HWS News
9 July 2026 Head and Shoulders Above the Rest
Years in business reinforced the value of his liberal arts education. Now, John D. Roberts Jr. ’75 is helping future students access that same experience through three Annual Fund scholarships.
John D. Roberts Jr. ’75 was sitting in a corporate strategic planning meeting when he had an epiphany.
As the executives and consultants went back and forth, Roberts noticed that nearly every action item came down to one thing: persuasion. Whether it was convincing people to embrace an idea, change direction or support a decision, Roberts was leveraging his ability to communicate.
“That’s when the light bulb went off for me,” he says. “I realized the most valuable skills I used in business weren’t things I learned in business school. They came from a liberal arts education.”
That realization stayed with Roberts throughout his career and ultimately helped shape his decision to give back to Hobart and William Smith.
Over the past two years, Roberts has established three Annual Fund scholarships, each awarded at $25,000 over five years, to help HWS students access the kind of education and community that shaped his own life.
While years of experience in the packaging and paper distribution industries underscored the value of his liberal arts education, Roberts believes its greatest impact reaches beyond his career. HWS fostered a lifelong curiosity and appreciation for learning that continued to enrich his life decades after graduation.
“It’s really, really important that we don’t lose sight of the importance of that kind of education,” Roberts says. “When you’re exposed to art, music, literature and history, they become lifelong interests.”
Importantly, Roberts says his decision to give back is not rooted solely in nostalgia. He is equally inspired by the direction of HWS today. He points to President Mark D. Gearan’s leadership and the relationships he has built with members of the advancement team, including Vice President for Advancement Julie Kennedy, as reasons for his confidence in HWS' future.
“I’ve been incredibly impressed with where the Colleges are headed under President Gearan’s leadership,” he says.
He also reflected on the professional preparedness of today’s students. Recently, he helped connect several HWS students with internship opportunities in the real estate industry.
“Head and shoulders above the rest,” he says. “I was blown away by how well prepared these kids are.”
Roberts credits that preparation to HWS’ emphasis on career services. He also points to the close relationships, mentorship and sense of community on campus.
As he reflects on the HWS’ role in his life, Roberts sees his scholarships as an investment in future generations of students who are still discovering who they are and what they want to become.
“As you get older, you sort of look back and think, where can you contribute? What are the things that are most meaningful?” he says. “Helping students have access to the kind of education and experience I had felt like the right place to make an impact.”