The Board of Trustees announced yesterday that Stephen Bosworth '61, the former U.S. ambassador to Tunisia and the Philippines, will become the new chair of the College's Board of Trustees in June.
Bosworth will replace John Rosenwald '52 who began his chairmanship in 1993.
Rosenwald will remain chair until after Commencement on June 9, when Bosworth will take over.
Bosworth said he was chosen several months ago, but the Trustees kept the selection secret "as a matter of politeness and protocol."
Bosworth, who has served as a Trustee since 1992, said during his tenure as chairman, the Trustees will address the "question of how we can maintain the excellence Dartmouth College has achieved."
Bosworth said he will follow the vision "laid out by John Rosenwald and by [College President] Jim Freedman, which is how to make Dartmouth an even better institution."
"You can never be complacent," he added.
Bosworth said he hopes his life experience will serve him well in his new position.
"This is a new level of responsibility for me vis a vis Dartmouth College," he said. "I approach it with a certain amount of humility, but I'd hope the experiences I have had ... would serve me well in this new role."
Bosworth served as ambassador to the Philippines "during the transition from the regime of Ferdinand Marcos to that of Corazon Aquino," according to a College press release.
Bosworth said he is excited about his new responsibilities.
"I approach this as a challenge. I am excited about it, and I am humbled by it," he said. "This is a significant responsibility, and it will be a testing set of duties."
"But I do look forward to it," he added.
Bosworth said he is not sure what issues the Trustees will face.
"It is hard to foresee all the issues," he said. "Fortunately the institution is in good strong shape. We aren't dealing with any situation of great crisis, to say the least."
Bosworth is currently the executive director of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization, an international consortium working "to provide North Korea proliferation-resistant light-water nuclear reactors and nuclear materials to replace facilities and programs capable of producing nuclear weapons," the release states.
He worked for eight years as president of the United States-Japan Foundation, a $90-million non-profit foundation with "programs in education, public and private leadership exchanges and public policy," the release stated.
Trustee David Shribman '76 told The Dartmouth last night that Bosworth "a spectacular choice."
"He is a person of unusual intelligence, acuity, sensitivity and loyalty to the College," he said.
"He becomes chairman at a time when the College is seeking to consolidate its achievements, particularly in raising the level of intellectual discourse that President Freedman has so eloquently and diligently pursued," Shribman said.
According to the press release, Rosenwald said, "I am thrilled that a person of Steve Bosworth's caliber will be succeeding me as chairman of the Board."
Freedman said Bosworth will provide the Trustees with forward-thinking leadership, the release stated.
He said, "Stephen Bosworth will bring to the chairmanship of the Board a history of leadership in the pursuit of mutual goals and a complete understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing Dartmouth as we look forward to the next century," according to the release.
Freedman and Rosenwald could not be reached for comment.
