Correction appended
Seemingly taking to heart the dictate to "lead by example," College President Jim Yong Kim made a personal donation of $25,000 to the Dartmouth College Fund at the annual Scholars Luncheon on Friday. Kim's donation will support Dartmouth's financial aid program, said Carolyn Pelzel, College vice president for development.
"Among all the values I hold dear, I can't think of very many that are more important to me than ensuring that everyone has access to a Dartmouth education," Kim told The Dartmouth.
Pelzel said that she believed the gift is larger than typical donations made by College presidents, terming the donation a "wonderful" example.
"To make a gift of that magnitude, it's inspirational," Pelzel said.
The Scholars Luncheon coincides with the kickoff of the annual fundraising campaign for the Dartmouth College Fund. This year the College hopes to raise $48 million in support of the student experience, Pelzel said.
Kim made the gift in the name of E. John Rosenwald Jr. '52, a philanthropist and former chairman of the College's Board of Trustees, who also sponsored the luncheon.
"[Rosenwald] is one of the people I respect and like the most among the alums," Kim said. "He's been so helpful to Dartmouth College over the years."
Rosenwald, the former vice chairman of Bear Stearns, is a frequent donor to the College and to other charitable organizations.
Kim said that he took Rosenwald's advice into account when he decided to make the donation.
"He had a statement which he always said, which is, When you're fundraising, don't ask anyone to do something you're not willing to do yourself,'" Kim said. "So in honor of him, I thought I would do it myself."
Rosenwald could not be reached for comment before press time.
Kim told The Dartmouth that he felt it would "be strange" for him to request money from donors without giving money himself. He emphasized, however, that he did not want to make a "big deal" out of his donation.
"I knew that I was going to make a gift to Dartmouth College, and this was a wonderful occasion," Kim said. "The occasion was celebrating the donors who have supported financial aid and supported the students who have received financial aid, recognizing the importance of making a Dartmouth education accessible for everybody."
Staff writer Madeline Sims contributed to the reporting of this article.
