College appoints new director of Greek life

This article is featured in the 2025 Freshman Special Issue. 

In June, Hunter Carlheim assumed the role of director of Greek life and student societies, succeeding interim director Marco Valenzuela. Carlheim, who has worked at Phi Delta Theta International Headquarters and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, steps onto a campus whose Greek Life has recently received heavy press scrutiny for hazing and a student death. Carlheim could not speak with The Dartmouth for a full Q&A profile by publication time. He sent emailed responses that have been edited for clarity and listed below. 

You’ve spent nearly a decade working in higher education, with a focus on Greek Life. How has that experience changed your perspective on leadership and working in educational spaces? 

HC: My personal motto is “to leave the world better than I found it,” and that belief was instilled in me through my own fraternal experience. Over the past decade, working in higher education and Greek Life has transformed how I view leadership, not as a position, but as a responsibility to uplift others and create spaces where people feel seen, supported and empowered. Leadership is about investing in yourself just as much as it is investing in others, and it’s a journey. No journey is the same, and I find it inspiring that I get to work with students, learn their stories and support them through their leadership journey.  

I believe deeply in the college experience and the unique role Greek Life can play in it. When done well, it can be one of the most transformational aspects of a student’s journey, complementing what they learn in the classroom with lessons in community, identity, values and personal growth. I’ve met incredible students across the country who chose to invest in themselves because they found belonging, purpose and community in their fraternal organization. 

Dartmouth’s Greek organizations have recently been in the press for incidents related to hazing, including the death of Won Jang ’26. How will those reports shape your work at the College? 

HC: Though I wasn’t here when this tragedy occurred, I know that Won Jang’s loss continues to deeply impact members of our community. My heart goes out to everyone affected. As I step into this role, I carry that awareness with me every day. 

These recent events underscore the importance of building a culture rooted in care, accountability and prevention. We must ensure that every student feels safe, supported and empowered to speak up when something isn’t right. 

The Office of Greek Life and Student Societies is committed to working in close partnership with student leaders, advisors, alumni and campus partners to foster responsible behavior that aligns with Dartmouth’s mission and values. That includes enhancing leadership education, expanding prevention programming, building connections in and out of organizations and creating transparent communication channels. It’s a priority for our office to be accessible, meet students where they are, help them recognize unsafe behaviors and situations, build bridges to resources and options and empower them to take action. 

The College has an ongoing experiment in campus culture with the Sexual Violence Prevention Project. Has this experiment been successful? How will your office be interfacing with SVPP? 

HC: Their work is vital to building a culture of care and accountability, and I’m excited to support and collaborate with them. 

SVPP focuses on developing positive relationships, ethical use of power, bystander intervention and supporting those impacted by sexual violence. The program is research-based, student-centered and designed to evolve with students throughout their time at Dartmouth. Feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with many sharing that SVPP has helped them feel more educated, connected and confident in supporting their peers. 

GLASS has a long-standing partnership with SVPP. Our student leaders have helped facilitate sessions, our organizations have hosted workshops and conversations and our governing councils require potential new members to be up to date on their SVPP modules before joining. This integration is essential, and we plan to deepen it further in partnership with student leaders and the Student Wellness Center.  

We’re especially excited about hiring a hazing prevention project manager, who will lead a campus-wide coalition to promote inclusive, healthy and safe environments aligned with Dartmouth’s values. This role will be a key partner in our efforts to address hazing, foster ethical leadership and ensure that our prevention strategies are inclusive and representative of all students inside and outside of GLASS. 

What are your favorite Dartmouth-specific Greek traditions? What makes you excited about working at this school? 

HC: I’m excited to see what students are excited about! Since arriving this summer, I’ve already experienced the uniqueness of sophomore summer, and it’s clear how special that tradition is to Dartmouth. I’ve seen firsthand how inspired and motivated our student leaders are, whether it’s through impactful events like The Prouty or community-centered celebrations like Phi Delt’s Streetfest. These moments reflect the creativity, care and leadership that make Dartmouth’s Greek Life so distinctive. 

What excites me most about working at Dartmouth is being part of something with such deep history and tradition. Context is incredibly important in GLASS, and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can over the next few terms — meeting with students, advisors, alumni and colleagues to understand the stories, values and experiences that shape this community from the day a student gets to campus through their alumni involvement. 

There’s a strong sense of pride and purpose here for Dartmouth and the Upper Valley, and I’m energized by the opportunity to support students in creating meaningful, safe and inclusive experiences that reflect both their individual journeys and the broader legacy. 

Change is hard, and I don’t believe it should happen overnight or in a silo. My approach is to listen first. We need to understand the community: who is joining, why they’re joining, why they’re leading and what they want to see from their experience. There are many stakeholders who influence and drive change, and I’m committed to engaging with all of them — students, advisors, alumni and campus partners. 

From my interview process to my first few months on campus, I’ve been energized by the passion and creativity of our students and the dedication of the GLASS team. One of the most exciting moments so far was our event “On The Green,” where nearly 450 students came together for food, fun and connection. Events like that show the power of community-centered programming, and I want to build on that momentum. 

We also want to celebrate the incredible accomplishments happening within our community, like Zeta Psi fraternity winning their international chapter of the year for the third year in a row. These stories of chapters and members deserve to be shared and recognized. 

With the largest staff GLASS has ever had, we’re now in a position to increase student touchpoints and offer more consistent support. That includes educational trainings, community roundtables, speaker series and a coaching program for organization presidents. I am looking forward to working with students leading this community, and I’m thrilled to have already met with leadership from the five [Greek Life student] councils as we discuss where they want to see the community grow in the future.  

You’re stepping onto campus at a contentious moment for higher education. How do you foresee your office being impacted by the wider political tensions currently impacting American universities? 

HC: There’s no question that higher education is navigating a complex and often polarized landscape. From national debates around free speech and inclusion to questions about the role of student organizations, these tensions are influencing how colleges operate and how students engage with their communities.

Our office is committed to creating spaces where students can explore and reflect on identity, leadership and community in ways that are inclusive, values-driven and responsive to the world around them. We’re not immune to broader cultural shifts, but we can be intentional in how we respond, by listening, educating and empowering students to lead with integrity. 

We’re expanding our programming to support these goals: more leadership development, more prevention education and more opportunities for dialogue across differences. 

Finally, as you step into this new chapter, what’s something you’re most excited to do at Dartmouth? Is there anything on your Hanover bucket list so far? 

HC: I already bought my season tickets for the hockey teams, so I’m definitely excited to cheer on the Big Green! I’ve also heard so much about Dartmouth’s traditions — Winter Carnival, Homecoming and the legendary first snowball fight — and I can’t wait to witness them firsthand. After spending the last six years in Knoxville, I’m really looking forward to embracing all four seasons again and diving into the rhythm of campus life, Hanover, nature and the Upper Valley. 

What excites me most, though, is showing up for students and seeing how they continue to invest in Dartmouth. Whether that is through philanthropic events, community events, new member presentations or taking part in traditional events, this is a community with deep roots and a strong sense of identity. I’m looking forward to learning from it, contributing to it and celebrating all the moments, big and small, that make Dartmouth such a unique place in the woods. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and length. 

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