The Pulteney Street Survey

relatively new

PHOTO BY ADAM FARID ’20

tradition, on Commencement morning, seniors watch the sunrise from Bozzuto Boathouse and then jump in the lake.

THE PULTENEY STREET SURVEY

Volume XLIX, Number 1 / THE PULTENEY STREET SURVEY is published by the Office of Marketing and Communications, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 300 Pulteney Street, Geneva, New York 14456–3397, (315) 781–3700. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Pulteney Street Survey, c/o Advancement Services, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 300 Pulteney St., Geneva, New York 14456–3397. HWS is committed to providing a non-discriminatory and harassment-free educational, living and working environment for all members of the HWS community, including students, faculty, staff, volunteers and visitors. HWS prohibits discrimination and harassment in their programs and activities based on age, color, disability, domestic violence victim status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, shared ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected under the law. Discrimination based on sex includes sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual assault, other forms of sexual misconduct including stalking and intimate partner violence, and gender-based harassment that does not involve conduct of a sexual nature.

EDITOR, VICE PRESIDENT FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Catherine Williams / SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Wickenden ’09 / DESIGNER Lilly Pereira / aldeia.design / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS/EDITORS Ken DeBolt, Mackenzie Larsen ’12, Mary LeClair, Colin Spencer ’19, Natalia St. Lawrence ’16, Mary Warner ’21, Andrew Wickenden ’09 and Catherine Williams CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Christine Chin, Kevin Colton L.H.D. ’23, Adam Farid ’20, Brett Williams / Additional images courtesy of HWS Archives, Jenny Wu ’12 / PORTRAIT ILLUSTRATOR Kathryn Rathke / PRESIDENT Mark D. Gearan / THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR Craig R. Stine ’81, P’17 / CO-VICE CHAIRS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Cassandra Naylor Brooks ’89 and Joseph C. Stein III ’86 / VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT Robert B. O’Connor P’22, P’23 / William Smith Alumnae Association Officers: Roxanne Jackson ’81, President; Jennifer Casey ’90, Vice President; Katharine Strouse Canada ’98, Immediate Past President; Amanda E. Shaw ’11, Historian / Hobart Alumni Association Officers: Mark A. Darden III ’87, P’17, President; Steven Westort ’94, Vice President; Paul Wasmund ’07, Immediate Past President; Andrew Donovan ’12, Historian. /

and

Andrew Wickenden ’09 at wickenden@hws.edu.

More, Together

As I re ect on this past academic year, I am struck by the important institutional advances for Hobart and William Smith amidst these challenging times in higher education. We have worked to honor our vital mission of educating students — especially important in this fraught and divided world. And while the scope and scale of the challenges could be met with cynicism or defeatism, our dedicated faculty and sta remain focused on creating a better future and preparing students for the century ahead; I am grateful for their collective e orts.

The progress you will read about in this edition of The Pulteney Street Survey is particularly noteworthy given the headwinds facing higher education; headwinds that are lodged in polarized debates leading too many people to question the value and importance of a liberal arts and sciences education. While I take note of these concerning trends, I remain optimistic and driven by the purposeful work we are engaged in and the transformative educational experiences at Hobart and William Smith.

Thanks to an extraordinary $100 million commitment from a small coalition of alumni and parents, this spring Hobart and William Smith took a momentous step into the future with the announcement of Further Together: The Campaign for Our Third Century. As you’ll read in this issue’s feature story (p. 20), the Campaign’s $400 million goal will lift Hobart and William Smith to new heights, enhancing our many centers of academic strength, reducing the nancial burden on students and families, and providing an environment where students can achieve their fullest potential as they learn about the world, themselves and one another.

This spring, we saw a 23 percent growth in the size of our rst-year class, far exceeding our expectations and proving the power of an HWS education. Hobart Hockey had another outstanding season, culminating in a second straight national title. Our campus became one of only 11 nationwide to reach climate neutrality, a key goal in our sustainability plan. We hosted lively conversations with renowned experts on critical issues — from the environment to international peacebuilding, and from national politics to the global economy. At Commencement, we celebrated the Class of 2024, recognized three accomplished alumni — Jessica Knoll ’06, L.H.D. ’24; retired Lt. Col. John E. Norvell ’66, P’99, P’02, L.H.D. ’24; and the late HWS Trustee Michael Rawlins ’80, P’16, L.H.D. ’24 — and with the help of Commencement speaker and Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn L.H.D. ’24, paid tribute to Hobart and William Smith’s proud history of global citizenship.

Despite the issues facing the higher education community, the nation and the world, this has been an exciting year for HWS and we carry that momentum forward, knowing there is more to be done to reach our aspirations.

I thank you for your continued partnership in our work to advance this place we all admire.

All the best,

MARK D. GEARAN President

▲

President Gearan takes a selﬁe with members of the Class of 2024 during the Senior Soiree and Toast.

Professor of International Relations Vikash Yadav, retired Lt. Col. John E. Norvell ’66, P’99, P’02, L.H.D. ’24, Dylan Rawlins ’16, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Cassandra Naylor Brooks ’89, Jessica Knoll ’06, L.H.D. ’24 and Student Trustee Anjalee Wanduragala ‘25 await the start of the Commencement processional. Alongside Commencement speaker Carol Spahn L.H.D. ’24, Knoll, Norvell and the late HWS Trustee Michael Rawlins ’80, P’16, L.H.D. ’24 were recognized with honorary degrees. Dylan Rawlins accepted the degree on behalf of his father.

PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON L.H.D. ’23

HILL QUAD

HWS Day 2024

Celebrating the spirit of exploration and curiosity that drives academic inquiry.

This spring, the inaugural HWS Day showcased student scholarship and creativity. Beginning in the Great Hall of Saga with a community dinner and dance performance, the celebration stretched across campus with student panels, presentations, exhibitions and performances. HWS Day included the 2024 Senior Symposium and the Blackwell-Hale Academic Achievement Awards ceremony, as well as the second annual Scholarship Day of Donors, a 24-hour giving day devoted to increasing access to a transformative education.

PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON L.H.D. ’23

HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES

HWS Day kicked off on a high note with an Africana dance performance led by Associate Professor of Dance and Movement Studies Kelly Johnson (far left).

Major Support for Scholarship and Athletics

This spring semester, the HWS community contributed more than $1.3 million during two 24-hour fundraising events.

The annual Athletics Day of Donors and Scholarship Day of Donors each concluded with an overwhelming show of support from the HWS community. With nearly 4,000 participants in the February and April fundraisers, HWS surpassed the donor goals and raised north of $1.35 million on behalf of athletics and scholarships.

“The incredible philanthropy underscores how important stewardship is in supporting our vibrant community,” says Vice President for Advancement Bob O’Connor P’22, P’23. “Behind every gift is a donor whose generosity has a meaningful impact on future generations of HWS students. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who participated, along with our sta , alumni and parent leadership.”

The fundraising totals include challenge gifts from Cynthia L. Caird L.H.D. ’12; Trustee John H. Hogan III ’88 and Margaret Massey Hogan ’88; John Manley ’64, P’93; Trustee Andrew McMaster ’74, P’09; Trustee Eric J. Stein ’89; and the Parents Executive Committee.

Students expressed their gratitude with hundreds of handwritten notes to faculty and sta who made a positive impact on their HWS journey.

A grateful 2024 grad’s decorated mortarboard at Commencement.

