[10] Although originally established to educate Native Americans in Christian theology and the English way of life, the university primarily trained Congregationalist ministers during its early history before it gradually secularized.

[22] Dartmouth was founded by Eleazar Wheelock, a Yale graduate and Congregational minister from Windham, Connecticut, who had sought to establish a school to train Native Americans as Christian missionaries.

[31] In 1945, Hopkins was subject to no small amount of controversy, as he openly admitted to Dartmouth's practice of using racial quotas to deny Jews entry into the university.

[39] At about the same time, the college adopted its "Dartmouth Plan" of academic scheduling, permitting the student body to increase in size within the existing facilities.

[40] During the 1990s, the college saw a major academic overhaul under President James O. Freedman and a controversial (and ultimately unsuccessful) 1999 initiative to encourage the school's single-sex Greek houses to go coed.

[46] President James Wright announced his retirement in February 2008[47] and was replaced by Harvard University professor and physician Jim Yong Kim on July 1, 2009.

[49] In early August 2019, Dartmouth College agreed to pay nine current and former students a total of $14 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging they were sexually harassed by three former neuroscience professors.

[59] The Government Department similarly includes numerous eminent faculty members, such as Stephen Brooks and William Wohlforth, and is among Dartmouth's most popular majors.

[60] Many departments offer honors programs requiring students seeking that distinction to engage in "independent, sustained work", culminating in the production of a thesis.

[112] In addition to its campus in Hanover, Dartmouth owns 4,500 acres (18 km2) of Mount Moosilauke in the White Mountains[113] and a 27,000-acre (110 km2) tract of land in northern New Hampshire known as the Second College Grant.

The Geisel School of Medicine is located in a complex on the north side of campus[131] and includes laboratories, classrooms, offices, and a biomedical library.

[153] The dormitories varied in design from modern to traditional Georgian styles, and room arrangements range from singles to quads and apartment suites.

[187] Dartmouth also has a number of secret societies, which are student- and alumni-led organizations often focused on preserving the history of the college and initiating service projects.

[55] The college also offers 26 club and intramural sports such as fencing, rugby, water polo, figure skating, boxing, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, and cricket, leading to a 75% participation rate in athletics among the undergraduate student body.

The trustees officially accepted the seal on August 25, 1773, describing it as: An Oval, circumscribed by a Line containing SIGILL: COL: DARTMUTH: NOV: HANT: IN AMERICA 1770. within projecting a Pine Grove on the Right, whence proceed Natives towards an Edifice two Storey on the left; which bears in a Label over the Grove these Words "vox clamantis in deserto" the whole supported by Religion on the Right and Justice on the Left, and bearing in a Triangle irradiate, with the Hebrew Words [El Shaddai], agreeable to the above Impression, be the common Seal under which to pass all Diplomas or Certificates of Degrees, and all other Affairs of Business of and concerning Dartmouth College.

[213] The College Publications Committee commissioned noted typographer William Addison Dwiggins to create a line drawing version of the seal in 1940 that saw widespread use.

On June 9, 1944, the trustees approved another coat of arms based on the shield part of the seal, this one by Canadian artist and designer Thoreau MacDonald.

In 1974, the Trustees declared the "use of the [Indian] symbol in any form to be inconsistent with present institutional and academic objectives of the College in advancing Native American education".

[229] In November 2006, student government attempted to revive the "Dartmoose" as a potential replacement amid renewed controversy surrounding the former unofficial Indian mascot.

Nelson A. Rockefeller, 41st Vice President of the United States and 49th Governor of New York, graduated cum laude from Dartmouth with a degree in economics in 1930.

[251] Other authors and media personalities include CNN Chief White House correspondent and anchor Jake Tapper, novelist and founding editor of The Believer Heidi Julavits, "Dean of rock critics" Robert Christgau, National Book Award winners Louise Erdrich and Phil Klay, novelist/screenwriter Budd Schulberg,[252] political commentator Dinesh D'Souza,[253] radio talk show host Laura Ingraham,[254] commentator Mort Kondracke,[255] and journalist James Panero.

[260] In the area of religion and theology, Dartmouth alumni include priests and ministers Ebenezer Porter, Jonathan Clarkson Gibbs, Caleb Sprague Henry, Arthur Whipple Jenks, Solomon Spalding, and Joseph Tracy; Transcendental Meditation Movement leader John Hagelin; and rabbis Marshall Meyer, Arnold Resnicoff, and David E.

Dartmouth alumni in academia include Stuart Kauffman and Jeffrey Weeks, both recipients of MacArthur Fellowships (commonly called "genius grants").

[270] Educators include founder and first president of Bates College Oren Burbank Cheney (1839);[271] the former chancellor of the University of California, San Diego, Marye Anne Fox (PhD.

Hall Sr. (Hallmark Cards),[282] Douglas Hodge (CEO of PIMCO accused of fraud),[283] Jeffrey R. Immelt (General Electric),[284] Gail Koziara Boudreaux (United Health Care),[285] Grant Tinker (NBC),[286] Greg Maffei (Liberty Media), and Brian Goldner (Hasbro).

[287] In film, entertainment, and television, Dartmouth is represented by David Benioff, co-creator, showrunner, and writer of Game of Thrones; Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal;[288] Budd Schulberg, Academy Award-winning screenwriter of On the Waterfront; Michael Phillips, who won the Academy Award for Best Picture as co-producer of The Sting; Rachel Dratch, a former cast member of Saturday Night Live;[289] Chris Meledandri, executive producer of Ice Age, Horton Hears a Who!, and Despicable Me;[289] writer and director duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller; and the title character of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Fred Rogers.

[290] Other notable film and television figures include Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break),[291] Emmy Award winner Michael Moriarty,[289] Andrew Shue of Melrose Place,[292] Aisha Tyler of Friends and 24, ESPN and Tennis Channel broadcaster Brett Haber,[289] Connie Britton of Spin City and Friday Night Lights, Mindy Kaling of The Office and The Mindy Project,[289] David Harbour of Stranger Things, and Michelle Khare of HBO Max's Karma.

[304][305][306] At the 2024 Olympics, Ariana Ramsey won a bronze medal with the United States women's national rugby sevens team, setting up the game-winning try against Australia.

[308][309] Arthur Shaw,[310] Earl Thomson,[311] Edwin Myers,[310] Marc Wright,[310] Adam Nelson,[301] Gerry Ashworth,[310] and Vilhjálmur Einarsson[310] have all won medals in track and field events.

Former heavyweight rower Dominic Seiterle is a member of the Canadian national rowing team and won a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the men's 8+ event.