Honorary Degree Citations
COMMENCEMENT 2026
Lillian Elizabeth Williams Collins
Doctor of Humane Letters
In the transformative work of service, there are those whose influence is measured by the lives they have touched, the communities they have strengthened and the enduring spirit of care they have inspired. Today, we honor Lillian Elizabeth Williams Collins — a devoted advocate, steadfast mentor and beloved presence — whose life exemplifies the highest ideals of compassion, generosity and commitment to the common good.
For more than four decades, Lillian Collins served Hobart and William Smith with distinction and grace. Beginning in 1967 in the Office of Publications, she became an indispensable member of the Colleges as Assistant to the Vice President of Advancement. In that role, she distinguished herself through exceptional professionalism, deep institutional knowledge and an abiding devotion to the people of this community, becoming a trusted colleague, guide and source of wisdom whose contributions were foundational to the Colleges she so faithfully served.
Beyond her formal responsibilities, Lillian Collins shaped the experience of generations of students, particularly those from multicultural and underrepresented backgrounds. Through her work with the Office of Intercultural Affairs and the Afro Latino Alumni and Alumnae Association, she cultivated spaces of belonging. To countless students, she was far more than a staff member — she was a “mother away from home,” offering counsel in moments of uncertainty, encouragement in times of challenge and small but profound acts of kindness, including her cherished care packages.
Her commitment to service extends into the Geneva community. A tireless civic leader, she has supported organizations dedicated to justice, history and human dignity, including the Geneva Center of Concern, the Geneva Historical Society and the Geneva Human Rights Commission. Through scholarship work and her faith community at St. Paul’s Full Gospel Baptist Church, she has expanded access to education and opportunity. In honor of her daughter, she established the Lorraine Y. Collins ’99 Endowed Scholarship Fund at Howard University, extending a legacy of thoughtfulness across generations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she raised funds for the Roger L. Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund at HWS.
Even in retirement, her devotion to uplifting others has not waned. Through outreach to HWS alumni and friends, she secured support to fully endow the Dean James L. Henderson ’75 Award of Merit and to advance the Alger L. Adams ’32 Intercultural Center —strengthening the institution’s commitment to inclusion and community.
The many honors she has received attest to the breadth of her impact. Yet her truest legacy lives in the countless individuals whose lives have been changed by her kindness and optimism. It endures in the scholarship created by HWS alumni that bears her name, in the communities she has strengthened and in the values she has modeled.
Guided by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — “If I can help somebody as I pass along… then my living will not be in vain,”
Lillian Collins has lived a life of purpose, humility and generosity.
For her extraordinary service to Hobart and William Smith, for her tireless advocacy on behalf of students and community, and for her thoughtful commitment to equity and human dignity, we proudly honor Lillian Elizabeth Williams Collins with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
Father Thomas Patrick Mull
Doctor of Divinity
In every generation, there are those whose lives bear quiet yet profound witness to faith in action — whose daily labors, offered with humility and devotion, become a sustaining presence in the lives of others. Today, we honor Father Thomas Patrick Mull, a faithful servant of the Church and a steadfast shepherd to the Finger Lakes community, whose vocation has been marked by thoughtfulness, constancy and an abiding commitment to the care of souls.
A native of Waterloo, New York, and from a large and devoted Catholic family, Father Mull’s life has been shaped by faith and service. A graduate of DeSales High School and St. John Fisher College, he discerned early a calling to the priesthood and pursued theological formation at St. Bernard’s Seminary, where he earned the Master of Divinity. His continued study of liturgy at the University of Notre Dame reflects a lifelong dedication to the sacred traditions that anchor the spiritual life of the Church.
Ordained to the priesthood in 1976, Father Mull has devoted nearly half a century to pastoral ministry within the Diocese of Rochester. Across parishes in Rochester, Canandaigua and beyond, he has served with wisdom and generosity, offering guidance in times of joy and solace in moments of sorrow. As pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Canandaigua for more than a decade, and since 2013 as pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Geneva, he has cultivated communities rooted in faith and fellowship.
As Director of the Diocese of Rochester’s Office of Liturgy for 12 years, Father Mull helped shape the prayer and worship of an entire diocese, ensuring that the celebration of the sacraments remained committed to tradition and responsive to the needs of the faithful. His work reflected a deep conviction that in worship, the community encounters both its source and its sustenance.
Beyond the parish, Father Mull has extended his ministry into education, healthcare and public service. As a trustee of the Aquinas Institute and a longtime member of the board of Thompson Health where he chaired the ethics committee, he has brought moral clarity and empathetic discernment to complex questions at the intersection of faith and public life. His service as chaplain to local and state law enforcement agencies has offered spiritual support and a reliable presence to those who serve and protect, embodying a ministry of accompaniment in its truest sense.
Through his role as the longtime celebrant of the televised Sunday Mass, he has reached far beyond the walls of the church, bringing comfort, continuity and connection to those unable to gather in person.
In 2026, as he marks 50 years of priesthood, Father Mull was honored with the Geneva Rotary Club’s Ralph Springstead
Service Above Self Award, a fitting tribute to a life defined by selfless devotion and impact.