OUTCOMES

What’s Next for the Class of 2024?

From campus classrooms, studios and labs, this year’s graduates are venturing into new jobs, graduate programs and international service programs.

Members of the Class of 2024 are ready to put their education into action in a wide array of ﬁelds, spanning ﬁnance, politics and healthcare, education, biotechnology and the law.

Wil Crane ’24 starts at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP this summer as a transfer pricing associate. An economics major and double-minor in data analytics and entrepreneurial studies, Crane says his coursework was “crucial,” especially “Corporate Finance” and “Math Foundations of Data,” which “provided me with the skills and knowledge to excel through the internship which helped me land the full-time position.”

Joining Fidelity Investments as a ﬁnancial services representative, Grace Swartz ’24 says she is “especially thankful for the support system at HWS, which has been my biggest cheerleader…. The mentorship from HWS alumni at Fidelity, especially from individuals like Travis Ferland ’11, has been incredibly helpful. Their guidance and support throughout the application and interview process have been invaluable, and I look forward to working alongside them.”

Bolstered by the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education, the success of 2024 graduates underscores the comprehensive preparation and opportunities provided by HWS.

Learn more about what this year’s grads are doing at hws.edu/outcomes-2024.

Carter Meshanic ’25, Erin Howe ’24, Kelly Howe ’26 and Hunter Meshanic ’25 celebrate the start of Athletics Day of Donors outside Scandling Campus Center.

Stitching Solutions

A student start-up upcycles and remixes old clothing into one-of-a-kind designs.

BY COLIN SPENCER ’16

The fashion industry produces approximately 92 million tons of textile waste each year, as Emily Rourke ’24 pointed out in her presentation at the 13th Annual Todd Feldman ’89 and Family Pitch Contest.

Rourke’s winning startup, Em’s Thread, o ers sustainable clothing options through a user-friendly platform, allowing customers to specify preferences for color, design, t and style, resulting in a custom-made sweatshirt.

Since launching the business in the fall of 2023, Rourke has generated over $11,000 selling her wear online and through partnerships with Geneva businesses.

“We need a circular economy of clothing,” she said. “We need threads that last.”

Rourke was mentored by Lowell Kronowitz ’85, P’27, the president of Levy Jewelers.

This year’s judges included Lydia Loizides P’26, the managing partner and CEO of Talentedly; Lee Jokl ’05, a director of growth strategy at T. Rowe Price; Paul Harden ’82, small business growth hub director at the Rhode Island Small Business Development center; and Khawar Khokar ’00, the executive director of SAKS Health.

Alongside Rourke, nalists included Cori Bohan ’27, founder of Stories We Tell; Lucas Johnson ’24, creator of 3Face; and Saugat Raj Joshi ’25 and Rex Eidlin ’26, developers of EcoPack.

‘72, P’04 speaks to HWS community members at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Domenica “Mini” Provenzano Student Art Gallery.

▼ Emily Rourke ’24, winner of the 2024 Todd Feldman ’89 and Family Pitch Contest.

Form and Function

Dedicated this spring, the Domenica “Mini” Provenzano Student Art Gallery puts student work front and center.

With support from Dominic Provenzano ’72, P’04, the student art gallery on the ground ﬂoor of Scandling Campus Center regularly showcases student art and offers aspiring curators a chance to manage exhibitions throughout the academic year.

Provenzano was inspired to support the student art gallery by his aunt, an art teacher in Florida, who encouraged him to “do it for the students,” as Provenzano shared at the

The gallery is staffed through six half-credit internship positions available each semester, with student interns coordinating, installing and promoting a series of exhibitions and events. Thus far, this work “has fostered new dynamic relationships, opened new avenues for skill building, innovation and leadership for students,” said the gallery’s faculty coordinator, Associate Professor of Art and Architecture Angelique Szymanek. “And for faculty, this gallery has meant witnessing many of the lessons taught in the classroom and in the studio put into action.”

▲ Dominic Provenzano

BY THE NUMBERS

Neutral Territory

HWS is one of only 11 colleges and universities nationwide to go climate neutral.

In 2024, Hobart and William Smith’s commitment to environmental sustainability hit a critical milestone: as of January, the campus is climate neutral thanks to renewable energy production and practices resulting in a zero increase in net production of carbon, methane and other greenhouse gases. This achievement puts HWS a year ahead of schedule and among only 11 colleges and universities nationwide to achieve climate neutrality.

In April, a President’s Forum Series panel consisting of alumni and students celebrated this progress and discussed the future of climate change (see p. 12). The event also featured a video message from former Vice President Al Gore, who praised the “truly signiﬁcant contributions to the growing climate action movement…that have already made Hobart and William Smith a national leader in campus climate action.”

“This is a huge, multiyear success,” says Professor Tom Drennen, the Stine Family Endowed Chair in Management and Entrepreneurship, who has been a driving force in HWS’ sustainability efforts. “It’s taken a lot of planning and collaboration, so it’s very exciting to reach this goal.”

Number of colleges and universities nationwide, including HWS, that have achieved climate neutrality.

16,000+

Total number of panels at HWS’ two solar arrays.

Number of electric vehicle charging stations on campus.

Number of solar farms powering the HWS campus. Together, the arrays represent one of the largest solar installations at a higher education institution in New York State.

2016

The year the ﬁrst solar farm, located on Route 14N in Geneva, went online, followed the next year by the Gates Road site in the Town of Seneca.

49%

Percentage of campus electricity usage generated by the HWS solar farms; the remaining portion of electricity is offset by wind power generated elsewhere in the U.S., which HWS supports by purchasing credits.

38,743,083 lbs.

2007

The year HWS was a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, promising climate neutrality by 2025.

39.2 GWh Energy generated to date.

23,056

Number of barrels of oil mitigated.

26,392

Number of trees saved by the solar arrays.

LEARN MORE about HWS’ ongoing sustainability initiatives: hws.edu/ofﬁces/sustainability

Amount of carbon offset by the HWS solar farms since they went online.

*Numbers as of May 2024

OVERHEARD

…the magic of being in the moment onstage, with the audience, the ﬁeld of energy with you, them, and the story. There’s nothing better.

GREG MULLAVEY ’55 , discussing his love of performing live on stage with DC Theatre Arts. Mullavey starred in the Frog + Peach Theatre Company’s winter production of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy King Lear.

Tusk has come out swinging.

Professor of Politics DAVID OST in The Nation, discussing Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the future of the country’s democracy.

My dorm is ﬁlled with antiques.

LUCAS

GILLESPIE ’24 , who was proﬁled in Newsweek after his antique room décor went viral on Reddit.

Working with a company at the forefront of social media and marketing allowed me to combine my passion for digital storytelling with a unique and rapidly evolving industry.

VAN NGUYEN ’25 reﬂecting on her internship at TikTok. A Media & Society and Theatre double-major, Nguyen is also a content creator on YouTube whose page has more than 21 million views and 240,000 subscribers.

…create and recreate community, again and again, in every interaction.

Corps Director

…building peace…often involves giving power to ordinary citizens.

Author,

It’s the place where a lot of the designs that are well known throughout the world emanated from.

the HWS Class of 2024.

peacebuilder and researcher SÉVERINE AUTESSERRE during the annual HWS Anderton Forum for Global Engagement in March.

The

deeper I get into my career, the more I become convinced that anything done successfully, sustainably is not done alone.

