place on campus: A bench overlooking the Green.
“This was my spot, no matter how frigid or humid, to unwind after a long day studying or in the hospital. It has the most beautiful view overlooking the Green up to Baker-Berry and is the center of campus for a reason. It always made me realize how fortunate I was to be here. It’s also a sturdy bench.”
(Photo by Robert Gill)
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Hometown: San Jose, Costa Rica
Major: Government, with a minor in environmental studies
Dari Seo, a South Korean raised in Costa Rica, has an abiding interest in international politics and global development. At Dartmouth, Seo served as student body vice president and was an undergraduate adviser, and a member of the Sphinx Senior Society. He also served as vice president of the Korean Student Association and was a William Jewett Tucker Fellow, and a member of the men’s club soccer team and the Agape Christian Fellowship. He studied abroad in France, was involved with his fraternity, Alpha Delta, and sang with X.ado, Dartmouth’s Christian a capella group. During his off-terms, Seo went on a Christian mission program to China, served as a human rights activist in Nicaragua, and interned with McKinsey & Co. management consultants. After graduation, he will be moving to Dubai to pursue a career in education consulting.
Favorite place on campus: The narrow path between Mid-Mass and the Green.
“This narrow path has two benches facing each other. Hiding under the shadow of trees, this is the perfect place to sit down and breathe in the peaceful silence of the morning or simply appreciate the sunset at dusk.”
(Photo by Eli Burakian '00)
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Hometown: Rockford, Ill.
Major: Economics with a minor in German
Danny Reitsch served as 2016 class president during both his junior and senior years and as Alpha VP of Chi Heorot fraternity his senior year. He spent over nine months abroad while attending Dartmouth, including participation in both the German LSA and FSP in Berlin. Reitsch has held internships with the finance subcommittee of the Bundestag German National Parliament in Berlin, and in fixed-income sales and trading for Toronto Dominion Securities in New York City. He will return to New York as a bond salesman after graduation. His long-term career interests include international trade and energy. In his spare time, he enjoys running, cycling, classical piano, guitar, and double bass.
Favorite place on campus: Mink Brook
“No day is truly a good day without a dip in Mink Brook. Nothing is more beautiful and refreshing than an early morning jog followed by a swim.”
(Photo by Robert Gill)
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