MORE INFO
For more information about bringing a computer to campus, visit the Computer Guidelines.
For more information about the Fisher Center or its lecture series, visit their homepage.
To learn more about Career Services, visit the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education.
To learn about additional student services, visit the Student Life section of our website.
2016-2018 CATALOGUE
To browse the 2016-2018 Catalogue online as a PDF, click here.
2014-2016 CATALOGUE
To browse the 2014-2016 Catalogue online as a PDF, click here.
2012-2014 CATALOGUE
To browse the 2012-2014 Catalogue online as a PDF, click here.
2010-2012 CATALOGUE
To browse the 2010-2012 Catalogue online as a PDF, click here.
2008-2010 CATALOGUE
To browse the 2008-2010 Catalogue online as a PDF, click here.
2006-2008 CATALOGUE
The 2006-2008 Catalogue is still available online as a PDF. To browse it, click here.
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COURSE CATALOGUE : THE CAMPUS
Hobart and William Smith’s 320-acre campus is located on the western shore of Seneca Lake in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region. The campus and surrounding community provide an ideal setting for exploring ideas and establishing close and lasting partnerships with students, faculty and staff.
Campus facilities include more than 85 student residences, 48 classroom and administrative buildings, a library, one dining hall, three cafés, a pub, two gymnasia, a sport and recreation center, a performing arts center, numerous athletics fields, several computer labs, a studio arts center, an intercultural center, a chapel, a career center, an infirmary, a theatre, a student activities center, a post office, a bookstore, a radio station, and a boathouse with docking facilities.
In January of 2016, Hobart and William Smith celebrated the grand opening of the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, an extraordinary 65,000-square-foot facility that brings together music, dance, theatre and media and society in a unified academic space. The building stands at the center of campus activity, aligned by a walkway that connects to the steps of the Scandling Campus Center. Through the Gearan Center's main entrance, the soaring L. Thomas Melly '52 Lobby, named for Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees L. Thomas Melly '52, L.H.D.'02 and his wife Judith H. Melly, invites those on the first floor to experience connections to theatre, music and dance by way of performance spaces as well as a film-screening room for media and society. The second floor features academic spaces for theatre and dance, as well as faculty offices. Primarily dedicated to music, the third floor includes classrooms, practice spaces and faculty offices. The entire facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and all of the performance spaces and classrooms are designed as smart rooms, enhancing the student-learning experience. The facility is the largest capital project in the history of the Colleges.
In 2016, the Colleges completed the Richard S. Perkin Observatory, a teaching and outreach facility that provides students with opportunities to observe and photograph objects trillions of miles from Earth. Located adjacent to the Katherine D. Elliott Studio Arts Center, the 38 by 24-square-foot facility includes both a temperature-controlled “warm room” that can be used year-round, as well as an observatory space where the telescope will be located. The facility is named in honor of Richard S. Perkin, co-founder of the Perkin-Elmer Corporation. The Colleges received two institutional grants from The Perkin Fund to support its construction.
The 83,000-square-foot Caird Center for Sport and Recreation, designed to meet the recreational needs of the entire campus community, coordinates intramural teams, houses an indoor track, several tennis and basketball courts, a weight room, racquetball courts, squash courts, a classroom, and a multi-purpose exercise room, as well as offices for the Outdoor Recreation Adventure and Recreation, Intramurals, and Fitness programs. The 1,500-seat state-of-the-art H. J. McCooey Memorial Field artificial turf stadium, completed during the fall of 2000, includes lights and a press box.
The third floor of Houghton House hosts the Architectural Studies program, renovated in 2009 by a generous gift from Ridgway H. White ’02. The expansive facilities include two architectural design studios; a computer lab outfitted with graphic and digital drafting software, a large scale plotter, scanners and color printers; a library for sustainable materials samples, design and urban planning periodicals, and reference books; a working gallery for the display of current student work; and a critique room for student presentations, space and equipment for professional studio photography sessions, and special events such as film screenings and architecture student society (American Institute of Architecture Students) meetings.
The Warren Hunting Smith Library was renovated in 2008 to include the addition of the Rosensweig Learning Commons, which combines services as well as staff from the library, the Information Technology department and the Center for Teaching and Learning to create a cohesive environment that enables complex learning, deep exploration, and rigorous intellectual pursuit. In addition to the availability of a large number of Mac and Windows computers, Smart Boards, LCD screens and study areas, nearly every piece of furniture on the first floor is wired for power and connectivity so that students can flexibly move from space to space with laptops.
