Hobart and William Smith Colleges

4 November 2022Davis Reflects on a Career of Investing

This fall, Robert “Mal” Davis ’62, GP’18, GP’23 published a retrospective of his 56-year career as a wealth manager. With “I Made House Calls,” Davis details for readers some of the key ideas and experiences that shaped his success, examining his business and investing philosophy, important historical context and illuminating personal anecdotes.

3 November 2022“You are Here” Day Empowers College and Career Journeys

Every year, Hobart and William Smith welcomes students from the Geneva City School District to visit campus as second-graders, sixth-graders and again during the ninth grade as part of the Geneva 2030 Initiative. After a two-year pause due to the pandemic, ninth graders recently returned to campus as part of the initiative’s commitment to college and career preparedness.

3 November 2022HWS Hosts Debate Championship

In the debate world, Hobart and William Smith has a reputation for hosting elite tournaments. This esteem was built over years of hosting the annual HWS Round Robin, an international tournament of champions, began by members of the Colleges’ 2006 debate team.

3 November 2022Everyday Wonders

Under the Direction of Colin Mann, the HWS Community Chorus will present Everyday Wonders: The Girl from Aleppo and Gloria in D, works that juxtapose two very different cantatas, in a performance at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at The Presbyterian Church, 24 Park Place, Geneva. The concert is free and open to the public.

2 November 2022Vying for $1 Million in Grow-NY Competition

As a finalist in this year’s Grow-NY Food and Agriculture Competition, Matthew “Mattie” Mead ’13, CEO and co-founder of Hempitecture, hopes a victory and its $1 million purse will allow him to expand his business back to its origin in New York.

1 November 2022Capitalizing on Opportunity in the Nation's Capitol

Economics major Jesse Whelan-Small ’24 spent his summer in the Washington, D.C. office of Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr. as a legislative intern. Through this role, Whelan-Small gained valuable experience crafting correspondence with constituents through letters and news updates, meeting with lobbyists and advocacy groups and attending committee hearings and congressional briefings.

1 November 2022President Gearan on National Service in the 21st Century

President Mark D. Gearan will join the Harvard-Radcliffe Club of Rochester’s Fall Forum series, delivering a guest presentation on the state of public service in the U.S. and possibilities for its future.

28 October 2022Military Service Celebrated

During Bicentennial Weekend, HWS honored the military service of alums with the release of a book about veteran-alums and a panel discussion and book signing with its authors.

27 October 2022IdeaLab Fosters Student Initiatives

From a community skatepark program to a ride hailing service for rural towns and a clothing recycling service, students participating in IdeaLab have been working to flesh out their initiatives to full-on enterprises.

27 October 2022Click Here to See Hobart's Bicentennial Media Page

In honor of the 200th anniversary of Hobart College, making it one of the 50 oldest colleges in the United States, multiple events have celebrated the college’s historic past and promising future.

26 October 2022Founder's Day Event Welcomes Back Alums

Five William Smith alums will discuss their career trajectories during William Smith’s Founder’s Day talk “Life Transitions after College” on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. in the Vandervort Room. President Mark D. Gearan will deliver welcoming remarks.

26 October 2022Expect the Unexpected

HWS Theatre will open the 2022-23 season on Nov. 3 with Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes) by Greg Allen.

26 October 2022Christie and Carville Talk Politics

During the Bicentennial weekend’s Stern Family Forum, two political veterans shared their insights on the 2022 midterms, the issues animating voters, and strategies for effective campaigns, governance and political cooperation.

26 October 2022Gearan Launches Voices of Democracy Podcast

The inaugural episode features former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and political commentator and strategist James Carville LL.D. ’13, P’17.

26 October 2022Making the Student Experience the Best it Can Be

In 2020, David Wilson P’24 and Lisa Lexa P’24 watched as their daughter Frances Wilson ’24 missed the final months of her senior year in high school and the celebrations it entailed. Prom, graduation, sports banquets — all canceled. They wondered with trepidation what Frances’ first year of college would look like.

24 October 2022Announcing the Alger Adams '32 Intercultural Center

Thanks to Chair of the Board of Trustees Craig Stine ’81, P’17 and his wife, Kathy, the Colleges’ new Intercultural Center will bear the name of the Rev. Dr. Alger L. Adams ’32, the first Black man to graduate from Hobart College.

20 October 2022Unvarnished America

Described as “one of the most original choreographers on the downtown dance scene,” (Village Voice) Bessie Award winning NYC choreographer Jane Comfort has been creating innovative work that bridges movement and text, dance and theatre, and the personal and the political since 1978. Comfort’s choreography addresses contemporary and social issues with compassion and wit.

