Alumnus and Chief of HIV/AIDS at UNICEF to Deliver Opening Convocation at Carleton College

Carleton College will celebrate the beginning of its new academic year with an opening convocation presented by distinguished alumnus, Jimmy Kolker, Carleton Class of 1970, on Monday, Sept. 13, 2010, at 3 p.m. in the College’s Skinner Memorial Chapel. Since 2007, Kolker has served as the Chief of the HIV/AIDS Section at UNICEF’s New York headquarters, providing leadership and coordination of UNICEF’s work on HIV and AIDS at the global level.

Entitled “Why Carleton Is a Good Place to Start Your International Career,” Kolker’s address will reflect on his international experiences, and how the preparation he received through a liberal arts education at Carleton helped forge the path for a career that, while still a student, did not yet exist, as diplomatic experts on AIDS were unheard of at the time he graduated 40 years ago. Kolker’s presentation is free and open to the public.

Prior to joining UNICEF, Kolker served as Deputy Global AIDS Coordinator in the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC), which leads implementation of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Kolker’s 30-year diplomatic career with the U.S. Department of State has included numerous political reporting and management assignments. He was U.S. Ambassador to Uganda (2002-2005) and to Burkina Faso (1999-2002). Prior to his service as Ambassador, he also served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Denmark (1996-1999) and Botswana (1990-1994). Other overseas posts were in Britain, Sweden, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. He is the recipient of State Department awards for political reporting and for developing Foreign Service talent and mentoring subordinates.

Kolker earned a BA in political science from Carleton College in 1970 and then spent time in Africa (1970-71), after being awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Kolker later received a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1983. He speaks French, Swedish, and Portuguese. For more information on Kolker, and UNICEF’s efforts around the world, visit www.unicef.org.

The Skinner Memorial Chapel is located on First and College Streets in Northfield, Minnesota, on the Carleton College Campus. For more information regarding the convocation, including disability accommodations, please contact the Carleton College Office of College Relations at (507) 222-4308.

Photo Credit:

© UNICEF/NYHQ2008-1235/Markisz