Although academic success has made Ally Jeddy '93 this year's valedictorian, Jeddy said he will best remember his time at Dartmouth for his intellectual pursuits outside of the classroom.
Jeddy is a double economics and engineering major from Pakistan who arrived in the United States for the first time at the beginning of his freshman year.
A reserved but extremely articulate and personable individual, Jeddy received 10 academic citations from seven departments including economics, computer science, French and philosophy.
Jeddy recently completed a paper on trade economics under the guidance of Professor Carsten Kowalczyk, for whom Jeddy worked as a research assistant for three years.
Jeddy wrote about "what governments must do to prevent being 'leapfrogged,'" a situation that occurs when the world's economic leader is overtaken by another country.
Kowalczyk said the paper "deserves publication in a professional journal" and Jeddy received a letter of praise from Ronald Jones, one of the world's foremost trade economists.
A Phi Beta Kappa and Rufus Choate Scholar, Jeddy also won the Francis L. Town Scientific Prize for his achievements in engineering sciences in 1991.
But Jeddy said his studies do not rule his life.
"I don't think I've spent that much time studying," Jeddy said adding that he "rarely ever studies on Friday nights."
"I am emphatic that you should never have to pull an all-nighter," he added.
Jeddy said he will best remember his time at Dartmouth spent "interacting with people who broaden your ability to think."
A true intellectual, Jeddy enjoys conversation and prefers to spend his time in small groups.
He often dines with his professors and said he has even found himself "eating ice cream with a professor at 11:00 p.m. ... talking about ideas and thoughts."
Jeddy often meets with College President James Freedman during the President's weekly office hours. Freedman said they discuss philosophical questions, trade book titles, or talk about Jeddy's future.
Jeddy plans to work for a consulting firm in San Francisco for two years and then attend Harvard Law School where he has deferred his admission.
Afterward, Jeddy said he will return to Pakistan to pursue public interest law.
"I admire him greatly," Freedman said. "He is truly committed to return to Pakistan as a lawyer who commits himself to civil rights."
Jeddy said a person cannot measure the success of their life until right before they die when they can reflect on what their accomplishments mean.
"To know there are people counting on you and to know that you did not let them down -- that is absolute success," Jeddy said.
Jeddy said his heroes include former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and Mahandas Ghandi.
President Freedman has also had a profound influence on Jeddy's outlook. Freedman "gives you the faith that it's okay to be an idealist."
Although a third place finisher in the Barge and Class of 1866 Oratorical Contest, Jeddy admitted he is "a little nervous" about the valedictory address he will give at today's ceremony not because of the large audience but because the speech is "a thing that haunts you forever."
"It's truly on the record," Jeddy said noting the fact that people still talk about HIllary Rodham Clinton's valedictory address.