The Centennial Center for Leadership (CCL) serves as an umbrella for existing leadership initiatives across campus, guiding students in understanding the concept of leadership, creating opportunities for them to study with experienced and successful women leaders, and providing them with empirical leadership-building opportunities. CCL is located at 603 South Main St. in a lakeview building renovated in 2008.
The Scandling Campus Center is the focal point for student activity on campus, providing space for study needs, campus dining, meetings and other gatherings. Completely renovated and expanded in 2008 as part of Campaign for the Colleges, the Center houses a café, student activities center, recreation room, post office, radio station and event space as well as lounge areas and an outdoor terrace. The Center is the hub of student life on campus as well as a pride point for Hobart and William Smith, showcasing athletics trophies, student honors, and other displays throughout the year.
The Katherine D. Elliott Studio Arts Center, named after lead donor Katherine D. Elliott ’66, L.H.D. ’08, a member of the Board of Trustees since 1997, was completed in 2006, expanding the art and architecture programs with 14,600-square-feet of classrooms, offices, wood and metal shops, and studios for painting, photography and printing.
Two new residence halls were completed in 2006, adding exercise rooms, a game area, a Starbucks café, and more than 175 student beds. The new spaces, named Caird and de Cordova in honor of lead donors James ’56 and Cynthia Caird and Arthur de Cordova ’56, were profiled in The New York Times at the start of the 2005-2006 academic year, and have garnered an award for the architect. Carr-McGuire residence hall, named for Trustee Carolyn Carr-McGuire ’78 and her husband Terry McGuire ’78, and the Abbe Center for Jewish Life, named in honor of Trustee Richard K. Abbe ’92, were renovated in 2007, providing a kosher kitchen, conference space, and a guest suite for Professionals in Residence. Additionally, the primary first-year residence halls, Jackson, Potter and Rees Halls, were renovated in 2005 to include quad living spaces and open lounge spaces on every floor.
In 2006, renovation of the Goldstein Family Carriage House was financed in part by a $1.25 million gift from the Sheldon and Ruth Goldstein Foundation, in honor of the couple’s granddaughters, Sara Nargiso ’07 and Rachel Nargiso ’04. Originally constructed in 1913, the historic building’s repointed brick façade and new roof preserve the charm of the Houghton House Estate. The renovated Carriage House includes a digital imaging lab and a photo studio with a dark room for black and white photography. The building fosters the artistic community of HWS art and architecture students with a studio to display and critique images.
In January 2004, renovations were completed on Trinity Hall, the second-oldest building on the HWS campus. Now known as the Salisbury Center at Trinity Hall, named in honor of lead donor and former Chair of the HWS Board of Trustees Charles H. Salisbury Jr. ’63, P’94, L.H.D. ’08, the completely renovated structure is home to the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education, the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning and the Center for Global Education.
The Finger Lakes Institute opened at 601 S. Main St. in 2004. The renovations were made possible through a $1 million grant from the State of New York. The Finger Lakes Institute functions as a center for research, outreach and education dedicated to the 11 Finger Lakes.
As noted in the campus master plan as part of Campaign for the Colleges and the HWS 2005 and HWS 2010 strategic plans, a number of facilities have been created and renovated during the past several years, including Stern Hall, a new classroom and office building for the social sciences, named in honor of lead donor Hon. Herbert J. Stern ’58, LL.D. ’74, P’03, which was completed in 2003. Also in 2003, the Bozzuto Boathouse and Dock, named in honor of the father of Trustee Thomas Bozzuto ’68, was completed, providing a home to the nationally-ranked HWS sailing team and the Colleges’ Outdoor Recreation Adventure Program.
The decade of the 1990s brought many new and renovated facilities to campus. Rosenberg Hall is a 35,000-square-foot research and teaching building offering the latest in scientific facilities and equipment, and the adjacent Napier Classroom Center provides four modern classrooms available for use by all departments of the Colleges. Renovations were also made at Winn-Seeley Gymnasium, which houses facilities and offices for William Smith athletics. Portions of Bristol Gymnasium, Hobart athletics headquarters, were also refurbished.
The L. Thomas Melly Academic Center doubles as both an expansion of the existing Warren Hunting Smith Library and a home for high-tech information-research resources at the Colleges. In addition to new space for stacks, studying, and lounges, the building houses a computer classroom for tutoring in online research, and various other computer clusters and computer-outfitted conference rooms.
The Melly Center is named for Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees L. Thomas Melly '52, L.H.D.'02, who completed 10 years of board chairmanship as the building was being dedicated in 1998.