20 October 2022Behind the Curtain View

In advance of the HWS Theatre Department's production of the neo-futurist play Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind by Greg Allen (running Nov. 3, 4, 5), New York Neo-Futurist founding member and current co-Artistic Director Rob Neill will present a talk titled “Storytelling, Neo-Futurism, and Devised Theater” on Friday, Oct. 21 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. in the Gearan Center Room 228.

19 October 2022Creating One Final Mandala

The Venerable Tenzin Yignyen will create his final sand mandala for Hobart and William Smith as part of Hobart College’s Bicentennial Celebration.

18 October 2022Celebrating the Military Service of HWS Alums

Hobart and William Smith have a long connection to the United States Armed Forces, dating back to the founding of Hobart College in 1822 with early trustees serving in the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 and students serving not long after the College’s founding.

14 October 2022Geneva 2030 Aims “Back to the Future”

During the annual meeting for Geneva 2030 and Success for Geneva’s Children, program highlights celebrated the engaged citizenship and philanthropy that have had an impact on literacy, high school graduation rates, school, college and career readiness.

13 October 2022Domestic Violence Talk

Author and activist Linda Dynel will give a public talk on intimate partner violence.

13 October 2022Documenting Athens, Greece

For nearly a decade, Visiting Assistant Professor in Media and Society Julia Tulke has been documenting political street art in Athens, Greece. Her research has received international acclaim.

12 October 2022Veterinarian Mentor

Matt Brown ’24 found a role model in Veterinarian Jonathan Wilkerson ’95, P'26 while completing an internship in Philadelphia this summer.

12 October 2022HWS Debate’s Strong Season Opener

At the Cornell IV Debate Tournament, HWS Debate proved they’re more than ready for another epic semester.

12 October 2022New Staff to Tackle Non-Native Species in the Finger Lakes

The Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (Finger Lakes PRISM) is a collaborative program designed to address the threat of invasive species. Housed within Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ Finger Lakes Institute (FLI), the program is one of eight across New York that focus on managing invasive species, developing detection programs, employing response efforts, providing education programs and outreach, and working with communities.

11 October 2022Tapper Fund Advances Student-Faculty STEM Research

Over the past year, Professor of Chemistry Christine de Denus and her research group have made significant headway in identifying molecular wire candidates, which may one day replace silicon chips in small electronic devices. Meanwhile, students across STEM disciplines pursued collaborative research projects through the Colleges’ summer science programs.

7 October 2022Campbell '18 Promoted at Mathematica

In her new role as data analytics developer supervisor at Mathematica, Katherine Campbell ’18 oversees a team of six employees who do data analysis and evaluation, primarily in labor and education fields, while she also performs data cleaning, analysis and programming. 

6 October 2022HWS Expands Posse Partnership

Ten years after Hobart and William Smith began its partnership with Posse students from Los Angeles, the Colleges are expanding its partnership with Posse to welcome students from Chicago. 

4 October 2022HWS Votes Looks to Triple Voter Participation Ahead of Mid Terms

On National Voter Registration Day, HWS Votes was out in full force encouraging people to register to vote.

4 October 2022Day of Service Joins with San Francisco Alums

On campus, the fall Day of Service will bring students into the FLX community for a day of volunteerism. In conjunction with the event, alums in the San Francisco Bay Area will work at a food pantry.

30 September 2022Crow Awarded Research Fellowship

Associate Professor of History Matthew Crow has been awarded a residential research fellowship by the Omohundro Institute at the College of William and Mary for his study of the influence of the Renaissance and Reformation on the Enlightenment and Age of Revolutions, and on the origins of the United States.

29 September 2022Governor Chris Christie, James Carville and Bill Whitaker Headline Fall Stern Family Forum

As part of Hobart’s Bicentennial celebration, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and political commentator and strategist James Carville LL.D. ’13, P’17 will join the HWS community for a panel discussion moderated by Emmy Award-winning 60 Minutes Correspondent and HWS Trustee Bill Whitaker '73, L.H.D.'97.

23 September 2022Vincent ’83 Commits $50K to IC Renovation

The renovation of the Intercultural Affairs Center received a boost from former HWS president and current Talladega College President Gregory J. Vincent ’83.

23 September 2022Simons-Barrientos ’21 Heads to The University of Southern California for Public Health

This fall, Ferdy Simons-Barrientos ’21 is pursuing a master’s in public health at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.

