Hobart and William Smith Colleges

After receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, HWS Lead Photographer Kevin Colton takes a selfie with President Mark D. Gearan.

Honorary Trustee Cynthia Gelsthorpe Fish ’82 receives an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in recognition of her governance and leadership of the Colleges as well as her commitment to causes related to health, wellbeing and education.

Videographer Brett Williams captures the Master of Arts in Teaching graduates as they celebrate.

City Year Cofounder Alan Khazei shares several life lessons from his experiences at City Year and other social change efforts, about living a life of consequence.

President Mark D. Gearan confers an Honorary Doctorate of Science on Dr. Gilberto Arbelaez ’06; he was the only emergency physician on staff at Uvalde Memorial Hospital who treated victims in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Members of the Classes of 2023 process to the Quad.

Under the direction of Associate Professor of Music Mark Olivieri, members of the Jazz Ensemble perform at the start of Commencement. They include: Felix Beltre ’23, Luke Ward ’26, Ivan Malcolm ’23 and Professor of Biology Mark Deutschlander.

Professor of Sociology Jack Harris places the hood on Patricia Adams L.H.D.’23 as she receives an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. Corporate professional, musician and journalist, Adams is the daughter of Hobart’s first Black graduate, the Rev. Dr. Alger L. Adams ’32, D.D. ’83.

Dean of Spiritual Engagement and Chaplain Rev. Nita Byrd offers the opening prayer at Commencement 2023. Rabbi Dr. Ann Landowne delivered the Benediction.

Colleen Wahl Culley ’06, an assistant professor of dance at Alfred University, leads a lesson with students in “Laban Studies” with Professor Cynthia Williams.