RYAN HEWSON ’03 , reﬂecting on Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Taliesin estate in an Architectural Digest article. Hewson is the director of preservation at Taliesin.

JALISA WHITLEY ’11 , who was presented with the Public Leadership Education Network’s 2024 Marianne Alexander Alumnae Leadership Award in May.

Peace

CAROL SPAHN L.H.D. ’24 in her Commencement address to

Impact Abroad

The Peace Corps and the Fulbright program bring recent grads to all corners of the globe.

BY NATALIA ST. LAWRENCE ’16 AND ANDREW WICKENDEN ’09

“…a Fulbright Grant will provide me with an unforgettable, immersive experience to build a home and be a positive change wherever I am in the world.”

GRACE BOTT ‘23

HWS has a long tradition of international service and educational exchange. The most recent alumni to take up that mantle are Grace Bott ’23, the recipient of a 2024 U.S. Student Fulbright Award to Taiwan, and Alanson Loomis ’24 and Ahmed Wise ’24, who will serve as Peace Corps volunteers in Fiji and Kenya, respectively.

An economics and Asian studies double-major, Bott looks forward to combining her love of language and teaching thanks to the Fulbright. As an English Teaching Assistant in Taiwan, she hopes to challenge herself while mentoring students “as they gure out their futures and themselves.”

When she returns, Bott plans to pursue a graduate degree in economics, focusing on research in poverty, economic development and immigration to increase international understanding. “I want to make a di erence in my community,” she says, “and a Fulbright Grant will provide me with an unforgettable, immersive experience to build a home and be a positive change wherever I am in the world.”

Loomis, an economics major, begins his Peace Corps training in Fiji’s capital, Suva, before moving to a rural village to support local organizations, small businesses and youth groups as a Community Economic Development Facilitator.

Wise, an educational studies and movement studies double-major, will serve as a Community Health Outreach Volunteer in Kenya.

Both he and Loomis say that their coursework — and a little encouragement from President Mark D. Gearan, former Director of the Peace Corps — helped convince them that the opportunity to serve abroad was the right next step.

Loomis says that “International Macroeconomics” with his adviser Associate Professor of Economics H. Evren Damar “de nitely sparked my interest in working abroad,” and President Gearan “gave me really helpful insights about the program.”

Wise came away from his conversations with President Gearan with a sense of the impact the Peace Corps can have. “[H]e wants to give back and serve whatever community he’s in,” Wise says of Gearan. “I was able to see myself in that description. I’m blessed because I’ve had people who want to see me be great, and I want to have a similar impact on young people.”

The Enlightenment and Original Sin

Professor of History

Matt Kadane University of Chicago Press, 2024

An eloquent microhistory that argues for the centrality of the doctrine of original sin to the Enlightenment.

Aeschylus: Agamemnon

Associate Professor of Classics Leah Himmelhoch

Bloomsbury Publishing, 2023

With in-depth commentary and context, Himmelhoch’s new translation of Aeschylus’ Agamemnon offers an invaluable guide for students and teachers of “one of the most stirring, inﬂuential tragedies ever written.”

Castration Desire: Less Is More in Global Anglophone Fiction

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies

Robinson Murphy Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024

Drawing on the work of contemporary novelists and ﬁlmmakers, Murphy delivers a new perspective on gendered and environmental power dynamics.

Grace Bott ’23

Alanson Loomis ’24

Ahmed Wise ’24

[faculty books]

THE LAW AND HIGHER ED

All the Campus Lawyers: Litigation, Regulation, and the New Era of Higher Education

Vice President and General Counsel Lou Guard ‘07 and Professor of Economics and former President of HWS Joyce P. Jacobsen

Harvard University Press, 2024

Selected by The New Yorker as a Best Book of 2024, All the Campus Lawyers details the impact of governmental regulation on U.S. campuses. Coauthored by Guard, who serves as HWS general counsel, and Jacobsen, an economist and former HWS president, the book explores the “lawyerization of higher education” and how colleges and universities can respond to legal pressures while remaining true to their educational missions.

“So much of what consumes the higher ed press today relates to legal issues on campuses. It is important for anyone concerned with higher ed to understand how these issues are impacting the core mission of colleges and universities,” says Guard.

All the Campus Lawyers was written during the spring semester of 2022 when Guard and Jacobsen were coteaching “Law and Economics of Higher Education” at HWS. Guard, who also used material from the book for his seminar on the law of higher education at Cornell Law School, says that the collaboration “has been a real privilege. Joyce is a scholar of the highest caliber. I have valued our discussions and debate on these topics, and our friendship.”

Jacobsen, who spent much of the last decade in higher ed administration, found her ﬁrsthand knowledge of legal issues both inspirational and invaluable. She says the process “was a constant pleasure, even as we were writing about an enormous range of difﬁcult and controversial topics. Lou thinks deeply about the law of higher education and has an encyclopedic understanding of the issues that it involves.”

YADAV’S BOLD NEW BOOKS

Liberalism’s Last Man: Hayek in the Age of Political Capitalism

Professor of International Relations Vikash Yadav University of Chicago Press, 2023

The Politics of India under Modi: An Introduction to India’s Democracy, Economy, and Foreign Policy

Professor of International Relations Vikash Yadav and Jason A. Kirk Lever Press, 2023

In his latest books, Professor of International Relations Vikash Yadav brings his expertise in international ﬁnance and politics to bear on the contemporary state of capitalism, as well as India’s political landscape since the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With Liberalism’s Last Man — which earned a rave review in the Wall Street Journal — Yadav offers “a bold and unconventional claim” on Friedrich Hayek’s most famous work, The Road to Serfdom, reframing its message for the 21st century. The WSJ review notes that Yadav’s book “performs an exceptional service in recasting [Hayek’s work] in a form that modern readers may ﬁnd easier to appreciate than the original…. For too long Hayek has been treated — by admirers and critics alike — as a slogan or a caricature rather than a serious thinker. It’s time for a comeback.”

In The Politics of India under Modi, Yadav and his coauthor, Elon University professor Jason A. Kirk, guide readers through the aftermath of India’s 2014 elections, which pulled the nation’s politics rightward in ways “which have yet to be analyzed in depth academically by experts,” says Rina Verma Williams, a professor at the University of Cincinnati’s School of Public and International Affairs. “I see this book as a key ﬁrst step in this process.”

◀

Professor of Economics and former HWS President Joyce P. Jacobsen and Vice President and General Counsel Lou Guard ‘07

Light in April

This spring, the HWS Year of the Sun programming culminated with the total solar eclipse.

On April 8, the campus community, joined by alumni and friends from across the country, donned their special glasses and looked skyward as Geneva was cast in darkness. Throughout the afternoon, activities and information stations were set up across campus. Students from the HWS Astronomy Club assisted visitors in viewing the eclipse through telescopes. In front of Smith Hall, Classics and history students described how the solar event has been observed and understood since ancient times. Along St. Clair Street, a

scale model of the solar system o ered a point of reference for the size of planets and the distances between them. By 3:20 p.m., the temperature began to drop, the sky darkened, and soon the black disk of the moon passed in front of the sun, revealing a corona of light that observers could view with the naked eye. At this point, as James Fenimore Cooper noted when the 1806 eclipse passed over Western New York, “A breathless intensity of interest was felt by all.”

From the Goldstein Family Carriage House, Professor of Art and Architecture Christine Chin captures this photo of the eclipse before the moment of totality.