23 September 2022HWS Aquatic Science Joins Geneva High School

Geneva High School students will dive into aquatic science under a new program based at Hobart and William Smith.

22 September 2022Dobkowski Gives Talk at Jewish Book Festival

Professor of Religious Studies Michael Dobkowski spoke on mortality and the Holocaust in conversation with author Dara Horn at the Rochester’s Jewish Book Festival.

22 September 2022HWS Ranked 4th in the Nation for Service

For the sixth year in a row, Hobart and William Smith Colleges are among the top five U.S. liberal arts institutions for service, according to Washington Monthly’s annual rankings.

22 September 2022Critical Lenses, Clear Pathways

Provost and Dean of Faculty Sarah Kirk previews the Colleges’ academic outlook for this year and beyond, new programs, priorities and the unrivaled interdisciplinary, residential education that students find at HWS.

22 September 2022Cohen ’67 Donates to Colleges, Creates Endowed Fund

Psychology Research, Internships, Leadership and Athletics will benefit from gift from Dr. Stephen L. Cohen ’67.

22 September 2022HWS Theatre Announces a Thoroughly Unpredictable 2022-2023 Season

HWS Theatre has announced plans for a full season return to their home in McDonald Theatre of the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts.

19 September 2022Kanungo '23 Discusses the Future of UTime

With $50,000 raised in startup capital, Sreyan Kanungo ’23 answers questions about moving the automated scheduling system company forward.

16 September 2022Budmen ’15, MAT’16 Engaged with Leadership Ontario

CCESL’s Peter Budmen to serve with Leadership Ontario.

16 September 2022Harris to Speak on Vietnam

As a featured guest for the Asian Film & Talk Series: Masculinity, Food, and Social Changes at New College Florida, Professor of Sociology Jack Harris P’02, P’06 will present his research on Vietnam.

16 September 2022Friedlander ’80, P’10 Offers Support through Planned Gift

Lynne Friedlander ’80, P’10 gives back, propelling HWS forward.

16 September 2022Earley ’23 Completes Internship with National Women’s Hall of Fame

This summer, Lauren Earley ’23 found both a mission that mattered to her and an opportunity to further her academic pursuits through an internship with the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

15 September 2022With Ivan and Ruth Kuhl, the Legacy of Hobart’s No. 1 Fan Remains Strong

To many Hobart College students who matriculated during the first half of the 20th century, an intercollegiate athletics contest without Art Kenney leading cheers from the bleachers or sidelines was unthinkable.

15 September 2022Geneva 2030 and Success for Geneva’s Children Host Joint Meeting

Dr. Brian Fowler, HWS President Mark D. Gearan and Geneva City School Superintendent Bo Wright will speak at the annual joint meeting of Geneva 2030 and Success for Geneva's Children.

13 September 2022Bayer Named William R. Kenan Jr. Chair

Professor of Women’s Studies Betty M. Bayer, who holds the William R. Kenan Jr. Chair, works at the intersection of feminist history and psychology.

13 September 2022Media and Society Students and Faculty Attend Toronto International Film Festival

Assistant Professor of Media and Society Jiangtao Harry Gu ’13 and four HWS students attended the opening weekend of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival last weekend.

13 September 2022New Critical Museum Studies Minor

A new minor in Critical Museum Studies offers students the chance to investigate museums from a decolonial perspective while providing them the practical skills to work in a variety of fields. 

9 September 2022Remembering September 11

HWS to reflect on the impact of the attacks of September 11.

9 September 2022Eisenbud '23 Completes Two Internships

Jada Eisenbud ’23 lands an internship with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and another as a human rights law researcher with the Brussels School of Government.

9 September 2022Uncovering Social Challenges in Scotland

Through experiences in and out of the classroom, students learned to think critically about the impacts of social enterprises and be change-makers.

9 September 2022Contemporary Vietnamese Cuisine

Associate Professor of Anthropology Christopher Annear and Professor of Sociology Jack Harris P’02, P’06 collaborated on the topic of Vietnamese cuisine for a chapter in the Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Vietnam.

9 September 2022Farnsworth Named Kinghorn Global Fellow

Professor of Spanish and Hispanic Studies May Summer Farnsworth is the 2022-23 John R. and Florence B. Kinghorn Global Fellow.

9 September 2022Endowed Professor Spotlight: Anna Creadick

Professor of English Anna Creadick, who holds the George E. Paulsen ’49 Professorship, is an interdisciplinary scholar of 20th century U.S. literature and culture.

