Phi Beta Kappa at Hobart and William Smith spans more than 150 years and has featured notable inductees including Alger Adams '32, D.D., '83, the first Black student to graduate from the institution, President Franklin D. Roosevelt L.H.D. '29 and Carrie James '92, the co-director and principal investigator for Harvard University's Project Zero. Established as the Zeta chapter of New York in 1871, students inducted into the society demonstrate excellent academic standing, breadth of academic studies and intellectual curiosity.
Coach, educator make memorable impacts on graduating seniors.
Building on a research foundation developed at HWS, Kayla Liszewski ’21 has completed award-winning research while earning a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in epidemiology.
Thanks to Hobart and William Smith’s strong science and liberal arts programs, Dr. Arnold Cohen ’71, P’05 says the education he received at HWS was the best preparation for attending medical school and becoming a physician.
Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 as a secret society at the College of William and Mary. Over the next 200 years, it expanded and continued to grow to more than 290 college campuses across the country with more than 500,000 members.
The Zeta chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at Hobart and William Smith holds a long, inclusive history, accepting students regardless of race and gender. The chapter was founded in 1871, making it the 23rd in the state. In 2021, the Zeta chapter celebrated its 150th anniversary.
Each year, Phi Beta Kappa awards two book prizes to members of the sophomore class who have the highest grade point average. These prizes are endowed by former Chair of the Board of Trustees Maureen Collins Zupan ’72, P’09, L.H.D. ’16 and Dr. Arnold Cohen ’71, P’05.
The Zeta chapter of Phi Beta Kappa features many notable members including President Franklin D. Roosevelt L.H.D. '29 who was inducted when he was a Commencement speaker in 1929. The Rev. Alger Adams '32, D.D. '83, the first Black student to graduate from Hobart and William Smith, is also a member. Adams cherished his Phi Beta Kappa pin, and in 2023 the possession was gifted to the institution by his daughter Patricia Adams. More recent inductees include Carrie James '92, the co-director and principal investigator at Harvard' Graduate School's Project Zero and Caterina Caiazza '05, the assistant vice president for career and personal development at the Golisano Institute for Business Entrepreneurship.
President
Professor of Physics
Vice President
Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science
Secretary
Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations and Legislative Affairs
Treasurer
Associate Professor of Russian Area Studies
