A romance languages major who has competed with the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, greeted freshmen as a member of Hanover Croo and done work in Mexico has been awarded a prestigious Marshall Scolarship, the first Dartmouth student to win one since 1993.
Esther Freeman '01 will study public health at the renowned London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which arguably boasts the best public health program in the world.
Established in 1953 by the British government as an expression of gratitude to the United States for aid during World War II, the approximately $50,000 Marshall Scholarships allow American students to study at the British university of their choice for two years.
"To receive a Marshall is just an extraordinary honor, and Esther did it as an undergraduate," said Susan Wright, a former fellowship and pre-medicine advisor. "She is an all-star, there's no doubt about it."
Freeman plans to either pursue two master's degrees in public health and reproductive health, and then attend medical school, or obtain her doctorate in epidemiology and then go right into a public health career.
Freeman, one of 40 Scholars from an applicant pool of 800, grew up in a family of public health professionals; her parents, aunt and uncle all worked in the field. She recalled dinner table discussions with her father, a Harvard professor of epidemiology, concerning disease outbreaks and wellness issues.
The opportunity to participate last summer in a Dickey Fellowship at the Mexican National Institute of Public Health solidified Freeman's particular interest in women's reproductive health in developing countries.
She worked on two projects while in Mexico, studying the effects of insecticides on pregnant women and newborns and bringing Pap smears and cervical cancer screenings to rural, low-income women.
In talking with the women, Freeman was shocked and moved by their stories of abuse, botched surgeries, surgery without consent and hardship.
"It was eye-opening to see how these people lived and had survived," she said. "I'd very much like to become involved with health in Latin America."
Thinking that she would attend medical school after Dartmouth, Freeman decided early on that she would first like to take a year off. Though Freeman originally applied to the Marshall Scholarship as an afterthought, she soon realized it offered her more freedom since she could study at the university of her choice.
Freeman described her interview with the Marshall Scholarship Commission, which took place at the Beacon Hill house of the British consulate, as tense. She was asked several questions about skiing and her simultaneous application to the Rhodes Scholarship, as well as a last difficult economics question.
Worried that she had blown her chances with the last question, Freeman was surprised and very excited the next day when she got a call on her cell phone from the committee chair announcing their decision.
"I definitely started crying, tears of happiness," said Freeman. "I was really happy because my whole family happened to be there."
"I've always looked up to her as an admirable and impressive student, not only in academics but in everything she puts her mind to," Freeman's close friend Adam Young '01 said, who was with her when she got the news. "I really couldn't imagine anyone more appropriate to receive this type of honor."
Freeman's success was all the more special for her, as the achievement paid tribute to her father, her role model and inspiration, who passed away suddenly a year and a half ago. Overcoming his death was the greatest challenge she has ever had to deal with, Freeman said.
Taking her grief in stride, she was still able to plan her father's memorial service, finish her final exams and leave for summer school at Harvard all in the same week.
"He would be so proud of her," Wright said. "She has a tremendous compassion for other people and has helped other friends who have had similar losses."
After graduating with the Class of 2002 in June, Freeman plans to spend the summer visiting friends and family before going to Europe. The scholarship requires that she spend no more than 15 days out of the United Kingdom during her program.
In addition to her public health interests, Freeman has also been able to dedicate herself to a number of activities while at Dartmouth, including leading two DOC trips and being a member of the DOC's H-Croo.
By the age of 12, Esther Freeman '01 was already skiing in national competitions. By high school, she was on the U.S. Ski Team and participating in her first World Tour and World Cup competition.
She has also competed in sailing as an off-season sport. Freeman spent her Dartmouth winters touring with the U.S. Ski Team and then came back to campus to compete on the College's nationally ranked sailing team.
A romance languages major, speaking Spanish, Italian and French, Freeman still found the time to study abroad in Siena.
The major was important to Freeman because she felt she could have much more meaningful conversations with people if she spoke their own language.
"She has just had the fullest experience, she has taken advantage of everything," Wright said. "She has never lost sight of herself and her relationship with her family and friends."