Technology Support
Since residential spaces are fully equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi access to networked resources, including Internet and e-mail applications, the vast majority of students at the Colleges bring a personal computing device with them.
Complementary to the high-speed access to network resources in the residential halls, the Colleges maintain computer laboratories that provide students access to basic word processing, spreadsheet, and graphic capabilities as well as high-end applications, such as geographic information systems.
William A. Barron Jr. '51 Multimedia Lab
Located in the Warren Hunting Smith Library, The William A. Barron Jr. ’51 Multimedia Lab is a Windows computer lab. It also serves as the campus’ 24-hour computer lab, open for student use throughout the academic year. It has public printers that students may use with their print credits.
Windows Lab in Rosenberg Hall
A Windows-based computer laboratory is in the lower level of Rosenberg Hall (Rosenberg 009). The laboratory contains 21 Apple iMac computers, which contain various software applications and are connected to printers that students may use with their print credits. The lab is open to the Colleges’ community during periods when classes are not scheduled. Evening hours vary and are posted on the door.
Apple Lab in Gulick Hall
An Apple-based computer laboratory is located on the second floor of Gulick Hall (Gulick 208A). The laboratory contains 24 Apple computers, which are completely networked and contain various software applications, and are connected to printers that students may use with their print credits. The lab is open to the Colleges’ community during periods when classes are not scheduled. Evening hours vary and are posted on the door.
Center for Teaching and Learning
The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) provides a variety of programs and resources both to promote a love of learning and encourage student engagement. CTL provides the academic services students need to succeed in college and beyond.
Teaching Fellows
The Teaching Fellows (TF) Program provides ongoing, quality-controlled, timely learning support linked to faculty teaching efforts. Teaching Fellows are peer-learning facilitators selected and supervised jointly by department faculty and the CTL. They are trained by the CTL to direct conversation, ask challenging questions, suggest study strategies, provide feedback, and help students locate additional resources, but housed in the department’s own space. The TFs use a collaborative inquiry model that allows students to learn from and with each other: they hold regular, group- oriented evening and Sunday hours throughout the semester and are available to all students.
The Teaching Fellow Program offers support for specific courses and is currently active in these departments: Anthropology, Architectural Studies, Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, French and Francophone Studies, Philosophy, Physics, Sociology, and Spanish and Hispanic Studies. Faculty in these departments work closely with the Fellows in directing instruction, while Fellows keep regular office hours in meeting space provided by the departments.
Writing Fellows
CTL Writing Fellows (WFs) work with all students in all disciplines at any stage of written work from topic selection and brainstorming, through organization and drafting, to final polishing. WFs also work with student writers who are working on job/internship applications, cover letters, study abroad essays, scholarships, and other writing that spans the breadth and depth of academic and co-curricular opportunities available at HWS. WFs are trained peer facilitators who help students develop their writing processes by asking facilitative questions and providing feedback during one-on-one meetings. Through this collaborative process, Writing Fellows help students become more confident, conscientious and effective writers.
Q Fellows
The Q Fellows are peer facilitators who offer support in courses that require students to use quantitative reasoning, mathematical processing, and symbolic logic to be successful. They are generalists, trained to work with students on the mathematical reasoning necessary to understand the content in a variety of disciplines. The Q Fellows hold drop-in hours and offer support to students around a wide range of mathematical concepts, from Algebra refreshers to learning Calculus II concepts. Students come from many departments including Environmental Studies, Economics, Physics, and Psychology to review basic mathematical concepts, decipher statistic methods, applications of Calculus, and many others.
Study Tables and Study Mentors
Through CTL’s Group Study Tables, established with the assistance of specific course faculty, students wishing to improve their performance in their course work may meet with a group leader, either individually or in small groups, over the course of the semester to enhance their understanding of course material. One-on-one Study Mentors are also available to assist students who wish to excel academically and hone reading, writing, time management and general study skills, and help with the transition to college life.
Honors Support
The Honors Program at HWS is unique in its rigor. The CTL works with the Honors Committee to support honors candidates by offering a Readers’ College course that brings Honors students together across disciplines for mutual support, and extends to spring term Oral Exam preparation sessions. By helping Honors candidates discuss their work across disciplines and improve their writing and speaking skills, the CTL helps prepare them for both their Honors work and their life after HWS.
Senior Symposium
The Senior Symposium is a showcase of seniors’ academic passions. Every year seniors present research, civic engagement and Honors projects. Faculty and staff serve as sponsors for the seniors, moderate panels, and facilitate abstract and presentation practice sessions. The event itself highlights the level of academic engagement, the significant critical thinking capacity and complexity of their learning through their applied experiences. Additionally, this event allows students to see and hear the scholarship of their peers, often through class attendance or assignments that incorporate Symposium content.
