Alumni Association Welcomes Seniors
9 May 2014 Alumni Association Welcomes Seniors
Hobart seniors will participate in the traditional Launch ceremony on Friday, May 16, to mark their entrance into the Hobart Alumni Association. The students will gather at the benches facing Seneca Lake near McDaniels House, and then proceed to Bozzuto Boathouse for the ceremony.
I hope the soon-to-be-graduates appreciate the many benefits of staying engaged through the Alumni Association, says President of the Alumni Association J.B. Robinson 96. As wonderful as being a student at Hobart is or was, remaining engaged through the Alumni Association is similarly rewarding. Robinson has been actively involved with the Association for more than 12 years.
The experience has been extremely rewarding, as it has afforded me the opportunity to give back to a place that did so much for me, he explains. I enjoy the opportunity to interact with students, whether talking about adjusting to life in Geneva or post-college career plans. I also really value the opportunity to build relationships with Hobart alumni of various generations.
Jason Walbourn 96 will serve as this years honorary speaker at the event. During his time at HWS, Walbourn served as president of Hobart Student Government, worked as a resident adviser, and participated in numerous activities as diverse as Koshare and The Herald. He was inducted into the Druids and Phi Beta Kappa and earned several awards, including the Blair Currie Prize in Economics and the Maynard Smith Prize in Political Science. After graduating with a B.A. in political science and economics, summa cum laude, Walbourn received his J.D. from University of Minnesota. He now serves as senior litigator for Target Corporation and lives in Plymouth, Minn., with his wife and three children.
Previous alumni speakers include John Enright 95, Paul A. Tokasz 68, P89, Bryan Riehl 96, and HWS Trustees Thomas B. Poole 61, P91, L.H.D. 06 and Thomas Bozzuto 68.
Peter Bolte 14 will present the graduating senior address at the event. Bolte is a psychology and Asian studies major with a minor in religious studies. The recipient of the Kent W. Marbury 62 Memorial Award in lacrosse, he is the captain of the Statesmen lacrosse team and is a Statesmen Scholar. He also has been named to Deans list.
The Alumni Association will present each Hobart senior with the symbolic replica of Agayentahs paddle to recognize the Colleges heritage and connection to Seneca Lake. Marking the end of their time as students at HWS, the paddle serves as a reminder to graduating seniors to return to the shore as often as they can. Students will also receive celebratory Hobart cigars at the conclusion of the ceremony, donated each year by Bill 85 and Larry 92 Sherman of the Nat Sherman Cigar Company.