“Most every college president has to get up and say it’s important to go off and change the world,” says Dartmouth economist Jonathan S. Skinner. “But there aren’t many college presidents who’ve gone out and have changed the world.”

Today, President Obama named Jim Yong Kim, the current President of Dartmouth College, as his nominee as the next head of the World Bank.

Kim is perhaps most well-known for his global health innovations alongside Paul Farmer and Partners in Health in Haiti and Rwanda. He is a physician and anthropologist by training, who led the first large-scale treatment program for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in Peru. His leadership has seen this treatment program expand to forty developing countries around the world. Many were surprised when this man with extensive public health knowledge, but little exposure in financial and political forums, was selected for such a high-profile international position in a bank.

For us, Kim’s appointment is an indication that the world is recognizing the depth of leadership and bold tenacity that social entrepreneurs utilize to bring big, revolutionizing change. But, even more so, it reminds us that positions are no longer confined to a particular background, or path—leadership can come from a variety of experiences, a winding journey, and a background that may not be so traditional.

Tim Geithner, the U.S. Treasury Secretary said, “Development…is his passion. And in a world with so much potential to improve living standards, we have a unique opportunity to harness that passion and experience at the helm of the World Bank.”

What if we all had an opportunity to connect our passions with what we do each and every day?

Congratulations to Dr. Kim—we are grateful for the path he continues to create for all of us who have a passion to change the world.

Image source: National Institute of Health