For his lifelong dedication to the Church, for his exemplary service to the people of the Finger Lakes region, and for his unwavering commitment to faith and the dignity of all, Hobart and William Smith is proud to confer upon Father Thomas Patrick Mull the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
Dame Louise Mary Richardson
In an age that demands both intellectual rigor and moral courage, we are called to honor a leader whose life work has illuminated the darkest corners of human conflict while steadfastly expanding the light of opportunity through education. Today, we recognize Dame Louise Mary Richardson — scholar, higher education leader and global citizen — whose achievements stand as a testament to the power of knowledge in service to humanity.
As President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Dame Richardson guides one of the world’s most venerable philanthropic institutions with vision and resolve, advancing its founding mission to promote knowledge and understanding and to diminish the forces of division that imperil democratic societies. In becoming the first woman to hold this office, she has both honored the legacy of Andrew Carnegie and extended it, championing efforts to reduce political polarization and broaden access to the transformative promise of education.
Her path to this distinguished role has been marked by a series of historic firsts and enduring contributions. As Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford — the first woman in its centuries-long history to hold that office — she stewarded one of the world’s great universities through a period of profound change, strengthening its academic enterprise, expanding its global reach and securing vital resources to advance discovery across the sciences and the humanities. At the University of St. Andrews, where she likewise served as the first woman principal and vice-chancellor, she broadened academic horizons, invested boldly in the intellectual and physical life of the campus, and opened doors to students of promise from every background.
A scholar of rare distinction, she is internationally renowned for her penetrating analyses of terrorism and counterterrorism. Her influential work, including What Terrorists Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat, has reshaped public discourse and deepened global understanding of one of the most pressing challenges of our time. With clarity, nuance and intellectual integrity, she has illuminated the motivations that drive violence and the policies required to confront it, contributing not only to academic knowledge but to the pursuit of peace itself.
Her leadership in moments of global crisis further reflects her profound sense of responsibility to the wider world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she forged a landmark partnership to ensure that the Oxford-developed vaccine would be distributed without profit to countries across the globe — an act of principle that affirms the ethical obligations of scholarship and innovation.
The honors bestowed upon Dame Richardson — from her appointment as Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, to her recognition by the French Republic as a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters, to the many distinctions conferred by institutions around the world — speak to the breadth of her influence and the depth of her contributions. Most compelling, however, is her journey as a first-generation student from Ireland, which stands as a powerful testament to her life’s work: a belief in the boundless potential of education to transform lives and societies alike.
For her distinguished service to the advancement of higher education, for her profound contributions to the study and understanding of terrorism and international affairs, and for her commitment to the ideals of access, equity and global responsibility, Hobart and William Smith proudly honors Dame Louise Mary Richardson with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
Lt. General John “Jack” L. Woodward Jr. ’68
Doctor of Humane Letters
In the annals of service to nation and to alma mater, there are those whose lives are defined by uncommon vision, disciplined intellect and an unwavering devotion to the greater good. Today, we honor Lieutenant General John “Jack” L. Woodward Jr., whose distinguished career in the United States Air Force and commitment to Hobart and William Smith stand as a testament to the highest ideals of leadership, integrity and service.
A graduate of Hobart College, Class of 1968, General Woodward began his journey of service through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, embarking on a 35-year career that carried him to the highest echelons of military leadership, culminating in his appointment as a three-star Lieutenant General.
Throughout his career, General Woodward distinguished himself as a leader of exceptional foresight in the complex and ever-evolving domain of Command, Control, Communications and Computer systems. As Deputy Chief of Staff for Communication and Information and Deputy Chief Information Officer of the United States Air Force, he bore responsibility for the strategic vision, policy and architecture governing communications and information systems across the entire force. In this role, he led a global enterprise of nearly 100,000 professionals, ensuring the operational readiness, security and technological superiority essential to national defense.
His record of service spans assignments at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, United States Space Command, Air Force Space Command, the Pentagon, and international posts in Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines. In each of these roles, he demonstrated not only technical mastery, but also a clear commitment to those under his command, fostering excellence, accountability and purpose.
In recognition of his contributions, General Woodward has been awarded some of the nation’s highest military honors, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.
Following his retirement from active duty, General Woodward served as Executive Vice President at Accenture and later founded his own consulting firm, through which he has advised organizations navigating a rapidly changing technological landscape. His service on corporate and nonprofit boards further reflects a commitment to advancing innovation and responsible leadership.
Even as his career spanned the globe, his commitment to Hobart and William Smith remained steadfast. He has given generously of his time and counsel, serving as a Career Services volunteer and a member of the Veterans Memorial Committee. His contributions to the Bicentennial celebration, including the foreword to 200 Years: Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ Legacy of Military Service, reflect both pride in and stewardship of the institution’s legacy. In recognition of his commitment, he was awarded the Alumni Citation in 2023.
As a student, General Woodward excelled in biology and mathematics and distinguished himself in athletics and leadership. A member of the soccer, squash and golf teams, he earned the Blazer Award for Golf. He also served as class treasurer and participated in the Board of Control, Arnold Air Society, ROTC and Delta Chi fraternity.
For his extraordinary leadership in service to the United States, for his pioneering contributions to the advancement of military communications and information systems, and for his dedication to Hobart and William Smith, we proudly honor Lieutenant General John “Jack” L. Woodward Jr. with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.