If you have any questions about specific programs or services or would like to make an appointment or learn more about how you can take advantage of CTL resources, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@hws.edu or (315) 781-3351. Students can make appointments using the TutorTrac program available on the CTL website.
Henry W. Hanley Preserve
The Colleges’ 108-acre wildlife refuge, located 20 miles from the Colleges’ main campus, offers students an area for ecological studies. The preserve has 40 ponds, a hardwood forest, cultivated fields, old fields, swamps, and marshes. It is inhabited by waterfowl, deer, beaver, muskrats, coyotes, foxes, and many other small animals. The Richard Ryan Field Laboratory building was opened on the preserve in 1994, providing a location for lecture and laboratory activities.
Fribolin Farm
Local agricultural innovator, entrepreneur and philanthropist Carl W. Fribolin L.H.D. ’14 donated part of White Springs Farm to Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2014. Located less than a mile from campus, the 34 acre historically significant property includes a home, stall barn and riding arena, and two spring-fed ponds. Through classes, independent research projects, farm internships, and growing projects, the versatile use of the farm deepens the campus’ engagement with the Finger Lakes region.
The William Scandling
The William Scandling, a 65-foot, steel-hulled research vessel owned by the Colleges and operated on the Finger Lakes and Great Lakes, supports teaching as well as the research activities of students and faculty. Berthed on Seneca Lake, The William Scandling has access to Cayuga Lake and Lakes Erie and Ontario via the Seneca Barge Canal. Recently renovated, the vessel is fully equipped to support studies of sediments, water, and biota. Capabilities include sediment coring, grab sampling, sub-bottom seismic reflection profiling, recording current meter measurement, bathythermograph measurement, recording thermograph measurement, water and plankton sampling, and chemical testing.
The William Scandling’s positioning equipment includes radar and GPS satellite navigation systems. The vessel was named in honor of the late Trustee William F. Scandling ’49, LL.D.’ 67, one of the Colleges’ most generous benefactors.
Warren Hunting Smith Library and Melly Academic Center
The combined Warren Hunting Smith Library and Melly Academic Center total approximately 108,000 square feet with a stack capacity of 500,000 volumes. The facility was renovated in the summer of 2008 to include a Learning Commons, with services from the Library, Information Technology Services, and the Center for Teaching and Learning coming together to provide a full-service facility for students and faculty to focus their research needs.
The library maintains a circulating collection of almost a half a million volumes as well as a wealth of online books, journals and databases. The collection is curated specifically to support the demands of the curriculum, and to support the basic research required for courses.
The collection dates back to the earliest foundation of Hobart College, and the oldest and rarest holdings are kept in the Colleges’ Special Collections. Faculty often work with the library to use these materials in classes, but individuals can also make appointments to work with the rare books and unique manuscripts. The Library is also home to the Colleges’ archives - which is a collection that details the rich history of the Colleges and Geneva.
This is the fourth building to house the Colleges’ library, and it fulfills the dual role of housing the collections and providing essential study space. The Library can seat about a quarter of the student population and is a regular destination for students on campus with more than a thousand visitors each day. There are a variety of study spaces available from quiet individual study on the third floor to lively group space in the Learning Commons. Groups are also able to reserve rooms for group study, to screen media or practice presentations. Students in the Honors program can petition to be assigned an individual carrel while they are working on their Honor’s project. Outside of library hours, the Atrium Lounge and the Barron Lab remain open 24/7.
Given the broad reach of the curriculum and the interest of the students, there is often a need to access resources beyond the collection. The Library maintains an active borrowing relationship with more than 75 other academic libraries in the region for timely access to materials, as well as access to a worldwide borrowing network for specialized works. Library staff is always available to help—in addition to drop-in hours, students can make one-on-one appointments with research librarians. The librarians frequently collaborate with faculty and can help refine research or find the best resources.
The College Store
The College Store, located in Sherrill Hall, is institutionally owned and proudly serves the students, faculty, and administrators of Hobart and William Smith Colleges as well as the local community. The College Store offers three floors of merchandise tailored to meet the needs of all students, faculty and staff. The College Store offers a textbook program including competitively priced new and used textbooks, textbook rentals, digital textbooks, and Copyrighted Custom Course Packs as required or recommended by faculty. Used book buybacks are offered in the store at the beginning and end of each semester as well as anytime on the website collegestore.hws.edu.