From Stern Lawn, students, faculty and alumni stare up in awe at the eclipse as it approaches totality.

Jack Norkus ’25, Biruk Nardos ’25 and Associate Professor of Physics Leslie Hebb share a laugh before the eclipse reached its peak. Hebb organized the event and coordinated many of the day’s activities, such as the introductory video that played in the library, explaining the science behind solar eclipses and eye safety recommendations.

As the HWS community gathered on Stern Lawn to observe the eclipse, Professor of Biology Meghan Brown and student researchers were aboard the HWS research vessel, the William Scandling, studying how the change in light impacted the daily migrations of zooplankton that feed on algae in the surface waters of Seneca Lake.

Leading Questions

The President’s Forum Series cultivates campus dialogue.

Is there a conservative political tradition in America? What does the country’s nancial future look like? How can politicians work across the aisle more e ectively? After achieving climate neutrality, what’s next for sustainability at HWS — and what can the world learn?

At this year’s President’s Forum events, the HWS community confronted pressing challenges and big questions in conversation with guest experts.

Going from Zero

This spring, a PFS event explored HWS’ progress toward climate neutrality. Moderated by President Mark D. Gearan, the panel featured the early architects of sustainability at HWS: Clancy Brown ’09, a science educator who in 2006 prompted HWS to become a charter member of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment; Jamie Landi ’08, HWS’ rst sustainability manager and now a partner at Mohawk Lifts LLC; and Professor Tom Drennen, the Stine Family Chair of Management and Entrepreneurship, who has led the campus’s climate neutrality work for the past 20 years.

Exploring the question of a greener future, the event’s second half included Dan Gadigian ’11, a vice president of ESG and sustainability at Cerberus Capital Management; Jamey Mulligan ’07, a senior scientist and technical and strategy lead on Amazon’s carbon neutralization team; and Erin Kluge ’23, M.S.M. ’24 and Emilyn Reed ’23, M.S.M. ’24, who helped Drennen compile comprehensive reports on HWS’ greenhouse gas inventory and sustainability e orts.

In a time “with so many challenges, so many issues…it’s easy to get concerned that nothing can ever change,” President Gearan said. “I would o er tonight as an example that things can and do change.”

Getting Out the Vote

As HWS Votes celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024, the non-partisan, student-led organization was busy registering voters and educating campus ahead of this fall’s elections. HWS Votes co-presidents Samari Brown ’24 and Katelyn Oswalt ’24 helped coordinate and moderate the PFS conversation with former U.S. Rep. John J. Faso (R-NY) and former U.S. Rep. Dan Glickman (D-KS), who also served as Secretary of Agriculture. The former lawmakers visited campus through a partnership with Congress to Campus, a program developed by former U.S. representatives to connect with students and advance civic interest and understanding.

Brown, a student Trustee, and Oswalt were each named to the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Student Voting Honor Roll, a national recognition of student leaders who “have gone above and beyond to advance nonpartisan student voter registration, education and turnout e orts.” Thanks to their work, HWS was named one of the Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting.

When students return to campus this fall, they can delve deeper into the issues, candidates and policies at play in 2024 with Professor of Politics DeWayne Lucas and President Gearan, who are teaching a course focused on the upcoming elections.

HWS Votes co-presidents Samari Brown ’24 and Katelyn Oswalt ’24 with founder of HWS Votes Jane Erickson ’07 (center) during the 2023–24 William Smith Founder’s Day celebration.

◀ President Gearan and the PFS alumni and student panel on climate neutrality: (l to r) Brown, Reed, Kluge, Gadigian and Landi.

The State of the Economy

Kicking o the HWS Volunteer Leadership Summit in April, President of UBS Investment Bank Rob Karofsky ’89 shared insights from his decades of leadership in the nancial services industry. The conversation touched on the dynamic between populist politics and the economy, the Main Street–Wall Street relationship, cryptocurrency and the importance of “human capital” in nance.

“Culture is everything,” said Karofsky, head of one of the world’s largest multinational investment banks. He noted that culture is “how you execute the strategy” and pointed to the multitude of missed opportunities “if you’re not inclusive, if you’re not collaborating, if you’re not a good teammate, if you’re not supportive.... Developing and nurturing mentorships, sponsorships, promoting diversity — all of these things are so critical.”

Karofsky also elded questions from students and re ected on the lingering impact of his education at HWS, which he called “an incredible journey…it was life changing.”

New Possibilities

“I think we are actually in a time when there’s perhaps a new openness to di erent possibilities,” said Patrick Deneen, a professor at Notre Dame University and in uential author shaping contemporary conservative political thought. Deneen argued a populist conservatism might be the antidote to the sociopolitical problems that the past several decades have put into sharp relief. The question going forward is: “Are the people revolutionary, or are they conservative? And if that’s the terms of our debate, then we’re in for an interesting ride.”

▶ Patrick Deneen, Professor of Political Science at Notre Dame University

▲ President Gearan and Rob Karofsky ‘89, President of UBS Investment Bank

A Year of Championships

During the 2023-24 academic year, HWS teams racked up an impressive array of trophies, winning titles on the league, conference and national stages.

In addition to Hobart Hockey’s second straight NCAA and New England Hockey Conference championships, the Statesmen won Liberty League titles in soccer and basketball, as well as the MAISA Men’s Singlehanded Championship (sailing) and the Summers Cup (squash).

The Herons were Liberty League champions in soccer, eld hockey and squash, and conference champions in cross country and bowling. Following their 2023 Liberty League title, William Smith Lacrosse advanced to the NCAA Tournament semi- nals this spring.

LIKE A STATESMAN

Moses ’89 endows lacrosse coaching position.

Inspired by the leadership of legendary Hobart Lacrosse Coach David J. Urick and his coaching staff, Richard Moses ’89 has endowed the Moses Family Hobart Associate Head Coach of Lacrosse.

As a student, Moses played on three consecutive NCAA National Championship teams under Urick in the late 1980s. After graduation, Moses and his teammates received a letter from Urick explaining what lacrosse had given them — and that it was their duty to give back to the game.

Moses says that through the leadership of Urick and assistant coaches Marc VanArsdale, Chuck Warren and Sean Fox, the idea of “being a Statesman really resonated with me,” inspiring him “to give back, make a difference and treat people like a Statesman would.”

And he has done so — coaching high school lacrosse in Texas, supporting the Statesmen Athletics Association and now with this latest philanthropy, advancing Hobart’s lacrosse program.

“Rich has been a leader in making certain that Hobart lacrosse has the resources we need, and on behalf of the program, I am so grateful to him and his family,” says Hobart Lacrosse Head Coach Gregory Raymond. “This title — the Moses Family Associate Head Coach of Lacrosse — solidiﬁes the importance of this coaching position in our team’s success. Our recruiting efforts to bring the best student athletes possible to Hobart are increasingly driven by the longevity of our staff, the kind of mentorship that staff can provide, and the very real signal that a gift of this magnitude sends to prospective students of the commitment of our alumni.”

Moses, who majored in English, spent his career in ﬁnance with State Street Bank, PaineWebber and RBS Greenwich Capital. He coached Highland Park Lacrosse in Dallas and in 2023 became head lacrosse coach at the Greenhill School. In addition to his service as a member of the Statesmen Athletic Association, Moses serves on the Campaign Steering Committee and was a member of the Reunion Committee for the Classes of 1989.

