'This is a Fabulous Place.'
29 August 2008 This is a Fabulous Place.
Theyve come from across the U.S. and the world, from major metropolitan areas and from small, one streetlight towns, but all of them have come for one reason to live and study at Hobart and William Smith. Between unpacking and getting settled in on Friday morning, the incoming first-year classes and their parents gathered on the Quad to shake hands with President Mark D. Gearan, meet their deans and other staff members and get their formal introduction to campus.
But what brought this years classes to their new lakeside home? William Smith has everything that I wanted in a college, saays Meagan Coakley 12 of Cohasset, Mass. I came here from a small town wanting to study science, biology maybe, and Hobart and William Smith have strong sciences and academics.
Coakleys Mom, Linda DeRosa-Coakley, thinks so as well. This is a fabulous place and a nice fit for Meagan; its bigger but with a sense of country to it.
The campus is really beautiful and completely different from where I grew up, says Jade Vasquez 12, a Bronx native. HWS also has a great list of majors that Im looking forward to exploring.
Im from a small high school, and I visited a lot of small, upstate colleges, explains Alex Beir 12 of Avon, Conn. I wanted a small, liberal arts college, and Hobart was my first and only choice. I applied early decision and am really happy to finally be here.
Beirs parents, Diane and John, are thrilled, Were so excited for Alex and are very excited to be here.
When I visited the campus before making my decision, I just got this feeling, explains Kathryn McCarthy 12 of Wayland, Mass. I knew it was the right place for me; it has everything Im looking for: great staff and faculty, a beautiful campus and a very welcoming environment.
This is such an excellent choice for Kathryn, adds McCarthys mom, Kathy, with a smile that. The size and location are great, its an amazing environment to learn in, and it has a great teaching program that shes interested in.
This is a great liberal arts college with not only a small size but an uncommon homey feel, says McCarthys father, Joe.
Were extremely happy with Matts choice, says first-year parent Lynn Pebole of Little Silver, N.J. Its going to be great for him school-wise and sports-wise. Her son, Matt, is an incoming basketball player and one of many first-year athletes.
First-year Jess McCue of Oneonta, N.Y., is one of the newest members of the William Smith Tennis team. The strong athletics and tennis team were certainly part of what won me over about William Smith, but it was also the comfort I feel I get from this place, says McCue. Of all the colleges I visited, Hobart and William Smith was the only one that I felt completely comfortable walking into the dining hall.
With a sense of comfort from the campus and strong confidence in the academics, this years incoming classes are ready to start their college lives.