James H. (IN A NUTSHELL)

I am a senior at Dartmouth College planning on majoring in biology with a minor in Spanish. I grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and graduated as valedictorian from my high school. During high school I worked part-time as a tutor for precalculus and volunteered helping kindergardeners with reading during the summers. These experiences formed my passion for teaching a wide range of subjects to a diverse set of students. In college, my studies focus on the intersection of infectious disease, the immune system, and ecology. I also have dedicated multiple classes to chemistry, statistics, anthropology, and art history. I am also writing a senior thesis for my research on COVID-19. Since high school, I have worked on multiple global health interventions across the world, from contact tracing in Virginia Beach to implementing water filter systems in rural Belize. I have always loved the Spanish language and how it facilitates amazing connections with amazing people, but I truly honed my fluency while studying abroad in Spain. I also love learning about the world from small molecules to colossal whales, which blends seamlessly with my natural passion for the outdoors, especially the ocean. In my free time, I like to cook, surf (even in New Hampshire!) ,and swim, bike, and run with Dartmouth's triathlon team. I also volunteer with a number of local non-profits tackling issues from food insecurity to finding homes for orphaned cats and dogs. This summer I will be working part-time for the New England Aquarium, scuba diving in the Giant Ocean Tank. In the fall, I will move to Lima, Peru, where I will work with the non-profit Partners in Health to expand their tuberculosis interventions to include HIV diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. After returning from Peru, I hope to begin my pursuit of a Ph.D. in immunology or virology.