Hobart Basketball players douse Head Coach Stefan Thompson ’13 after winning the Liberty League championship — the team’s ﬁrst tournament title since 2014.

Hall of Honor

Celebrating outstanding William Smith athletes, the Heron Society’s founders and the cycle of support that HWS Athletics inspires.

Capping o the 40th anniversary celebration of the Heron Society, the newest Heron Hall of Honor class was inducted this spring on campus. In conjunction with the Hall of Honor ceremony, the Heron Society also presented the inaugural Trailblazer Award to 30 in uential alumnae, coaches, sta members and administrators who comprised the Heron Society Steering Committee, which guided the Heron Society from an idea into a reality.

Established by the Heron Society Board of Directors in 1996, the Heron Hall of Honor celebrates the role, advancement, and importance of women in athletics. This year’s inductees include Sarah Daniels O’Connor ’95 (lacrosse), Sue Willard ’99 (soccer), Ami Cammarota Ford ’00 ( eld hockey), Nicky Livingston Huston ’02 ( eld hockey), Megan Shea Breslin ’03 (lacrosse), Amanda Markee ’07 (sailing) and Olivia Zitoli ’14 (soccer).

In his remarks, President Mark D. Gearan highlighted the Heron Society’s impact over the past 40 years thanks to the “trailblazing” steering committee — a “dazzling list of colleagues” including former

William Smith Dean Rebecca Fox and former HWS President Carol Brewster, who have given “such energy to all of us at today’s Hobart and William Smith.”

Gearan praised the inductees and their re ections on the gratitude, hard work, resilience and bonds of friendship that William Smith Athletics fostered in them.

In her speech, Zitoli captured the mood of the evening when she said: “At William Smith, I learned how to advocate for myself and assume leadership positions, but more importantly, I learned that once I had a seat at the table, it was my responsibility to help the next person in line.”

In celebration of the Heron Society’s 40th anniversary, donors raised more than $175,000 in gifts and commitments to the William Smith Athletics Endowed Fund. A vote by the Heron Society invested an additional $40,000 in William Smith Athletics, raising the endowed fund by more than $200,000 in total. This e ort, led by Heron Society President Kerry McCullough Brown ’87, doubled the size of the fund.

Watch the celebration at youtube.com/@HWSAthletics.

Rookie of the Year

William Smith bowler Colleen Jump ’27 was named the 2023–24 Division III Rookie of the Year by the National Tenpin Coaches Association. Recording 365 strikes and 414 spares in 956 frames over the season, Jump helped lead the team to an impressive 50–23 record. In their varsity season, the Herons won their conference and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA National Collegiate Bowling Championship, advancing to the third round.

▼ The 2024 inductees to the Heron Hall of Honor: Nicky Livingston Huston ’02, Olivia Zitoli ’14, Sue Willard ’99, Sarah Daniels O’Connor ’95, Megan Shea Breslin ’03, Ami Cammarota Ford ’00 and Amanda Markee ’07.

END OF AN ERA

Retiring professors bid farewell.

This spring, four legendary HWS faculty members retired: Professor of Environmental Studies John Halfman, Professor of History Clifton Hood, Professor of Sociology Jack Harris P’02, P’06 and Professor of Sociology Wes Perkins. Combined, they taught at Hobart and William Smith for 158 years, shaping the lives of countless students, producing revelatory scholarship, and leaving an indelible mark on the campus community.

Professor Clif Hood leads a classroom discussion (top left).

Students, faculty and staff surprise Professor John Halfman during his ﬁnal class (bottom left).

Applauded by the Class of 2024, Professors Wes Perkins and Jack Harris (right) led the faculty procession at Commencement.

PHOTOS BY ADAM FARID ’20 AND KEVIN COLTON L.H.D. ’23

A PIVOTAL MOMENT. UNPRECEDENTED SUPPORT. A BOLD GOAL FOR THE BEST FUTURE.

On the heels of Hobart’s Bicentennial, a small gathering of alumni and parents was held with President Mark D. Gearan to preview the strategic plan, which sets the direction for Hobart and William Smith’s third century. Out of that historic meeting, a group of HWS supporters joined together to collectively commit $100 million, representing an extraordinary investment in HWS’ future.

BY ANDREW WICKENDEN ’ 09 AND CATHERINE WILLIAMS

IIn light of this remarkable philanthropy, HWS accelerated the launch of “Further Together: The Campaign for Our Third Century” and increased the Campaign’s goal from $300 million to $400 million.

“We crafted the strategic plan to enter our third century with a clear focus on our students and how we can best equip them to be leaders,” says Gearan. “What we could not have imagined was the overwhelming response to that plan. I am deeply grateful to our alumni, parents and friends for this historic support that is a testament to the resolve of our community and to the quality of the education we provide.”

To date, $212 million of the overall $400 million goal has been raised, already more than the amount raised in the last campaign. This momentous support includes the two largest single gifts ever given to Hobart and William Smith, the naming gift for the new hub for the sciences, and signi cant unrestricted support that will result in campus-wide transformation.

Chair of the Board of Trustees Craig R. Stine ’81, P’17 says: “This is a generational moment for Hobart and William Smith, one that will require all of us to step forward to make a di erence. I am so thankful to those answering the call and appreciative of their extraordinary generosity that is transforming lives.

Further Together identi es four key areas of investment: Academic Experience, Scholarships and Financial Aid, the Student Experience, and Annual Support. Together, these priorities re ect the challenges facing the world, the nation and higher education, as well as the profound opportunities to prepare students to make a consequential impact and transform the world for the better.

As Vice President for Advancement Bob O’Connor P’22, P’23 says, “The historic campaign goal speaks to the enthusiasm of our donors and their belief in President Gearan’s vision for our future. This unprecedented early support inspires our work ahead to successfully reach our lofty goal. That moment will only be achieved with the collective impact of our entire HWS community. We need everyone’s support.”

“Our students will graduate into a world that needs leaders with the skills and attributes that our liberal arts and sciences curriculum excels in o ering,” Gearan explains. “Nothing is more important than educating young people as critical thinkers equipped with sound reasoning skills, quantitative sophistication, and an appreciation for di erence. Our world needs more Hobart and William Smith graduates. This philanthropy and the Campaign will make that happen.”

“This is a generational moment for Hobart and William Smith, one that will require all of us to step forward and make a di erence.”

CRAIG R. STINE ’81, P’17 , Chair of the Board of Trustees

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: $ 75 MILLION

• Integrated Science Center

• Summer Research

• Endowed Professorships

SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT: $ 145 MILLION

STUDENT EXPERIENCE: $ 55 MILLION

• Career Preparation and Graduate Success

• Global Education

• Health and Wellness

• Athletics

ANNUAL FUND: $ 125 MILLION AREAS OF IMPACT GOAL $400 MILLION

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Exceptional faculty. Unparalleled research opportunities. Academic programs that equip students to explore and grapple with the world’s most pressing challenges.

FOR 200 YEARS, teaching and learning at HWS have revolved around these core assets, preparing graduates to make a di erence as critical thinkers, skilled communicators, open-minded innovators and principled leaders.

“With Further Together, we have the opportunity to double down on our interdisciplinary liberal arts and sciences education,” says Provost and Dean of Faculty Sarah Kirk. “This is the moment to invest in opportunities, resources and facilities that go beyond the status quo to best serve our students for the dynamic future they will graduate into.”

