Dartmouth's distinctive strength

Dear members of the Dartmouth community,
 
Today, on the first day of my presidency, I want to thank you all for welcoming me into the community over the past several months and reflect briefly on some of what I have heard from you about what makes Dartmouth special and how we can work together to enhance Dartmouth's impact and contributions.
 
In the last 10 months, I have had hundreds of conversations with faculty, students, staff, trustees, alumni, parents and those who live in Hanover and the surrounding communities. Some of these have been in large groups, many have been one-on-one.You have helped me understand how Dartmouth's strong self-identity and remarkable spirit provide a unique foundation for your growth and accomplishments. We share, of course, this inspirational place. We are distinguished, too, by our size, scale, and scope: an institution that is small enough to provide all of our students with direct access to world-class faculty, staff and resources, yet large enough to have the infrastructure and expertise that marks the world's greatest universities.
 
There is also a rare ethos that animates all of your work—a powerful belief that every one of you has the ability to change the world, the responsibility to provide wise leadership to a society that needs it, and a dedication to developing the next generation of leaders.
 
Perhaps most striking, is that, over and over, I have heard that Dartmouth's potential for greatness emerges at its intersections and connections—where faculty and students work side-by-side, where scholarship and discovery cross boundaries and transcend disciplines within a tightly-knit community. I've heard about compelling examples of this kind of innovative work at Geisel, Guarini, Thayer, Tuck, the Arts & Sciences, and often in the collaborations among these units. It is at these intersections that I see the greatest potential to discover new opportunities and address some of the most important challenges of our time.
 
I have so much more to learn and there is no question that despite all of Dartmouth's strengths, there is a lot of work to do. Dartmouth can be an engine for hope and change—especially at a time when fear and dissension color much of our public discourse. I find tremendous opportunity in the way we join intellectual rigor with practical impact, in service of the Dartmouth community and the world. I take heart in the big tent Dartmouth provides for different points of view, and the brave spaces it creates for the exchange of ideas. And I'm invigorated by the possibilities ahead to continue to support the health and well-being of all who call Dartmouth home.
 
I begin my time here with a deep sense of that hope, and a profound gratitude—to President Hanlon for his leadership and generosity throughout this transition, to the trustees who have put their confidence in me and the senior leadership team, and to all of you who have so warmly welcomed me. I am so proud to be a member of the Dartmouth community.
 
Sincerely,

Sian Leah Beilock
President