Hobart and William Smith Colleges

The Best of Each for the Betterment of All

As Hobart and William Smith embarks on its third century, we do so cognizant of our rich history that informs the present and signals the path to our future.

In 1822, Bishop John Henry Hobart selected Geneva with its bustling community and spectacular lakeside setting as the site for a new college. Although this area was for many centuries the territory of the Onödowáʼga, Bishop Hobart considered Geneva the edge of the “frontier.”

Hobart’s goal was to prepare men for careers largely in the clergy, education and medicine. In the early decades of the institution, there was a notable exception to its graduates: one year after the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention happened just a few miles from campus, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell graduated from Geneva Medical School (a division of Hobart’s precursor, Geneva College). She became the first woman to hold a medical degree in the United States and a pioneer in her field.

It would be the first of many instances when, by chance, grit or strategy, the institution and the people within it advanced an educational model ahead of its time.     

Eighty-six years after the founding of Hobart College, William Smith College was created in a coordinate relationship with Hobart to educate women broadly – not just vocationally.

From the beginning, the two institutions shared the same Board of Trustees, the same president, the same charter and the same faculty. In response to a changing society and the expanded needs of students, Hobart and William Smith evolved from separate classes, admissions, traditions and degrees to gradually lean into one another.

Today, students attend one institution – Hobart and William Smith – with one campus, one faculty and one administration.

1818

John Henry Hobart, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, announces his plans for establishing a college in Geneva.

1822

With the construction of its first building complete, Geneva College opens its doors to students. The all-male college was renamed Hobart College in memory of its founder in 1852.

1829

The first Native American student, Abraham (or Abram) La Fort from the Class of 1829, studied at Geneva College but did not graduate.

1834

Geneva Medical College was founded as a department/subsidiary of Geneva College. The Medical College was here from 1834-1871.

1836

Isaiah George DeGrasee is the first African American student to matriculate at Geneva Medical College.

1844

Peter Wilson, a member of the Cayuga Nation, is the First Native American graduate of Geneva Medical College. He went on to practice medicine, served as an interpreter and was a noted orator.

1849

Elizabeth Blackwell graduates at the top of her class from Geneva Medical College, making her the first woman in America to receive the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

1852

In honor of its founder, Geneva College is renamed Hobart College.

1879

The Hobart Herald, the student newspaper, begins as a monthly publication.

1894

Barnabas Tokutaro Sakai, from Nagoya, Japan, is the first Asian student to graduate from Hobart. He went on to graduate from the Harvard University Divinity School.

1906

Geneva Nurseryman William Smith signs a deed of gift that establishes William Smith College – a “Coordinate School for Women.” The college enrolled its first class of 18 students two years later. The two colleges – Hobart for men and William Smith for women – share the same faculty, facilities and administration yet take classes separately.

1922

The first joint commencement is held, eroding some of the strict separations between Hobart College for men and William Smith College for women.

1932

Rev. Dr. Alger L. Adams'32, D.D.'83 went on to become an Episcopal clergyman and the editor and publisher of The Westchester County Press.

1938

All classes become coeducational.

1942

Mildred Constance Li '42 is the first Asian American student to attend and graduate from William Smith College. She went to Saranac Lake in 1945 seeking a cure from tuberculosis. After her marriage to William G. Distin, Jr., she helped him manage Branch and Callanan, the family sawmill and construction business, from 1953 until 1993, and the Distin Boat Company. The couple were hosts for the 1980 Winter Olympics, entertaining visiting VIPs at Whiteface and other venues.

1943

Hobart College contracts with the Department of the Navy to establish a unit of the Naval V-12 program on campus, ensuring adequate enrollments for the Colleges during the war years.

Eleanor Merrill '44 is the first woman editor of The Herald.

During the administration of President John Milton Potter, William Smith College was elevated from its original status as a department of Hobart College to that of an independent college on equal footing with Hobart.

1945

A new curriculum known to students as “Western Civ” is established, the core of which is a sequence of “coordinate courses” dealing with the history, philosophy and literature of Western civilization and its social and political institutions.

1952

Gloria Robinson Lowry '52 is the first African American student to matriculate and graduate from William Smith College.

1956

Eunice Corbin '57 is the first African American woman to hold an elected office at William Smith College where she served as the secretary of her class.

1958

On the occasion of William Smith College’s 50th anniversary, the first Elizabeth Blackwell Award is presented to medical missionary Gwendolyn Grant Mellon.

1962

The yearbooks are combined (“Echo” and “Pine” becomes “Echo & Pine”).

1961

Hobart and William Smith’s team on television’s General Electric Bowl retires undefeated.