The $75 million campaign goal for academic funding will support three key areas: the construction of an integrated science center housing more than a dozen academic programs; summer research opportunities that pave the way for student success after graduation; and endowed professorships fostering deeper scholarship, closer mentorship and richer academic experiences.

New endowed professorships will recognize exceptional teaching and research, increasing opportunities and resources for faculty scholarship and academic initiatives.

CAPTURING THE WONDER

“By displaying art that captures the wonder of scientific discoveries, I wanted to encourage the community to ask questions and delve deeper into scientific topics,” says Anya Davis ’24, a double major in biology and studio art. During her summer research project with Professor of Biology Kristy Kenyon, the Philip J. Moorad and Margaret N. Moorad Professor in the Sciences, Davis produced two art installations that depict research by HWS students and faculty. Davis’s screen prints depict brain scans inspired by the neurological research of Biology Department faculty; her series of hand-painted, three-dimensional petri dishes mimic culture cells from the Biology and Chemistry Department labs. Now displayed in Rosenberg Hall, the works bridge “the worlds of art and science…while encouraging dialogue, collaboration and a shared appreciation for the beauty of both fields,” Davis says.

Nation’s Best

HWS faculty rank among the top 25 in the nation according to the Princeton Review.

Professor of Biology Kristy Kenyon, who holds the endowed Philip J. Moorad and Margaret N. Moorad Professor in the Sciences, meets with Anya Davis ‘24.

A state-of-the-art integrated science hub will provide interdisciplinary teaching and lab spaces that support collaborations across disciplines and showcase the sophistication of the HWS science curriculum.

THE BIG PICTURE

“Our current science facilities are built for a different time, when biologists did biology and geoscientists did geoscience,” says Professor of Geoscience and Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Development Nick Metz.

Times have changed. “Increasingly, the really interesting problems are found in the interdisciplinary cracks between the different majors,” Metz says. “Our faculty is already doing this kind of research, and the new space will enable faculty to be that much more collaborative, so students can see more clearly these interdisciplinary connections and the way research is done in the 21st century.”

Metz points to Professor of Biology Patricia Mowery and Professor of Chemistry Eric Pelkey, “who have a grant from the National Institutes of Health to create new compounds that help prevent cancer,” and scholarship that “cuts across the natural sciences and social sciences, like Professor of Biology Kristy Kenyon and Professor of Sociology Renee Monson, looking at reproduction from both scientiﬁc and sociological perspectives.”

“It’s clear that our faculty are creative, thoughtful, interdisciplinary researchers,” Metz says. “They are doing amazing things — and this new science hub will allow us to create an outstanding destination for the kind of research and mentorship that changes lives.”

DID YOU KNOW?

HWS STEM faculty were awarded nearly $2.5 MILLION in outside grant funding in 2023.

Biology, Environmental Studies and Health Professions are among the TOP TEN academic interests for the Class of 2027.

80% of ﬁrst-time medical and dental school applicants from HWS are accepted — much higher than the national average.

Expanded summer research opportunities will enable more students to work side-byside with faculty while studying emerging issues, technologies and ways of thinking.

HANDS - ON

Working with the Finger Lakes Institute last summer, research interns Dylan Meyer ’26 and Hannah Matter ’24 (pictured above) tested water samples for herbicides and insecticides at the HWS Henry Hanley Biological Field Preserve. The project is part of the FLI’s ongoing, student-supported work to serve the region’s environment, economy and residents.

Each year, more than 100 students work closely with faculty and staff on cutting-edge research with important applications — from pharmaceutical development to the ethics of artiﬁcial intelligence, gravitational waves to human cognition. On campus and off, students explore subjects such as planetary systems, plant genomics, the chemistry of art, watershed management, invasive species, religious extremism, the economy of the Finger Lakes, extreme weather, and myriad other interdisciplinary topics that resonate far beyond campus.

“Science is constantly being renewed.… It’s a discipline in understanding how new knowledge can be used to improve the world we live in. This is very important for all of us.”

DR. EDWARD TAPPER ’64 , who created the Edward J. Tapper M.D. ’64 Science Research Fund, supporting hands-on research opportunities for HWS students

AINSLEY WOODS ’24

Sally Howe Ph.D. ’67

Endowed Scholarship

With endowed scholarship support, Ainsley Woods ’24 embraced the wide range of opportunities available at HWS — as a STEM Scholar, a Writing Colleague and a member of the William Smith Cross Country Team. Her summer internship at Mastercard led to a role as an associate consultant after graduation. Woods says the HWS Alumni Network was “a great resource” as she pursued her professional goals and “played a big role in my decision to accept my offer.”

SCHOLARSHIPS & FINANCIAL AID

A life-changing opportunity.

FINANCIAL AID ENABLES students to focus on their academic pursuits, engage fully in campus life, and plan for their future without the kind of debt that in uences career and life decisions. And HWS is committed to o ering that opportunity to every student.

“We want to amplify our ability to attract and educate students of character and potential — and critically, to meet their talents and abilities with nancial aid that addresses their needs,” says Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid Michael Quinn. “Scholarships and grants help our students pursue their academic aspirations unfettered, which in turn frees them to leverage their education to make a positive impact in the world.”

With an ambitious goal of $145 million, campaign funding toward nancial aid will more than double HWS’ ability to support students in response to each family’s unique situation.

FUELING ACADEMIC EXPLORATION

Scholarships power academic opportunity and community connection. Thanks to ﬁnancial aid, students with diverse interests and backgrounds can take full advantage of everything HWS offers, from astounding summer research to career-launching internships to lifelong friendships. The resulting insights and relationships are strengthened during events like Homecoming and Family Weekend, when students connect with families, friends and alumni while presenting research on everything from extreme weather to public art.

MATT BRAND ’24

John T. McCarthy ‘34

Memorial Endowed Scholarship

After a summer internship with Citigroup’s Global Wealth Management Division, Matthew Brand ’24 returned to Citi’s Manhattan ofﬁces after graduation as a private banking analyst. “HWS is a special place with special people who want to ensure the success of their students in all areas of life. I am so thankful that I chose HWS and have taken full advantage of everything it has to offer,” Brand says. “There is no limit on one’s success coming from a place like this, and no student should be afraid to dream big and bet on themselves.”

During the Summer Scholars Research Symposium at Homecoming and Family Weekend, Cam Crowell ’26 shares the results of “Trends of Non-Winter Extreme Wind Chill Temperatures in Alaska and Western Canada,” a research project with Professor of Geoscience Neil Laird.

FINANCIAL AID AT A GLANCE

99%

of HWS ﬁrst-year students receive some form of ﬁnancial aid or scholarship HWS awarded more than $70 MILLION in scholarships and grants for the 2023–24 academic year

On average, HWS meets 84.4% of a student’s demonstrated ﬁnancial need

ALEXANDRA DAVIDSON ’24

Securing the Middle Class Scholarship

Biochemistry major Alexandra Davidson ’24 spent two summers as a researcher at Cornell AgriTech’s plant pathology labs. Studying ﬁre blight, which can decimate Finger Lakes’ fruit crops, Davidson coauthored a study revealing how ultraviolet light suppresses the bacteria that causes the disease. She says the experience was “super valuable… it’s taught me about patience when an experiment doesn’t turn out the way you expected, and it’s taught me the value of hard work.”

