Edward Kim, who began in early April as the interim assistant dean and advisor to the Pan-Asian community in the office of pluralism and leadership, will serve in that role through the end of June. His appointment followed the departure of former assistant dean Aeriel Ashlee, who left for medical reasons. OPAL has put together a search committee and hopes to fill the position this summer.
Ashlee’s departure follows several years of high turnover in OPAL. The Pan-Asian community has seen three advisors in the past two years: former Asian and Asian-American students advisor Nora Yasumura, Ashlee and Kim.
The office of Pan-Asian student advising, which falls under OPAL and comprises an advisor and three student interns, organizes programming for the Pan-Asian community, supports student groups and serves as a bridge between students and alumni.
In the middle of winter term, Ashlee petitioned for medical leave, which she then extended for a few months. In mid-April, she notified OPAL that she would not be returning to her position at the College, office of Pan-Asian student advising intern Devin Chu ’14 said.
Chu and fellow intern Taha Adib ’14 said Ashlee’s departure increased their workloads, as the interns took on responsibility for programming and managing the Pan-Asian community groups, Adib said.
“[Ashlee] was a tremendous advisor to us and to many members of the Dartmouth community,” Chu said. “Her departure definitely affected the momentum our team had going, but we’ve definitely tried our best to stay focused and do our jobs.”
Kim came to OPAL from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, where he worked as a performance consultant associate in the human resources development team. As interim advisor, Kim oversees student advising and plans events.
His experience with project management and working with diverse communities made him a good candidate for the job, Kim said.
As interim assistant dean, Kim said that he hopes he will be able to provide opportunities for students to engage in high-quality events at the College.
He noted that he was astonished by the level of support the interns provide, saying that their work has enabled the office to help the over 20 Pan-Asian-related organizations it oversees with management and programming.
“Our interns are absolutely amazing,” he said. “I didn’t realize how exceptional they were until I had the chance to work with them.”
Chu and Adib said that although Kim has had little time to learn about his position, he has made a large effort to meet students. Kim has focused his work on projects that can be completed quickly and yield positive effects, Chu said.
“Ed has really entered into the position with a lot of grace and tact,” Adib said. “He’s made a lot of effort to get to know the interns and community.”
Kim said that following his time as interim assistant dean, he plans to continue connecting with students, alumni and colleagues.
Ashlee was not available for comment by press time.