The College Store also features a general book department containing more than 15,000 titles specializing in computerized title searches, special orders, new releases, best sellers, reference materials, and books on tape. The College Store offers an impressive collection of local interest titles, children’s books, and faculty/alumni/alumnae titles. Also available are daily newspapers, magazines, periodicals and complimentary New York Times reviews.
The College Store carries a wide range of imprinted and collegiate items in clothing, giftware and glassware as well as class rings and diploma frames, along with general stationery, greeting cards and convenience items. Also available is a vast assortment of school, office, computer, art and architecture supplies at affordable prices along with dorm room and decorating items as well as basic hardware supplies.
The College Store offers several services including student charge accounts, phone and web orders, laundry/dry cleaning service, check cashing, and special order balloon bouquets as well as special event offerings. Copying and fax service are available for a nominal fee. Gift cards are also available, as are U.S. postage stamps and change for vending and laundry machines.
The College Store offers a Loyalty Rewards program. Enrolled customers are awarded points for every purchase of bookstore merchandise. Points do not expire and can be redeemed for a $25 Loyalty Rewards card, which can be used toward future purchases of bookstore merchandise. The program is free and is subject to change without notice. For more information about the Loyalty Rewards program, The College Store, or to purchase merchandise and insignia items, visit The College Store’s website.
The Fisher Center for the Study of Women and Men
The Fisher Center for the Study of Women and Men, located in Demarest Hall, supports curricular, programmatic and scholarly projects arising from the challenge of educating men and women for a future of gender equity and social justice. The Center, endowed with a gift from Emily Fisher P’93, L.H.D. ’04 and the late Richard Fisher P’93, was founded to further the Colleges’ ideal of coordinate education and commitment to equality, mutual respect, and common interest in relations between women and men through our educational program, scholarship and presence in the larger community.
Each year, the Center’s activities are focused around a central theme. The Center sponsors four to six Faculty Research Fellows engaging that theme in their scholarly work. It also funds a lecture series that brings to campus scholars, artists, and activists relevant to the year’s themes. Invited lecturers typically meet with the Research Fellows and visit classrooms. Recent themes have included Gender, Collectivity, and the Common; Campus War Machine: Sex and Debt; and Gender, Climate, and the Anthropocene.
The Fisher Center houses a library of work by Fisher Center speakers and fellows as well. On occasion, the Center offers interdisciplinary courses coordinated with its yearly theme. (See Courses of Instruction.)
The Center is led by a director, as well as an interdisciplinary Steering Committee composed of students and faculty.
Student Services
Vice President of Student Affairs
In coordination with the deans’ offices, the Vice President of Student Affairs has direct responsibility for all aspects of the nonacademic student conduct system, which works to establish and maintain an environment in which all students can achieve academic and personal success. Residential Life, Student Life, WEOS, Intercultural Affairs, the Counseling Center for Student Wellness, Hubbs, and the Athletics Departments all report to the Vice President of Student Affairs. In addition, the Vice President coordinates the efforts of the Colleges’ emergency management and response system, and provides direction for the Office of Campus Safety.
Deans
Each college has its own deans office, which is responsible for the academic and personal development of its students and for creating an educational environment that helps prepare students for the challenges of living in the 21st century.
The deans have committed themselves to providing individual attention in the context of a larger living and learning community and are there to guide students through their Hobart and William Smith experience. The deans also maintain academic and personal files on all enrolled students. Student access to these files is governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1975. Students who wish to challenge the contents of their files may appeal to the dean of their college and the Committee on Standards.
Faculty Advisers
Throughout the academic year, each student meets individually with a faculty adviser to discuss general questions concerning the Colleges, the academic course schedule, the student’s academic preparation, academic goals, and issues of course placement. At the end of the first semester, there is a reevaluation of the student-adviser relationship and different options are possible. The close relationship between student and adviser may continue until a major is declared and an adviser in that field is chosen. Student and adviser may also decide that a different adviser would better serve the student’s interests and a new adviser is selected. Ultimately, the student and an adviser in the chosen major plan the student’s program, which includes a detailed consideration of the senior year and often involves working with Career Services to plan beyond graduation for careers or graduate study.
Multicultural and Diversity Support Programs
Hobart and William Smith Colleges are committed to fostering an intellectual and engaged community that values and celebrates a wide spectrum of differences. We envision a community that goes beyond tolerance of difference to become one of inclusive excellence – one that is guided by the principles of equity, social justice, cultural competence and engaged citizenship. We are committed to making our campus a community which promotes a culture of inclusion in which all feel valued, respected and supported to perform to their full potential.