BIRUK NARDOS

ABEBE ‘25

MAKING AN IMPACT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

Dr. Harold C. ’56 and Mrs. Donna C. ’57 Britt Endowed Scholarship in Physics Biruk Nardos Abebe ’25 has been developing a research project exploring “water world” exoplanets, combining his interests in physics, astronomy and computer science. In January, he presented his ﬁndings at the American Astronomical Society conference in New Orleans where he had the chance to network with other scientists and explore grad school and career possibilities. “HWS has been instrumental in providing me with the resources, mentorship and opportunities that have allowed me to thrive in my academic pursuit and I am proud to represent HWS as I move forward in the world of science and discovery,” he says.

↖ Umama Ahmed ’24 and Elisa Ribordy ’24 discuss their summer research and the resulting Orientation SPARK! Project they helped facilitate with Associate Professor of Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectional Justice Michelle Martin-Baron.

← Will Argueta ’24 and Ivan Malcolm ’24 speak to families about their summer project with Associate Professor of Music Mark Olivieri, researching and designing a campus recording studio and equipment. Completed ahead of the fall 2023 semester, the recording space includes a control room, live space and adjoining isloation booth for students to utilize during the “Studio Production” course.

The latest gift from Honorary Trustee Katherine D. Elliott ’66, L.H.D. ’08 and Richard S. Abramson provides an historic $5.5M in support for need-based ﬁnancial aid. Elliott says that “supporting higher education means that more young people have access to opportunities, and there’s nothing more important than that.”

“We want to create an opportunity for others to beneﬁt from what we believe is a fabulous foundation for life — a liberal arts education,” says Board Chair Craig R. Stine ’81, P’17. Together with his wife, Kathy Hay Stine P’17, Stine has established the Stine Family Endowed Scholarship for need-based, academically qualiﬁed students.

J. Reeve Bright ’70, P’89 and his family are paying tribute to the lifelong friendships forged at Hobart and William Smith with the creation of the Bright Family Endowed Scholarship. The $1.2M commitment will support ﬁnancial aid for academically and ﬁnancially deserving students.

Former Trustee James F. Anderton IV ’65 inspired HWS alums and friends to commit to Hobart and William Smith’s future by leveraging his $1M gift into even more support for student scholarships and ﬁnancial aid. Thanks to the Anderton Challenge, 12 additional endowed scholarships will be established through bequests.

↓ In January, more than 50 alumni and ﬁnancial professionals joined HWS students and faculty in board rooms across New York City for the annual Wall Street Experience.

“It was interesting to speak to alumni one-on-one about how their liberal arts background was beneﬁcial to them when entering the ﬁnance world,” says political science and economics doublemajor Lacey Sommerville ’26.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

A multifaceted education for a dynamic world.

LIKE THE CURRICULUM, the student experience spans personal and professional growth — a journey that encourages self-re ection, individual wellness, and respect for and appreciation of di erence.

“I think if you ask many students, they’d say HWS is special because of the varied co-curricular opportunities that complement academic experiences,” says Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of Students Becca Barile. “Career preparation, cultural awareness, student organizations, athletics, wellness — each aspect of the student experience is like a spoke on a wheel, with academics as the hub, moving students toward success.”

With a $55 million goal, Campaign funding for the student experience will support innovative and unique residential experiences that draw meaningful connections between academics and co-curricular living, promote community engagement and pride, and cultivate intercultural competence and holistic development. This funding will cut across campus, impacting resources for career services, global education, athletics and student wellness, including physical health as well as emotional, mental, social and spiritual well-being.

Career preparation and graduate success go handin-hand with the liberal arts. Coursework gains deeper resonance and important context through guaranteed internships, o -campus career treks and networking opportunities, pre-professional programs, one-on-one coaching, and an ever-growing suite of career workshops and training.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Liberal arts colleges have the best return on investment — and HWS ranks among the top seven percent in the nation, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education in the Workforce.

HWS appeared on the Princeton Review’s top 25 “Best Career Services” list. A “Best Value College” for nine consecutive years, HWS is also ranked by Princeton Review as 13th in the nation for “Best Alumni Network” and 14th in the nation as “Best for Interships.”

Wall Street Journal ranks HWS #1 for learning opportunities, based on student survey responses.

→ During a J-Term program in Costa Rica, students led by Associate Professor of Psychological Science Emily Fisher explored the intersection of psychology, economics, culture and climate, studying how people who live in a vulnerable ecosystem are developing resiliency through conservation, sustainability and ecotourism.

“[HWS] gave me a lot of opportunity to be a leader in di erent ways and ﬁnd my voice. It’s that sort of spirit and that history for me personally, and seeing that happen to other students, that keeps me engaged and enamored with the place and wanting to make sure I’m supporting it.”

Trustee JB ROBINSON ’96 , who recently committed

$175,000

to support the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education

DID YOU KNOW?

60%+ of students study abroad.

50+ languages are spoken on campus.

50+

off-campus programs are offered across six continents.

40+ countries are represented among the HWS student body.

HWS offers robust reentry programming for students to better understand, communicate and act on their experiences abroad.

A global perspective is a critical component of the HWS experience, with short-term and semester-long abroad programs that promote global citizenship on campus and prepare students to succeed in environments that increasingly span multiple cultures.

↑ President Mark D. Gearan greets students, faculty and staff during the annual international student dinner at his home.

HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH

Health and wellness are critical to a successful educational experience, and by investing in programs, operations and facilities, HWS supports a holistic, nurturing environment that ensures all students can thrive in their personal and academic journeys.

A THRIVING COMMUNITY

Recent gifts and institutional investments have enhanced student support systems across campus. Thanks to the leadership of Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Cassandra Naylor Brooks ’89 and Trustee Dr. Paula Miltenberger P’23, HWS recently partnered with the Jed Foundation to strengthen mental health services. A new partnership with Finger Lakes Area Counseling and Recovery Agency adds more clinical and support staff to guide students and build a healthy and socially adept campus.

Committed to a thriving multi-faith community, HWS recently welcomed Imam Shaheed Ali, the Muslim Student Life Adviser, who joins Chaplain and Dean for Spiritual Engagement Rev. Nita Johnson Byrd and Rabbi Dr. Ann Landowne, director of the Abbe Center for Jewish Life and Hillel Adviser, in supporting HWS’ spiritual life.

HIGHLIGHT REEL

660

athletes in 2022–23

varsity sports programs

national championships, including back-to-back national titles for Hobart hockey in 2023 and 2024

700+

All-America awards to date, including 15 in the 2023–24 academic year

team conference championships during the 2023–24 academic year — and sailor Nick Sessions ’24 won the MAISA men’s singlehanded championship

Athletics at Hobart and William Smith boast a rich legacy of championship-caliber athletes who excel on the eld and in the classroom; world-class coaches, medical and conditioning sta ; and outstanding training, exercise and recreational spaces for all students and the broader HWS community.

POWER PLAY

Whether at the varsity, club or intramural level, competitive athletics offers students invaluable opportunities on campus and beyond. Indeed, companies that hire Herons and Statesmen cite their work ethic, time management and collaborative spirit — attributes developed through teamwork and highlevel competition. Upgraded facilities for all students will continue this proud tradition of excellence, attract the most academically and athletically gifted prospective students, and recruit and retain worldclass coaches, medical and training staff.

↑ Maria Galarza ’26, Elizabeth Legg ’26 and Faith Okoli ’26 share a laugh while studying on the steps of Coxe Hall.

