HWS News
13 January 2026 HWS and Geneva Unite to Honor MLK
In collaboration with the Geneva Martin Luther King Committee, Hobart and William Smith will host Geneva's service and reception to commemorate the work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Hobart and William Smith students, faculty and staff, including President Mark D. Gearan, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chevanne DeVaney ’95, P’21, P’23 and Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Engagement Rev. Nita Byrd, will come together to honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the 55th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March and Memorial Service on Monday, Jan. 19.
In partnership with the Geneva Martin Luther King Committee, the day will begin at 9:30 a.m. with a gathering at Bicentennial Park on Exchange Street followed by the annual Memorial March to City Hall.
A worship service will take place at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Chapel on the HWS campus, the first time that HWS has served as host. It is free and open to the public.
“This celebration of Dr. King’s legacy allows us to focus on the importance of building rich relationships with one another, both at Hobart and William Smith and with our Geneva neighbors,” says Gearan. “We are honored to host this year and look forward to what promises to be an important celebration of Dr. King and our community here in Geneva.”
The Rev. Byrd will open the service with remarks followed by the keynote address, “Sustaining the Flame,” from Thomas Warfield, the director of dance at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the founder and artistic director of PeaceArt International.
Patrisha Blue '77, L.H.D. ’25 will lead performances by the MLK Memorial Choir and winners of the annual MLK Art and Poetry Contest will be announced. The competition recognizes the talent of Geneva's youth who have contributed entries inspired by Dr. King.
Imam Shaheed Ali, the director of the Muslim Life Center and Muslim Student Association advisor, will deliver the closing remarks. A reception will follow immediately after the service in the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts.
Warfield is an internationally acclaimed, multidisciplinary performing artist whose career spans dance, music, theater, film, education and activism, with performances in more than 100 cities worldwide and professional work with major institutions including the Joffrey Ballet, New York City Opera, the Metropolitan Opera and ballet companies across Europe, Asia and the United States. A graduate of SUNY Purchase and University of Utah, Warfield is the founder and artistic director of PeaceArt International, a global initiative that uses art to promote understanding, and has served for 25 years as director of dance at the Rochester Institute of Technology. His projects include AstroDance, a National Science Foundation-funded fusion of dance and astrophysics, and the globally recognized Global Poem In Praise of Peace. Warfield has been appointed to major civic and cultural leadership roles by New York State and the City of Rochester, serves on numerous prominent arts boards and has received many honors, including a U.S. Congressional Special Recognition Award, a United Nations Peace Award and national accolades for dance education and social justice.
Shuttles will be available from City Hall to St. John’s Chapel for the service.
Top: In 2025, members of the Geneva Martin Luther King Committee lead the march on Castle Street.