1969

HWS is one of the first colleges in the country to offer Women's Studies as a major.

1970

WEOS (W – Echo of Seneca), which was established somewhere between 1947 and 1949, is converted from AM to FM and begins broadcasting a variety of live and recorded music, news and sports, including programming from NPR.

The Koshare Dance Collective debuts on the Bartlett Theatre stage. Today, Koshare is held at the Smith Opera House and draws nearly 2,000 attendees.

A year after legislation establishes the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) at independent colleges and universities in New York State, the Colleges found an Office dedicated to HEOP. In 2006, the Governor and the Legislature approve a name change in honor of the important role former Assemblyman Arthur O. Eve P'89, L.H.D. '10 played in increasing access to higher education in New York State.

After much lobbying by students and faculty, the Colleges approve a Black Studies Program, making it one of the first in the nation.

1971

Wendy D. Puriefoy '71 was elected to the Board of Trustees as the first student trustee -- a position that has continued at the Colleges for more than 40 years. She again served on HWS Board of Trustees from 1992-94.

1973

An organization called The Third World Coalition is established by students to address racism on campus. The group comprises African American, Latino and Asian students.

1976

LAO is created to raise awareness of Latin American culture on campus through various programs and events.

1986

A new curriculum, to take effect for the classes of 1990, includes distribution requirements for courses in each academic division; a first-year “Ways of Knowing” course; sophomore-year disciplinary courses; and a strong recommendation of off-campus study, preferably abroad, during the junior year.

1988

Currently known as Sankofa, the Black Student Union, the organization is founded to promote education and awareness of the black diaspora through programs and events.

1992

The two separate admissions offices and staffs are unified to streamline and strengthen processes and enrollment decisions.

1995

The Peer Education In Human Relations minor is created to educate students on issues of privilege and oppression. It includes a student certification component giving students the ability to facilitate dialogue.

1998

The Fisher Center for the Study of Gender and Justice is founded. Through curricular, programmatic and scholarly projects, the Center encourages the HWS community to explore the important issues facing men and women of our time. A men’s studies minor, the first in the nation, is offered.

1999

The Caribbean Student Association is formed to celebrate the richness of Caribbean culture through educational and social events.

2000

The President’s Forum Speaker Series is launched and kicks off with a discussion on public service and volunteerism from Hillary Clinton.

The Afro Latino And Alumni And Alumnae Association (ALAA) promotes the interests of HWS and its Afro Latino Alumni and Alumnae and partners with the president, Board of Trustees, Directors of Alumni and Alumnae Relations, Office of Development, and the Hobart Alumni Association and William Smith College Alumnae Association in order to strengthen relations among the Colleges and alumni and alumnae of color.

The Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, later renamed Asian Studies, is formed to acquaint students with cultural elements that are unique to Asia while providing a firm foundation for further study.

2002

Hobart and William Smith Colleges become the first college or university in the United States to offer an undergraduate major in the field of LGBT/Queer Studies. Today, The LGBT Studies program at HWS continues to grow and evolve.

The Finger Lakes Institute, an organization dedicated to the promotion of environmental research and education about the Finger Lakes region, is established and housed at 601 South Main Street in Geneva.

2006

Ontario ARC partners with Hobart and William Smith to offer the College Experience program designed to offer students with developmental disabilities access to college courses and college life.

Founded in 2006, the First Generation Initiative was established to ensure that first-generation students have academic, social and co-curricular guidance; have visibility as a group on campus; graduate; and take advantage of the resources and opportunities that HWS offers, both during and after their undergraduate years. In 2018, the First Generation Initiative recently welcomed its inaugural alumni speaker, HWS Board Chair Thomas S. Bozzuto '68, who established the Bozzuto Family First-Generation Endowed Scholarship with a $1 million gift.

The Division of Student Affairs is united to provide oversight of athletics, residential education, student wellness and disciplinary procedures. 

2007

HWS President Mark D. Gearan signs the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, making Hobart and William Smith Colleges a charter member of an effort to reduce emissions of gases responsible for global warming.

President Mark D. Gearan L.H.D. '17 convenes the Commission on Inclusive Excellence committee to consider ways to engender a more inclusive community at Hobart and William Smith.

The Abbe Center for Jewish Life provides an environment for people of Jewish faith or with Jewish interests to gather and socialize, and to celebrate Shabbat and other Jewish holidays.

2008

In commemoration of the William Smith Centennial, the Centennial Center for Leadership is established at 603 South Main Street as an innovative space where HWS students can gain access to coursework, presentations, workshops and community projects that deepen their understanding of leadership.

