Hobart and William Smith Colleges

16 June 2026 • Service Community Engaged Scholarship 2026

Celebrating Earth Day, community engagement and campus partners.

On HWS Day, members of the Hobart and William Smith community gathered for the 18th annual Community Engaged Scholarship Forum, an end-of-year celebration recognizing the impact of community engagement, service-learning and civic scholarship across campus and throughout Geneva.

Executive Director of Community Engagement and Service-Learning Katie Flowers presented awards to members of the HWS community who have demonstrated community leadership.  

“Our honorees remind us that meaningful change, like the spirit of Earth Day itself, depends on shared responsibility, thoughtful collaboration and a belief in what’s possible when we invest in community,” says Flowers.  “Our campus and extended community are interwoven and lifted up by the connections made possible through these projects.” 

Andrew Bolduc ’26 was awarded the Inspirational Leadership “Spark” Award, which recognizes an individual whose enthusiasm, empathy and commitment to service inspire others to be present in their communities.  

Bolduc is a member of the Hobart Basketball team and is responsible for increasing the team’s service hours from 50 to more than 200 this past year.   

Abigail Cole ’25 and Abby Hark ’26 were awarded the Compass Award for Outstanding Engaged Student Scholarship. The award recognizes students whose work reflects both academic rigor and meaningful community impact through service-learning or community-based research. 

Cole is a founding member of the HWS chapter of the Food Recovery Network, an effort to transform food waste into a sustainable, campus-wide initiative. The organization partners with local food pantries to distribute campus food surplus, addressing both food insecurity and environmental sustainability. 

Hark volunteers with a local Girl Scout troop, participated in Geneva 2030’s Good Neighbor’s Day, welcomed Geneva second graders to campus and serves as president of Habitat for Humanity. She also recently worked with the Geneva Parks Collective to organize and facilitate conversations on public space.

President Mark D. Gearan presented the Community Partner of the Year Award to Chris Lajewski and his team at Montezuma’s National Wildlife Refuge and the Montezuma Audubon Center.  

The award recognizes an organization or individual whose sustained partnership contributes significantly to the civic learning and leadership development of HWS students. HWS students annually visit Montezuma to engage in hands-on environmental work and conservation efforts.   

Provost and Dean of Faculty Sarah Kirk presented the Civically Engaged Faculty Award, which honors a faculty member who exemplifies engaged scholarship and advances the public good through teaching, research and partnership, to Associate Professor of Art and Architecture Gabriella D’Angelo. Through leadership with the Geneva Parks Collective, D’Angelo helps residents remain in control of shaping their own neighborhoods. 

The Community Engaged Scholarship Forum also included a poster session with civic leaders and students who completed service-learning projects.

Poster Presentations

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