In working to create an intellectual environment that benefits students, faculty and staff, Hobart and William Smith are committed to an educational model that addresses the needs of a pluralistic and democratic society. To implement this model, it is critical to remember the importance of establishing a campus community that reflects the diverse society in which we live.
To that end, we are committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse population of students, faculty and staff and reflecting that diversity in our curriculum. We endorse programs and centers on campus that host speakers and visiting scholars of different races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, abilities and political ideas.
Through the Office of Intercultural Affairs, we promote an environment where students from all backgrounds find support, challenges, grounding for their personal growth and encouragement for academic success and the development of leadership skills and civic engagement. Programs are available that promote cross-cultural opportunities, understanding of social justice issues and outreach to the larger community, as well as those that support students and other campus community members.
The Office of Academic Opportunity Programs administers the New York State Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) designed to improve the educational opportunities available to capable students whose financial and academic environments have not allowed their full potential to be realized before entering college. Students admitted to Hobart and William Smith Colleges through HEOP/AOP are provided a set of comprehensive support services aimed at helping students succeed toward a college degree and success beyond college through close advising and monitoring of their academic progress for their entire college experience.
HEOP offers a pre-college program, the Summer Institute, to provide comprehensive academic and non-academic preparation for college study. Special academic and supportive services—such as counseling, tutoring and study-skills workshops—are supervised by the director of academic opportunity programs. The staff is assisted by student peer tutor/counselors, including persons who can converse with non-English-speaking parents.
Both Intercultural Affairs and HEOP are housed in the Intercultural Center, a campus house and informal library/meeting space for campus groups.
Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education
The Salisbury Center supports students, alumni, and alumnae with their career development. Services and resources are provided with a comprehensive developmental focus to facilitate an individual’s exploration of career choices and opportunities. Career Services focuses on training individuals on lifelong skills relating to each phase of the career development process. This involves formulating career ideas, gaining career-related experience, and preparing to make the transition from Hobart and William Smith Colleges by conducting a job or graduate/professional school search.
Guaranteed Internship Program
Because Hobart and William Smith recognize how important an internship is in determining career direction, the Colleges have made a bold commitment: Hobart and William Smith guarantees that students of good academic and social standing who have successfully completed the Pathways Program, will be able to participate in one internship or research opportunity. In most cases, the internship will happen in the summer after the junior year. For summer internships that are unpaid, the Colleges will provide a stipend.
Resources
Pathways is the signature program of the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education. It is comprised of four parts: Assess, Explore, Experience and Connect. Through Pathways, students are assisted in developing clarity around their career goals. Additionally, they gain experience in their field(s) of interest through externships and internships and have the opportunity to network with alumni, alumnae, parents and friends of the Colleges through career programming.
Assess
Discover your values, interests and skills. A career counselor will take you through the process, which contains self- assessment and decision-making inventories and current occupational information.
Explore
Alumni, alumnae and parents who are willing to discuss career fields, entry-level positions, educational preparation and training, internship opportunities, job search strategies and geographic areas are available on the Career Network database and through the office’s website.
Students also have access to HWS community members as part of the on-campus Professionals in Residence (PIR) series. Staying in the guest suite in Carr McGuire House, alumni, alumnae, and parents take up residence on campus, speaking with students about careers in a variety of fields, including health professions, banking, finance, human relations, advertising, fashion, the environment, government and social services.
In addition to a public lecture, each PIR offers a series of one-on-one appointments with interested students. Students are encouraged to participate in externships as part of the exploration process. Through these opportunities students have the ability to shadow professionals in their fields of interest. These are available to students in the Geneva community as well as nationwide during winter, spring and summer breaks.
The Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education houses a comprehensive career resource library that offers current information about career exploration, occupations, internships, volunteer opportunities, position listings, graduate school information and job search methods.
Experience
As part of their liberal arts education, students are encouraged to explore careers through internship, volunteer, and externship experiences. The Salisbury Center oversees the Collaborative Internship Program, which offers students the opportunity to gain experience in a field of interest directly related to their academic studies. These experiences give meaning to theories, concepts, and knowledge learned in the classroom while allowing students to think critically about their career field. Faculty and employers develop these credit-bearing internships to match academic needs with employer needs. These unique opportunities are currently being offered each semester in Geneva, N.Y. and the surrounding area. Students interested in a collaborative internship should visit Career Services for further details, applications, and project listings.
The online resource GPS, which lists thousands of internships and entry-level positions appropriate for liberal arts graduates, is available to HWS students and graduates. Opportunities are available nationwide as well as globally. The staff also produces a weekly electronic newsletter that publicizes job and internship listings.
