Dartmouth president is President's pick

Once again, it has been a busy month, and I find that this space is updated far less frequently than I would like. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention that on Friday, President of the United States Barack Obama nominated President of Dartmouth College Jim Yong Kim to lead the World Bank. The current head of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, ends his term on June 30th. There is no guarantee that President Kim will succeed Zoellick, but given the U.S.'s influence in the selection of the World Bank chiefs, it seems unlikely that he would not.

In an email sent to undergraduates and alumni, President Kim wrote, "When I assumed the presidency of Dartmouth, I did so with the full and deep belief that the mission of higher education is to prepare us for lives of leadership and service in our professions and communities ... the prospect of leaving Dartmouth at this stage is very difficult. Nevertheless, should the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors elect me as the next president, I will embrace the responsibility."

While no one seems to be addressing the question, "What does a physician know about finance?" I'm nevertheless delighted for President Kim. We never overlapped at Dartmouth, but his nomination nevertheless reflects well on the institution as a whole, and I am, as always, proud to be Green.