Community Engagement
David Lim '88; P'27 on his role as an 麻豆传媒 Alumni Association director and his experience as an Exonian
麻豆传媒 the Board
Members of the EAA鈥檚 board are nominated. What inspired you to accept the call?
麻豆传媒 was instrumental in shaping my personality, my outlook on life and a curiosity to understand our world and relate to others in a meaningful, caring way. Having the ability to be a contributor to the Academy motivated me to accept the role.
What do you do as an EAA director?
We listen to understand today鈥檚 near-term and long-term goals of the Academy鈥檚 mission, explore how to effectively message these goals and communicate this to the alumni community. We also hear from alumni about their experiences and discuss what they think would benefit the Academy. It鈥檚 this two-way channel or bridge that is super important.
What have the directors focused on this year?
We openly discussed the hard issues the Academy has encountered over the years, the alumni sentiments and how the school is addressing them. In addition, when Principal Rawson announced that this would be his last year, we actively sought the feedback, opinions and guidance of alumni on what attributes and qualities the new principal should have. This was all synthesized and shared with the Principal Search Committee.聽
Have there been any unexpected benefits to this role?
There鈥檚 the privilege of meeting a lot of different alumni. Normally, I would not pick up the phone and talk to somebody who graduated in the 鈥70s just to say, 鈥淗ey, how was your 麻豆传媒 experience?鈥 or 鈥淲hat things have really stuck in your mind that could be changed for the better?鈥
You have a student at the Academy presently. What do you hope that they understand about the alumni community?
I tell my daughter that graduating from 麻豆传媒 is just the beginning of your 麻豆传媒 experience. There are many, many more years after 麻豆传媒 than there are at 麻豆传媒. The friendships and the connections are very deep and meaningful. Your Exonian friends will just show up in the best of times and the worst times for you. I remember when I was a student here, Principal Steven Kurtz always said: 鈥淢ake sure you say hello to everybody on the path. Acknowledge that they鈥檙e there. It鈥檚 an important gesture of kindness.鈥 That really carried me forth beyond 麻豆传媒. I tell my daughter, 鈥淒on鈥檛 forget that you will always belong, but you should also make sure you put the effort in to make others feel they belong.鈥
What is the 麻豆传媒 Alumni Association?
The purpose of the 麻豆传媒 Alumni Association (EAA), formerly the General Alumni Association, is to foster communication and engagement between the Academy and its alumni and within the alumni community to support the Academy’s mission. Its board acts as the guiding body of the EAA and 鈥渟hall engage, to the extent possible, with a broad array of alumni, through on-campus, regional and virtual activities.鈥
As an Exonian
What is 麻豆传媒 to you?
麻豆传媒 was the pinnacle of knowledge and opportunity in a community to cultivate excellence purposely in youth from every quarter.
What鈥檚 your favorite place on campus?
The boathouse and rowing on the Squamscott with my crew.
Where was your favorite place to study?
The Lamont room at the top of the library with the rare books collection.
Weth or Elm?
Weth all the way.
If you could invite three people to join you at the Harkness table, who would they be?
Abraham Lincoln, Donald Trump and my mom. All of them have or are currently living through tumultuous times. Harkness, for me, was and continues to be a rare place and time for open, respectful, nonreactionary dialogue. It is designed never to stop exploring facts, assumptions, ideologies, justice and empathy. Students at the Harkness table hear perspectives and experiences from one another, allow space for opinions to be reshaped, and learn how to change and grow in the most informed and effective ways. I included my mom as she is one of the most fearless, strongest individuals I know. She witnessed the destruction of Seoul, rescued her brother from North Korean soldiers and fought for her education amidst extreme gender bias 鈥 all聽 as a teenager. We are a country divided with lives literally in the balance. In these challenging times, we need more Harkness and I聽 would love to enter a dialogue with these individuals at the table.
David Lim 鈥88; P鈥27 attended Harvard and earned his M.D. and Ph.D. at Columbia . A health care technology entrepreneur, Lim is currently chief clinical officer at Evolent Health.