"It's an exciting time to be coming to Dartmouth," said Mark Davis, president of the Alumni Council, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Hanlon said he will discuss the College's mission in a contemporary context and express his pride for how Dartmouth prepares graduates In his inaugural address.
Hanlon said he hopes to build a vision and "areas of impact" that both students and faculty will contribute to.
"I have been struck by the real deep engagement that students have with the problems that the world faces," he said. "I think Dartmouth students are really ideally suited to go out in the world and change the world for the better. That's what I expect of them."
A committee of campus representatives began planning inauguration this spring in conjunction with the advancement division, the Office of Conferences and Events, Hanlon and his wife Gail Gentes.
They hoped to design an event "that speaks to the tradition and history behind the president," but is also "forward-looking," said Nariah Broadus, special assistant to the president for initiatives and projects.
During the ceremony, former College President Jim Yong Kim will hand the Wentworth Bowl to Hanlon as past presidents have done before, symbolizing the Wheelock Succession.
Board of Trustees Chair Steve Mandel '78 will present Hanlon with the original College charter. Student Assembly president Adrian Ferrari '14 and University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman will give addresses, and there will be performances from the Harlem Quartet, the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble, the Glee Club and the Dartmouth College Gospel Choir.
Beyond welcoming a new leader, the inauguration ceremony offers the community a chance to celebrate the College's culture and history, Alumni Association president John Daukas '84 said.
"Dartmouth has such a long, prestigious history and an amazing tradition of leaders who have been asked to be president of the College," Davis said. "Nothing would make me happier than for Hanlon to have a long and successful tenure."
Hanlon boasts experience in higher education, having served as provost at Michigan, as well as a deep understanding of the institution. He graduated from Dartmouth in 1977.
"Being an alumnus gives someone a huge leg up," Daukas said.
Nine alumni have previously served as College president, most recently David McLaughlin '54 Tu'55, whose tenure spanned from 1981 to 1987.
"We could not be in a better position," vice president for alumni relations Martha Beattie said in an email. "His passion for Dartmouth and his deep understanding of the strengths of our College will set a great course as we navigate through this time of challenge and opportunity."
Hanlon takes office amidst nationwide conversations about the cost of higher education and heated campus discussion of student life and sexual assault. After spending the summer speaking with students and alumni, the inauguration ceremony will offer Hanlon a chance to express his vision for the College.
"I've been trying to listen, trying to learn about the Dartmouth of today," he said.
Former College President James Wright, true to his background in history, said in his 1998 address that the inauguration ceremony "affords a rare opportunity to consider the values that, ingrained in Dartmouth's past, define the institution today, and to ask how that past informs our future."
"Dartmouth's history is one that resonates and lives," Wright said. "Not one that encapsulates and confines."
Dean of the Faculty Michael Mastanduno will moderate a panel discussion on the future of liberal arts on Thursday afternoon. Physics professor Stephon Alexander, history professor Leslie Butler, College trustee Annette Gordon-Reed '81, English professor Donald Pease and Thayer School of Engineering dean Joseph Helble will contribute to the event.
Staff writer Iris Liu contributed reporting.
