College President James Wright and his wife, Susan Wright, spoke about their experiences and memories of Dartmouth before an audience of students and parents in Spaulding Auditorium on Saturday as part of First-Year Family Weekend. Asked about his greatest challenges as president of Dartmouth, Wright described leading the community through the murder of two professors in Etna, N.H. in 2001, and dealing with the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when the College dispatched cross-country runners to reach students on freshman trips. "They summarized to these kids what had happened because we had no way of knowing who among our students might have had someone in those buildings," James Wright said. Susan Wright also shared highlights from her time working with students. "The best time ever was when I looked outside on the night of the [2008] election and there were all these students -- and they weren't coming to protest the [Student Life Initiative]," she said. "They were coming to share the excitement of the presidential election."
Dartmouth President-elect Jim Yong Kim will receive an honorary degree from Brown University at the school's commencement ceremony on May 24, according to a Brown press release. Kim, who received his undergraduate degree from Brown in 1982, will receive a Doctorate of Medical Science from the university. The university is recognizing Kim as a physician and humanitarian, particularly for his work with the World Health Organization and Partners in Health, according to the press release. Other honorary degree recipients include singer Aretha Franklin, who will receive a Doctorate of Music, journalist Fareed Zakaria, who will receive a Doctorate of Laws, and engineer Jerry Fishman, who will receive a Doctorate of Science.
Two Dartmouth students were elected to positions in the New Hampshire College Republicans organization at the New Hampshire College Republicans Convention in Manchester on Saturday. Tiffany Tai '11 was elected chair of the New Hampshire College Republicans, and Michael Randall '12 was elected treasurer. "Our main two focuses right now are getting ready for the 2010 elections by working with candidates considering running for primaries, and maintaining interest in College Republicans across the state, especially because it is an off year," Tai said in an interview with The Dartmouth.