7 September 2022Passavant on 2020 Police Tactics

Professor of Political Science Paul Passavant assesses the Louisville police’s protest plan during the summer of 2020 and where it ran afoul of First Amendment protections.

6 September 2022Friedman Publishes Health and Media Textbook

Professor Emeritus of Media and Society Lester Friedman’s newest book explores the social impact at the intersection of health and media.

6 September 2022Perich '23 Earns William Marion Miller Prize

While studying abroad, Thomas Perich ’23 was honored with the William Marion Miller Prize for academic progress and determination in French.

6 September 2022Guest Artist Music Series Coming to HWS

The Gearan Center for the Performing Arts will host a variety of performances by several notable musicians and artists for the 2022-23 academic year as part of the Guest Artist Concert Series.

2 September 2022Celebrating the Bicentennial in Style

To celebrate the Bicentennial, Hobart and William Smith launched several pop-up shops that commemorate the 200-year history of Hobart College, each with limited-edition clothing and accessories.

2 September 2022Vanek ’25 Recalls First Year at HWS

Rising sophomore Aiden Vanek ’25 took the opportunity to explore the breadth of what HWS has to offer both in and out of the classroom.

1 September 2022Historic Geneva Recognizes Contributors to From Beyond: Geneva’s Unheard Voices

Historic Geneva hosted a reception this summer to recognize individuals and organizations committed to telling Geneva’s history, including the work of HWS students.

1 September 2022Vincent ’83 Earns 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award

Talladega College president Gregory J. Vincent ’83 was awarded the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Black Professional Alliance.

1 September 2022New Hai Timiai Members Lead William Smith in Excellence

Newly inducted members of Hai Timiai honor society are introduced to the community.

1 September 2022Dean Coauthors Article in Boston Review Ahead of Book Release

Professor of Political Science Jodi Dean is the coauthor of an article in Boston Review about Black communist women’s historic and enduring impact on labor movements.

1 September 2022Students, Faculty Reflect on Brazil Program

Led by Associate Professor of History and Latin American Studies Colby Ristow, students in the abroad program to Brazil spent the summer studying the influence of the African diaspora on everyday life in Rio de Janeiro, how Afro-Brazilian culture became synonymous with Brazilian National Culture and whether the state’s embrace of Black culture has produced a better quality of life for Brazil’s Black population.

1 September 2022Student Research at Cornell AgriTech

Several Hobart and William Smith students took to the laboratory and the field to carry out diverse experiments at the Cornell AgriTech New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva this summer.

1 September 2022Guggenheim Fellow Joins Trias Series

Poet and essayist Jenny Boully, the 2022-2023 Trias Writer-in-Residence, will give a reading of her work on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Bartlett Theatre.

30 August 2022Ames '64 Establishes Endowed Fund

Former Statesman football player Donald S. “Bud” Ames ’64 creates the Ames Endowed Fund for the Statesmen Athletic Association.

25 August 2022DeVaney ’23 Secured Internship with Raymond Design Builders

This summer, Lauren DeVaney ’23 held an internship with Raymond Design Builders in Fairfield, Connecticut.

24 August 2022Aquaro ’25 Discusses His First Year at HWS

Coming to Hobart and William Smith from Morrisville, Pa., Luke Aquaro ’25 is accustomed to the snow and ice of the Northeast. The ice at ‘The Cooler’ (HWS’ hockey facility) and the classrooms that fill the Hobart and William Smith campus, however, took some exploration and discovery.

23 August 2022Disability Arts Ensemble Kinetic Light to Perform at HWS

The internationally recognized disability arts ensemble Kinetic Light will perform on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Deming Theatre of the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts.

22 August 2022Hood to Speak on Mark Twain

Professor of History Clifton Hood will discuss Mark Twain’s writing on Thursday, Aug. 25 as part of the Mark Twain Speaker Series hosted by the Chemung County Historical Society.

19 August 2022Celebrating the Largest Fundraising Year in HWS History

Shattering every giving record in the history of Hobart and William Smith, during the 2021-22 fiscal year that ended on June 30, the Colleges received gifts from more than 5,200 donors for a total of $39.9 million raised.

19 August 2022Summer of Service 2022

This summer, six Hobart and William Smith students gained valuable real-world experience interning at Geneva community organizations during the 12th annual Summer of Service program.

18 August 2022HWS Welcomes the Classes of 2026

On Thursday morning, the Classes of 2026 will officially arrive on campus.

18 August 2022Princeton Review Ranks HWS Faculty Best in Nation; Environmental Stewardship Noted as Strength

In the 2023 edition of Best 388 Colleges, Hobart and William Smith are among only 25 schools recognized for having professors who, based on student surveys, get high marks, “are interesting, and bring their material to life.”