2010

The Arts Experience is a partnership of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and the Collaborative of the Finger Lakes. The festival is an opportunity for participants, including people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, the college community, and the general public to explore various means of expression through the arts.

2012

Campaign for the Colleges raises more than $205 million, making it the largest and most comprehensive fundraising effort in the Colleges’ history. In total, $74 million was added to the endowment, creating more than 90 new student scholarships, three new endowed professorships and 57 new endowed funds supporting programs in technology, public service and internships. The Campaign also allowed the Colleges to embark on a comprehensive campus revitalization initiative, constructing six new buildings and significantly renovating 22 others, as well as provided support for innovative programs that are housed in the new Rosensweig Learning Commons, the Finger Lakes Institute, and the Centennial Center for Leadership.

The Muslim Student Center is established to provide an environment for prayer and community engagement among Muslim students, faculty and staff.

2013

The Race and Racism coalition is created by students to engage in dialogues to improve cultural and institutional ideas about and responses to issues of race on campus and in society.

2014

The Culture of Respect Committee's mission is to examine, research and offer recommendations designed to cultivate a culture of respect within five focus areas: 1) safety and wellness, 2) campus facilities, 3) history and heritage, 4) dialogue across differences and 5) the curriculum review. 

2016

The new Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, named in honor of President Mark D. Gearan and Mary Herlihy Gearan, opens on campus. The facility provides academic and performance space for the departments of music, dance, theatre, and media and society.

2017

The longest serving president in the history of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Mark D. Gearan L.H.D. '17 retired at the end of the 2016-17 academic year. Dr. Gregory J. Vincent '83 was appointed the 27th President of Hobart College and the 16th of William Smith College in April of 2017.

The LGBTQ+ Resource Center, located on the first floor of de Cordova Hall, offers a safe, physical space for students and organizations to meet and find campus and community resources; the Center provides campus with programming and outreach initiatives to support and educate on the unique needs of LGBTQ+ community members. Its opening coincides with the 15th anniversary of Hobart and William Smith's LGBT Studies program, the first of its kind in the country.

2018

Professor Emeritus of Economics of Hobart and William Smith Colleges Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D.'12 is appointed as Interim President while a national search for a new president is conducted.

2019

Joyce P. Jacobsen becomes the first woman to lead Hobart and William Smith, marking a historic milestone in institutional leadership.

Outreach to alumni is combined to one director level position. 

2020

Under Jacobsen’s leadership, HWS rapidly pivots to accommodate in-person and remote learning during COVID-19, maintaining continuity of instruction and student support through an unprecedented period of disruption.

Beginning with the Class of 2020, students gain the option of a unified diploma reading “Hobart and William Smith Colleges.”

One centralized Department of Athletics and Recreation is created to oversee the Herons and the Statesmen.

2022

Mark D. Gearan returns as president following Jacobsen’s move to the faculty as Professor of Economics.

HWS celebrates the Bicentennial of Hobart College.

2022-2026

HWS experiences exceptional momentum in both enrollment and philanthropy, including some of the largest fundraising years in history, multiple years surpassing $100 million raised, major transformational gifts and strong incoming classes. HWS also launches the $400 million “Further Together” campaign.

2023-2025

The Hobart Statesmen men’s ice hockey team wins three consecutive NCAA Division III national championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025, becoming one of the premier programs in Division III athletics.

2024

The Deans Offices are united to create the Office of the Hobart and William Smith Deans.

After a vote of students, the student governments are united to create the HWS Student Government.

Through the generosity of Honorary Trustee Cynthia Gelsthorpe Fish ’82, L.H.D. ’23 and John F. Fish, a new, integrated science center will be named The Fish Center for the Sciences. Their $25 million gift will support the construction of a new building that will provide physical facilities that allow for collaboration across disciplines. The building is scheduled to open in the fall of 2027. 

2024-2025

Any remaining college-specific traditions are united and the Alumni and Alumnae Associations vote to move forward with the process of combining into one Association. Student Trustee elections are combined so that the two students with the highest number of votes will serve on the Board of Trustees. 

2025

HWS is designated as a “Research Colleges and Universities” institution, recognizing its commitment to undergraduate research and scholarly distinction.

Gearan announces an unprecedented $70 million gift to Hobart and William Smith from longtime Trustee L. Thomas Melly ’52, L.H.D. ’02 and Judith Hershey Melly L.H.D. ’16. The gift is the largest donation in HWS history, driving academic innovation, expanding access and affordability for students, and supporting strategic initiatives. It also marks one of the largest contributions to a college or university in 2024.