Connect
Representatives from a variety of organizations and geographic areas are invited to campus to conduct interviews with interested students or to hold information sessions. Through the use of Web-based technology, employers who cannot come to campus can arrange a résumé collection for interested students. Employers receive the résumés electronically for their review, and then invite candidates for interviews at their places of business or via telephone.
Interested seniors may submit their career field and geographic preferences when uploading their résumés to the Web- based recruitment system. The Salisbury Center then submits résumés on the students’ behalf to employers who request this service. HWS sponsors and area colleges invite HWS students to participate in career, internship and graduate/ professional school fairs. This is an opportunity for students to meet with a variety of employers and admissions representatives in one convenient location.
The Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education coordinates programs and services with other colleges as well as with HWS alumni, alumnae and parents. Some events have included the Day on the Hill, where students were able to meet with alums and specialists in a variety of careers in Washington, D.C.; the NYC Finance Experience and a media and film program in Los Angeles, as well as one-day programs in Washington focusing on careers in politics, fashion, non-profits, media, law, the sciences and the arts.
Information about services and resources offered through the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education is available through the website.
Internship Funding
Hobart and William Smith Colleges offer endowed internship funds for which students can apply in order to supplement an unpaid summer internship and/or housing costs incurred while doing a summer internship. These awards include the Harry W. Bowman ’65 Award for Leadership and Civic Engagement, the Charles H. Salisbury Jr. ’63, P’94 Endowed Internship Fund, the John A. Ross ’66 Endowed Internship Fund, the L. Thomas Melly ’52 Endowed Internship Fund, The Parent Fund and the Ralph A. ’56, Jane ’58 Pica Endowed Internship Fund. Students are welcome to apply to more than one qualifying fund with the understanding that if selected, they will only receive an award from one endowed fund.
In addition to the endowed internship funds, the Colleges also offer The Salisbury Summer International Internship Award for HWS students. This fund provides financial support of up to $15,000 for each of the four students interested in pursuing an international internship experience in a location of the student’s choice. By supplementing classroom education with internship experience, students gain a practical understanding of the demands and rewards of future careers. This award may provide a stipend for the internship, lodging, airfare, passport/visa expenses, meals, ground travel, traveler’s insurance, and/or other expenses related to an international internship opportunity.
Also available to students are two awards of $5,000 each that provide students with the opportunity to complete an internship or research assistantship internationally. The Padnos Winter Break International Research/Internship Award provides students with a funded shorter-term opportunity and the Cohler Award includes a two-week internship in New York, N.Y. with Cohler Designs and then an international opportunity to study art or architecture. Lastly, The Bickley Award is available for students who want to intern in the for-profit sector internationally and provides a stipend of $5,000-$15,000 to one or two students.
Health Professions
Hobart and William Smith Colleges have a long-standing reputation for sound preparation of students for graduate training in the health professions. Students are counseled regarding career choice, program admission requirements, application processes, admission test preparation, interviews, and financing. This includes instruction preparing application materials, compiling faculty/non-faculty recommendations, and advice for writing application essays. Additionally, students are assisted in identifying and securing clinical internships and research opportunities.
Career Services has a full-time staff member dedicated to serving health profession students and a robust library of health profession reference materials. The active, student-run Health Professions Club on campus sponsors multiple health professions related programs both on and off campus.
The Blackwell Medical Scholarship Program provides a unique opportunity for qualified high school seniors. Those who meet and maintain the standards of the program are guaranteed a seat in medical school at SUNY Upstate Medical University College of Medicine at Syracuse upon graduation from Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
The Early Assurance Programs offered by SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine and SUNY Upstate Medical University College of Medicine (Syracuse) allow qualified students to apply and be accepted to medical school at the end of their sophomore year.
The Health Profession Advisory Committee (HPAC), comprised of faculty members, administrators, and the health professions counselor, advises students regarding all aspects of the application process.
An opportunity to observe the delivery of healthcare and volunteer in the healthcare field is provided each semester for interested sophomores, juniors and seniors through a partnership with Finger Lakes Health located less than one mile from campus. Participants commit to 50 hours of shadowing/volunteer time in one or two hospital departments during the semester. Similar, though less formal, programs are available for those interested in other fields such as dentistry, veterinary medicine, physical therapy, etc., and are arranged on an individual basis.
Law
The Colleges offer extensive counseling for pre-law students throughout their undergraduate years, and a significant number of Hobart and William Smith students enroll in law school upon graduation. Admission to the best law schools requires more than an impressive academic record. Students must also have internship or workplace experience and involvement in extracurricular activities.
