An ethnic Korean has been inaugurated as the 17th president of Dartmouth College, becoming the first Asian-American to be named the head of an Ivy League school.

During Jim Yong Kim’s inauguration at the Dartmouth campus in Hanover, New Hampshire, he said he’ll continue the proud tradition of Dartmouth’s pursuit of intellect and liberty and assure that the school produces globally influential students.

The Wednesday inauguration began with a performance by a traditional Korean band and included a congratulatory message by President Lee Myung-bak, who is currently visiting the U.S.

Born in Seoul, Kim moved with his family to the U.S. at five years old. He studied at Brown University and received his doctorate at Harvard. He was a Harvard professor for 20 years and has been recognized internationally for his work to improve the health care systems of developing nations.