Contrary to the words of our motto, the voice of our College on the Hill is anything but singular. Rather, it is a cacophony of voices sharing a range of perspectives and opinions with each other, as well as with the world outside our New Hampshire woods.
"Students here are always looking for an informative, meaningful dialogue and love to engage in discourse about things that they are passionate about," Bobby Esnard '14 said. "We love to talk about what we're passionate about it's part of our charm."
Esnard attributed much of his own "Dartmouth voice" to his involvement with the spoken word and poetry performance group, the Soul Scribes.
"The Soul Scribes helped me express my voice here," Esnard said. "Poetry for me is free expression. I write about what's on my mind serious things like sexual assault and not so serious things, like what the motto, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter' means."
Esnard added that the Soul Scribes is not his only outlet on campus. He cited his fraternity as another place where he is not only encouraged to speak up, but where he is also genuinely heard and understood.
Singing is another platform at Dartmouth for students to quite literally make their voices heard. The Dartmouth Rockapellas are unique among student singing groups in that social justice messages are an important component of all their shows.
Rocks member Maia Matsushita '13 said her rehearsals with the Rockapellas offer a space where one's voice is open and honestly celebrated.
"The Rocks have always been a space of dialogue for me, especially in the discussion of freedom songs and their selection," she said. "I feel I can do anything, say anything, believe anything and still be welcomed, loved and supported with those girls."
Matsushita also cited organizations like Mentors Against Violence and the gender-neutral floor program in Fahey-McLane Hall as important College-sponsored platforms that allow her to speak freely.
For the more politically-minded students, the Dartmouth community provides outlets to express political voices, not all of which are expressly sanctioned by the College itself.
"Coming to college, I knew that I wanted to find a place where I wouldn't be censored like I was in high school," Elizabeth Reynolds '13, a writer for the independent, conservative, student-run publication The Dartmouth Review, said. "Thanks to The Dartmouth Review, I am assured that space. Now I can write how I feel, my true opinions, without worrying."
Although Reynolds admitted to having received some negative feedback from her articles, she said the support of her fellow writers and editors is more than enough to see her through.
"To finally express how I actually feel to a public audience is truly worth it," she said. "I feel fulfilled in my writing."
The Men of Dartmouth panel, an event put on every fall to showcase the experiences of Dartmouth males, provides a different sort of platform for student voices.
"The point of Men of Dartmouth is to demonstrate that students here are three-dimensional, that we should get to know people on deeper levels," Dennis Zeveloff '12, one of the organizers of this past fall's panel, said. "The men that spoke were fantastic, and I feel very lucky to have met them or gotten to know them better."
Sidny Ginsberg '12, another one of the panel's organizers, said the event is a place where students can broaden their understanding of the Dartmouth community.
"I was passionate about Men of Dartmouth because I wanted people to know that there is no one true Dartmouth experience," she said. "I don't think survival here has come easily for anyone."
Despite the existence of these honest voices within campus groups, some students said they felt the administration could do more to support the open dialogue in their organizations.
"I would really love it if more high-level administrators came to see our shows," Esnard said. "It would be a great way for them to hear what students are actually thinking about."
Matsushita said the administration would benefit from learning to sincerely and seriously listen to the chorus of Dartmouth voices.
"The administration creates forums for student voices, but I don't think that the forums are always taken as seriously as they could be," she said. "A lot more communication between the administration and students, for example, could help the student voices and administrative voices come into a sort of harmony."
Zeveloff also said that he worries that the lack of an interested administrative audience might detract from valuable campus dialogue.
"People rarely talk about how the school can improve as an institution, how it can better prepare students for careers and the rest of their lives," Zeveloff said. "This might stem from the perception that the administration doesn't care what students think."
Regardless, these campus organizations create an invaluable platform for student voices, allowing students to share their stories and insights with others in the Dartmouth community. There is no doubt that these groups will continue to serve as important mouthpieces for the Dartmouth community.
"Your voice is always with you anywhere you go," Esnard said. "I don't think you get your voice from your art. Your art is just a platform for your voice."