Almost any major can provide the skills and knowledge to prepare a student for law school, as long it is supplemented with coursework in disciplines such as political science, economics, history, English, and philosophy. The best preparation for a career in law is not a pre-law track, but the acquisition of depth and breadth of knowledge provided by combining a major and a minor, one of which is interdisciplinary.
Interdisciplinary majors and minors in Public Policy and Law and Society offer courses of study that provide the relevant breadth in a coherent manner. Internship programs in Geneva, Washington, D.C., Switzerland, and New York City provide opportunities for educational experiences at worksites that include the U.S. Supreme Court, Congressional and Senatorial offices, human rights organizations, the Federal Trade Commission, lobbying organizations and public interest groups. A wide range of other internships and career counseling for pre-law students are also available in conjunction with the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education.
In addition to student governments, judicial boards, and other co-curricular opportunities, the Colleges also field a Debate Team that competes successfully against the best teams in the world.
Distinguished graduates play an active role in assisting students with their education and related internship experience. These include federal judges, legislators, U.S. attorneys for the Justice Department, as well as highly successful attorneys. These distinguished alumni return to campus and conduct presentations offering insight into their career paths and networking opportunities for pre-law students.
Virtually all graduates who apply to law school gain admission. In recent years, the best qualified have attended Columbia, NYU, Chicago, Cornell, Notre Dame, Boston University, the University of Pennsylvania, and UC Berkeley.
Health Services
Medical Services
Hubbs Health Center provides wellness counseling, health maintenance, acute care, and health education services to all students. The Health Center is open weekdays as well as one weekend afternoon during the academic year.
The medical services staff includes a part-time physician, board certified in internal medicine; a full-time board certified nurse practitioner (serving as the coordinator of student health services), full-time and part-time physician’s assistants; a registered nurse who serves as coordinator of nursing services; several nurses both full and part-time; and a secretary/receptionist. The staff treats acute illnesses and injuries, and promotes health education on issues including fitness, wellness, and nutrition, smoking cessation, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. The staff works with the athletics department to provide sports medicine services to all intercollegiate teams. A full-service women’s health care clinic is available by appointment. While visits to the health center are free, any specimens obtained such as a throat culture, blood tests, etc., collected at the time of the visit to Hubbs are processed by the local hospital laboratory. The hospital lab will bill the student’s insurance policy for the cost of processing the specimen.
Students are seen by appointment and can arrange such by calling the appointment line (315) 781-4530. The health center has a formulary of commonly prescribed medications, for which the student incurs a nominal fee. Prescriptions are written for other medications as deemed necessary and appropriate. A health fee is required of all students, to enable the health center to provide these services for the students as needed. For a fee, the Colleges offer an accident and sickness insurance to those who do not have insurance or need supplemental insurance, to insure the student for any services that may be needed outside of Hubbs Health Center.
It is important to know that if a student is 18 years old or older, Hubbs is legally bound to protect any information about the student’s heath and any details regarding any visits to Hubbs. This includes confirmation that the student was at Hubbs, the diagnosis, treatment plans, etc. The student must sign a consent allowing the staff to speak to any other person about the student. This pertains to parents, family members, friends of the student, college administrators, faculty and other medical professionals.
Counseling Services
The Counseling Center is staffed by a team of doctoral-level psychologists and is fully accredited through the International Association of Counseling Services. The services provided include group and individual counseling, psychological consultation, and psycho-educational outreach programs. Counseling staff also provide 24-hour mental health emergency services for our campus and are available for after-hours crises through campus safety at 315-781-3333.
The staff at the Counseling Center is skilled in helping students address a wide range of concerns, including those most common to college student developmental issues, such as difficulties in adjusting to college life, concerns about relationships, sexual-identity issues, depression, anxiety, family problems, eating-related concerns, and more. Students concerned about the well-being of a friend are also welcome to consult with the staff. In addition, the counseling staff can assist students interested in securing psychiatric and long-term services to identify providers in surrounding communities.
All counseling services are free to enrolled students, and counseling services are protected under federal and state confidentiality guidelines. Students may secure services by calling or visiting the Counseling Center, or scheduling online from the HWS website for the center.
Chaplain
The Office for Spiritual Engagement is located in St. John’s Chapel on South Main Street, attached to Demerest Hall. The Chaplain, an Episcopal priest who lives on campus, is available to all members of the Hobart and William Smith community, regardless of religious background or affiliation. The Director of the Abbe Center for Jewish Life works alongside the Chaplain and conducts Jewish and multi-faith programming. For more information on programming and worship, see “Spiritual Life” in Student Life.
