HWS Day 2025
Celebrating the spirit of exploration and curiosity that drives academic inquiry!
Tuesday, April 22
Blackwell-Hale Academic Achievement Awards Ceremony
6 p.m. | Vandervort Room, Scandling Campus Center
Wednesday, April 23
HWS Day Sessions
All Day | Various Locations
Senior Symposium
All Day | Various Locations
Community Lunch
Noon | Saga
Student Band Moonflower to Perform
Community Engaged Scholarship Forum
4 - 5 p.m. | Vandervort Room, Scandling Campus Center
SET IN MOTION Exhibition
6 - 7:30 p.m. | Provenzano Student Gallery
Albert Holland Prize Competition
for Physics Oratory
7 p.m. | Eaton Hall, Room 110
THURSDAY, April 24
Student Art Exhibition Opening Reception
5 - 7 p.m. | Houghton House
HWS Day Panel Schedule
9-9:50 a.m.
- The Book Beetle: Material Text and Historic Printing at HWS
Matt Crow | Coxe 8
The students in History 308 will be demonstrating the History Department’s new BookBeetle, a reconstruction of an early letterpress, not unlike the kind that would have been used by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century or Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century. We will talk about the history of books and printing, and why the history of material texts and knowledge production matters in a digital age. Time and numbers permitting, guests will get to try the press out too, and can take their printings home with them. This presentation is made possible by an MC Lang Fellowship of the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia and the Mellon Foundation Matters of Memory Grant.
9:30-11:30 a.m.
- World Climate Summit Simulation
Whitney Mauer, Kevin Dunn, Beth Kinne | Bartlett Theatre
In a joint effort between ENV 102 Introduction to Environmental Studies: Global Climate Change (2 sections), ENV 211 Global Climate Change Law and Policy, and INRL 275 International Environmental Insecurity and Global Climate Change, we will be hosting a World Climate Summit simulation modeled on the UN climate change negotiation process, with the goal of producing a global agreement that limits warming to 2°C or lower. This simulation is designed to provide participants and observers with an experiential understanding of international climate negotiations and the structural challenges of global climate governance. By integrating perspectives from science, law, policy, and international relations, the exercise highlights the tensions between economic development, political decision-making, and climate justice. Students will draw on knowledge from their respective courses to inform their roles and decision-making throughout the simulation. It is also designed to augment their knowledge by developing critical skills in negotiation, strategic thinking, and climate advocacy. Additionally, the simulation encourages all participants to engage in decision-making and consider how their insights can translate into real-world action.
10-11:15 a.m.
- Histories of Consequence
Virgil Slade | Coxe 7
Like History departments throughout the country, among the questions we continually address is what kind of histories are worth learning? From which perspective do we tell these histories? What or whose histories are of consequence? The student presentations today provide insight into how our department understands our institutional mission, and highlights how integral a historical understanding of the world is if we are to make it a better place for everyone to live in.
10-12 p.m.
- Sign me Up! Educational Trail Signage in Project Pond Walk
Beth Kinne | Stern Lobby
Project Pond Walk is a student designed plan to improve stormwater management and increase campus connectivity and educational and recreational opportunities on the HWS campus. Incorporating insights from environmental education, marketing, and psychology, this project aimed to develop interactive, engaging signage for the project with the goal of educating students and community members about local ecology and history, green infrastructure, and environmental stewardship. Model signs will be on display and audience members will be invited to interact with them and provide feedback. - Flood to Flourish: Protecting Nature, Connecting People
Beth Kinne | Scandling Center
The Town of Geneva recently acquired a 22-acre parcel on Carter Road that encompasses the headwaters of Marsh Creek. We are creating two design proposals for this park space, and we will gather community input and preferences in reaction to these proposals. One proposal includes built features more often implemented in urban parks. The second design proposal prioritizes re-wilding and native species. Both designs will address flood mitigation, water quality improvement, and ecosystems restoration and management while providing opportunities for community involvement and recreation.
11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
- "Frankenstein's Monster": The Unexpected Outcomes of US Imperialism and the Collected Works of Ben Hutchinson
Colby Ristow | Coxe 7
As a history major, Ben Hutchinson wrote on a wide range of topics, from the US-Mexico War to the Drug War in Mexico, to Henry Ford’s industrial escapades in the Amazon. In all cases, Ben’s work focused on the unintended consequences of US imperialism, and specifically its failures. His keen eye for American hubris, misidentified competence, and bloated authority was a reflection of his personality and what Ben brought to the classroom: an abiding sense of justice, and an equally abiding contempt for pretense in all its forms. Perhaps also a reflection of his personality, much of Ben’s work remained incomplete, offering glimpses of his critical sophistication and intellectual maturity, but often in bits and pieces. This presentation will make a brief effort to sew them together and pay respects to a once-in-a-lifetime student.
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
- Hebrew Scrolls at HWS: An Introduction to Paleography and Analysis
Brandon Moblo | Coxe 8
Library Research Fellow Sophia Mughal will outline her semester-long project to uncover the previously unknown date and location of origin of the Torah and Esther scrolls in HWS’ possession. Through the utilization of methods in the field of paleography and codicology, Mughal will explain her findings and paint a picture of the Jewish communities who may have owned these scrolls.
