Opening Convocation: Jimmy Kolker '70

Carleton’s opening convocation is an annual all-college assembly celebrating the beginning of the academic year and recognizing academic achievement. This year's address will be given by Jimmy Kolker (Carleton Class of 1970), Chief of the HIV/AIDS Section at UNICEF's New York headquarters. In this position, Kolker provides leadership and coordination of UNICEF's work on HIV and AIDS at the global level. Prior to joining UNICEF, Kolker served as Deputy Global AIDS Coordinator in the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, which leads implementation of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. He served in numerous political reporting and management assignments during his 30-year diplomatic career with the U.S. Department of State, including positions as U.S. Ambassador to Uganda and Burkina Faso, as Deputy Chief of Mission in Denmark and Botswana, and additional posts in Britain, Sweden, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. In his address, Kolker reflected on his experience of living an international life, and about the liberal arts as preparation for a career that doesn't yet exist (since there were no AIDS experts when Kolker graduated from Carleton 40 years ago). The title of his address was "Why Carleton Is a Good Place to Start Your International Career."