18 August 2022Meshanic '25 Reflects on First Year at HWS

Rising sophomore Carter Meshanic ’25 reflects on his first year at HWS where he decided to major in Spanish and Psychology.

17 August 2022Winch '90 Publishes Book on Family's Civil War Correspondence

In her newest book, Sarah Burrows Winch ’90, P’25, under the pen name Sarah Tracy Burrows, shares a collection of private, family letters sent by an ancestor during the Civil War, providing personal accounts of the war and time.

12 August 2022Gearan and Jacobsen on Connections with Evan Dawson

On WXXI’s Connections with Evan Dawson, President Mark D. Gearan and former President Joyce P. Jacobsen discuss the recent leadership change and what’s ahead for HWS and for higher ed more broadly.

11 August 2022The Internet, The Brain and Neuroscience Insights

Associate Professor of Psychological Science Daniel Graham discusses his research on the human brain with Columbia University Press, which will publish his latest book An Internet in Your Head in paperback this fall.

11 August 2022Toward Compassionate Global Citizenship, Hertzfeld Endows Study Abroad Fund

Patricia Hertzfeld has established an endowed fund for study abroad opportunities.

11 August 2022Newest Phi Beta Kappa Members

Twenty-seven Hobart and William Smith juniors and seniors were elected to Phi Beta Kappa this spring in recognition of their commitment to academic rigor across the liberal arts.

11 August 2022McCarty ’25 Reflects on First Year at HWS

While exploring everything HWS has to offer academically, Holly McCarty ’25 has grounded herself in community and joined several clubs including PLEN and the Day of Service team.

10 August 2022Blogging in Germany

This spring, Sarah Palmisciano ’23 studied abroad in Freiburg, Germany.

10 August 2022HWS Social Norms Experts in the News

Recent articles on bullying and university alcohol policies feature Professor of Sociology H. Wesley Perkins, whose social norms research with Professor of Chemistry David W. Craig P’05 has provided a national model of intervention and education.

10 August 2022Moreau ’13 Takes Center Stage at Essence Festival

Performing as Lynda Starr, singer-songwriter Youdlyn Moreau ’13 dazzled judges at the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans this summer, winning the Center Stage showcase of emerging artists.

10 August 2022Finding Autonomy: Layne ’25 Reflects on First Year at HWS

During his first year at the Colleges, Jadon Layne ’25 jumped right in to preparing for medical school. He declared a major in biochemistry, joined the HWS EMS squad and started a position with sports medicine on campus.

10 August 2022Seeing First Snow: Tran ’25 Reflects on First Year at HWS

An international student from Vietnam, Van Tran ’25 had many firsts this year, including seeing her first snowfall out of a window overlooking the Quad.

10 August 2022Bicentennial Panel: Remember the Past, Imagine the Future

Bicentennial event will highlight accomplishments and examine critical aspects of Bishop Hobart and his era.

10 August 2022Piqued Curiosity: Howe ’25 Reflects on First Year at HWS

During her first year, Lucy Howe ’25 says her path had ups and downs.

9 August 2022HWS Community Mourns the Loss of Melissa Bank '82

5 August 2022Freedman '22 to Attend Columbia University

Ani Freedman ’22, who graduated summa cum laude in writing and rhetoric and Spanish & Hispanic studies, will attend graduate school at Columbia University’s School of Journalism.

5 August 2022Cohen ’67 Provides Strategies, Insights into Talent Development Consulting

A new book by Dr. Stephen Cohen ’67, an expert consultant in the talent development field, provides strategies and insights into how businesses within the field can develop strategies and grow.

5 August 2022HWS Wins National Awards for Branding, Website, Admissions

Hobart and William Smith were awarded a gold and two silver Circle of Excellence Awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.

3 August 2022“All the World’s a Stage:” HWS Theatre Abroad

This summer, Lucas Amaral ’23, Hannah Angelico ’25 and A King ’25 participated in the “Advanced Studies in England” Theatre Summer School in Bath, England.

3 August 2022HWS Community Mourns Dean Banks

Dr. Cerri Banks, former dean of William Smith College and member of the Education Department, has passed away.

29 July 2022HWS Ranks Among Top 5 in US at World Universities Debating Championships

Sreyan Kanungo ’23 and Sarim Karim ’22 debated their way to the octo-finals at the World Universities Debating Championship, placing in the top 5 of U.S. teams and becoming the highest ranked liberal arts college.