11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
- Inventive Solutions: Assistive Technology Prototypes
Mary Kelly | Scandling Center
Come see the assistive technology inventions designed by the students in Educ 306 Disability and Technology!
12-1:15 p.m.
- HWS Day Lunch: featuring Corner Pocket
Saga
1:30-3 p.m.
- Intro to Global Animation’s Trailer Presentation
Izul Zulkarnain | Fish Screening Room, Gearan Center
Students in the Intro to Global Animation classes will showcase the trailer for their group animation project and do a short presentation about the idea behind the project and the process of making the animation.
1:30-3:30 p.m.
- What's the buzz? Conference for the Cannabis Curious
Mark Deutschlander | Bartlett Theatre
Despite being federally illegal and the stigma associated with marijuana, increasing legalization across many states has created entrepreneurial opportunities while simultaneously highlighting the need to better understand the biology of cannabis and historical and current human interactions with the plant. Misinformation comes from both cannabis advocates and opponents. Seniors in their biology capstone course have been studying the botany, evolution, and cultural significance of cannabis, and researching the psychoactive and non-psychoactive compounds of cannabis, physiological effects, and recreational and medicinal uses. The conference for the cannabis curious will highlight some of the more prevalent lore, myths, and questions, to help participants better understand our current knowledge about cannabis. Using poster presentations and interactive activites, students will present their research on a variety of topics including:- The blunt truth about the high mind: Cannabis intoxication and your endocannabinoid system.
- The grass is greener on the creative side, but what did I come here for? Creativity, memory, and cannabis.
- Not just a high: Cannabis chemistry 101
- From bud to bed: Is cannabis as an effective sleep aid?
- Cannabis-induced Psychosis: Real or a Hoax?
- “Joint effort”: Where cannabis meets athletic competition
- From pets to pot: Cannabis therapy for companion animals
- “Big Weed” and the effect of corporate disinformation and legalization
- Bot-any?: Cannabis biology from root to shoot
- Fighting fire with fire: Pain management, opioids, and cannabis
- What causes the munchies? Craving knowledge and snacks
- Joint perspectives: a global history of cannabis use
- Chronic use: How cannabis alters the brain’s addiction circuit
- Does legal mean safe? A comparison of cannabis and alcohol
- Let’s hash it out: Standardization of cannabis consumption
- Rolling green: Navigating the risks of cannabis and driving.
2:30-3 p.m.
- The Mathematics of Music
Jocelyn Bell | Froelich Hall, Gearan Center
Students will demonstrate some ways to use mathematics to create music and play some of their creations for the audience.
2:30-3:45 p.m.
- Geoscience Major Capstone Presentations
Dave Finkelstein | Geneva Room
The Geoscience Department comprises three programs of study (Earth, Climate and Water Sciences), which allows students to blend coursework tailored to their unique interests. The Capstone Experience in the Geoscience Department requires students to complete a public ‘conference style’ presentation based on original research. Capstone seminar presentations may be based on a research project completed during (i) a 300-level Geoscience course, (ii) an REU or HWS-summer research project, (iii) a Geoscience Independent Study, or a Geoscience Honors project.
3-4 p.m.
- Juxtapositions: Artifacts from Historic Geneva
Beth Belanger | Prouty Chew House: 543 South Main Street
This is the opening of a collaborative exhibit done as part of CMST 214: Introduction to Critical Museum Studies. The exhibit will be in the Proudy Chew House - Historic Geneva Museum.
3:15-4:00 p.m.
- Activism and Impact: Connecting the Past to the Present
Becca Barile | Stern Lobby
Many current social movements began on college and university campuses, including progress in sustainability, civil rights, and gender and feminist movements. In this round robin poster presentation, join Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership students as they highlight how historical activism continues to shape modern policies, campus culture, and student experiences.
4-5:30 p.m.
- 17th Annual Community Engaged Scholarship Forum
Katie Flowers | Vandervort Room
The Annual Community Engaged Scholarship Forum is an opportunity to highlight reciprocal and mutually beneficial community-student partnerships and projects. The student projects are advised by both faculty sponsors and community agency leaders and occur independently or as part of a class. The entire (campus and extended Geneva) community is invited to attend and celebrate the exciting learning and engagement that is representative of the positive potential of academically supported and engaged learning collaborations.
5-6 p.m.
- Philanthropy, Non-profit Organizations, and Community Impact
Katie Flowers | Common Room
This will be a check presentation for the inaugural course offering of this grant funded initiative. there will likely be a Communications article that we can link to the program.
6-7:30 p.m.
- Set in Motion Exhibition
Nick Ruth | Provenzano Student Art Gallery
Provenzano Student Art Gallery will be hosting the opening reception for the long-term exhibition Set in Motion. This event will showcase student art, featuring Mia Tetrault’s Critical Museum Studies capstone, and is curated by the intern team.