↑ The Miltenberger and Bennett-Hooper Rowing Center, which was completed during the early stages of the Campaign, provides state-of-the-art resources for training and competition. Facilities like the new rowing center enable HWS teams to build community and compete at the highest levels.

DID YOU KNOW?

You can name an Annual Fund Scholarship or Internship with a gift of $25,000, payable over ﬁve years.

The Stewardson Society includes donors who support HWS with a recurring monthly or yearly gift of any amount.

The Emerson Society recognizes those who provide leadership ﬁnancial support in any given fund year. Entry into the Emerson Society starts with cumulative gifts of $2,000 made in any given fund year.

ANNUAL GIVING

Dynamic support for the areas of the greatest need and greatest opportunity.

THE ANNUAL FUND is the lifeblood of the college experience and supports nearly all people and programs at Hobart and William Smith. It impacts top priorities — scholarships, internships, global education and academics — ensuring HWS graduates are prepared to lead in the 21st century. Intended for immediate impact, Annual Fund gifts provide support where it’s most needed so that every student can thrive.

“The Annual Fund is critical in providing the means to make sure our students gain the skills and knowledge essential to grow as learners and citizens in a global world,” says Trustee Linda Arrington ’88, Chair of the Annual Fund. “Every gift, regardless of the amount, goes a long way to making sure that students graduate prepared to take on the challenges of today and have the capabilities to tackle the challenges of the future.”

The Campaign’s $125 million goal will enable HWS to support innovative programs and operations, enhancing the educational experience wherever and whenever the need arises.

WHY GIVE TO THE ANNUAL FUND?

“I support HWS because of people like Professor Jack Harris and Professor Claudette Columbus. I will never forget our remarkable trip to London in my junior year. What we saw and learned was simply incredible. Every student deserves that kind of experience.”

ROB SACKS ’83 , Chair of the Emerson Society

“I’ve been incredibly lucky to have found a second home here at HWS.… I want HWS to keep providing the same experience to future students as it did to me. I want to do my part and a small monthly recurring gift is a perfect way for me to do that.”

JESSE WHELAN - SMALL ’24 , Student Trustee

JOIN THE CLUBS

↑ Students write notes of gratitude to faculty members on Scholarship Day of Donors.

Mike Potter P’25, Mckenzie Mandyck ’25, Amelia McCulley ’26 and Victor Nelson work to reconstruct a fence near the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church during the 30th anniversary Day of Service.

30 Years of Day of Service

In 1994, Day of Service began as “a message of hope.” Thirty years later, HWS celebrates the thriving tradition that anchors the campus’ civic engagement.

BY NATALIA ST. LAWRENCE ’16

For three decades, Days of Service have brought volunteers from campus and the surrounding area together with the common purpose of giving back to the greater Geneva community. In April, as part of HWS’ Volunteer Leadership Summit, 300 alumni, students, faculty and sta volunteers participated in the spring Day of Service.

“The collective e orts of students, faculty, sta and our community partners over the past 30 years have not only made an impact on the greater Geneva community, they have shaped a culture of civic engagement and stewardship on our campus,” says President Mark D. Gearan.

Days of Service was founded in 1994 by former Dean Richard Guarasci and former sta members Lara Chatel-Turbide and retired Lt. Col. John Norvell ’66, P’99, P’02, L.H.D. ’24.

The idea took shape during a trip led by Guarasci and Chatel-Turbide to a City Year Day of Service event in Boston. On the return journey, the group agreed to launch a similar initiative on campus.

“Students were really excited, and the event has stuck ever since,” says Hobart Associate Dean David Mapstone ’93, who began working for HWS in 1994.

Days of Service “spoke to Generation X and how they wanted to participate in democracy and have their voice heard. They wanted to get their hands dirty,” Mapstone recalls. “Additionally, Guarasci and Hobart and William Smith were nding ways to incorporate servicelearning into the curriculum,” connecting classroom learning and community service to foster civic responsibility.

In April 1994, The Herald ran an article ahead of the inaugural Day of Service, encouraging students to “make a di erence in your own life and in the life of our city. You will send a message of hope. Your energy, idealism and commitment will move toward what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned as ‘the beloved community.’”

Over the years, Days of Service has evolved through the sustained e orts of the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL) and the HWS Days of Service club, expanding to multiple days each year. The rst Day of Service of the academic year is hosted during Orientation, giving every new student the opportunity to participate at the beginning of their college experience.

With the support of Director of CCESL Katie Flowers and Associate Director of CCESL

PHOTO BY ADAM FARID ’20

Peter Budmen ’15, M.A.T. ’16, this spring’s 30th anniversary took shape with the planning of Holly McCarty ’25 and Caroline Ru ner ’25, cochairs of the Days of Service club, who wanted the milestone event to perpetuate the sense of purpose they’ve felt and witnessed in their peers.

“This is an amazing time to be on campus because the anniversary o ers students the opportunity to participate in a tradition that HWS holds so dear,” McCarty says.

“I love when people ask to return to a site that they’ve volunteered at before because they had such a positive experience,” says Ru ner. “I’ve also loved working with CCESL and community members to connect HWS to the Geneva community.”

During the spring Day of Service, HWS volunteers worked at more than 20 sites throughout the Finger Lakes, supporting Geneva Reads, the National Marrow Donor Program, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Rochester, and Habitat for Humanity among other organizations and initiatives.

Parish Administrator at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Sue Adams has hosted Days of Service volunteers at her church all 30 years. “We’re a downtown parish and every nook and cranny is used for the betterment of our community. When people volunteer, it makes our programs accessible to children in Geneva. Having volunteers is an enormous gift. I don’t think we could have done all that we’ve done in the last 30 years without…the help of HWS students a couple of times a year.”

Jackie Augustine ’99 — who has participated in Days of Service as a student, a former Geneva city councilor and through organizations including Seneca7 and BluePrint Geneva — says service is “a learning experience for everyone involved.” Students are able “to see some of the work going on around them,” while community members “learn about the things that draw students o campus and inform their commitment to service. Some of the students we met during Day of Service went on to become active volunteers, and sometimes sta , down the road!”

Above, the Hobart football team removes a tree that washed ashore along the Geneva Lakefront. Below, President Gearan addresses alumni and parents during the Volunteer Leadership Summit, designed to cultivate support as HWS embarks on its third century and the Further Together campaign.

PHOTOS BY ADAM FARID ’20

VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

In April, more than 130 alumni and parents returned to campus to learn more about supporting the strategic direction of HWS. The weekend kicked off with a President’s Forum event with Robert B. Karofsky ’89, President of UBS Investment Bank, followed by a State of the Colleges Address from President Gearan, a deep dive into institutional priorities, and conversations with students. Alongside athletics events and the Day of Service, the summit featured “interactive sessions where attendees were called upon to lend their expertise, insights, and resources to advance the institution’s mission,” says Vice President for Advancement Bob O’Connor P’22, P’23. “Thanks to our devoted volunteers, the weekend demonstrated the profound impact philanthropic support has on shaping the next generation of leaders.”

Learn more about supporting HWS at hws.edu/alum/involved

BOOKSHELF

Recent titles from alumni authors

The Sixth Level: Capitalize on the Power of Women’s Psychology for Sustainable Leadership

Stacy Feiner ’86, Rachel Andreasson, Kathy Overbeke and Jack Harris P’02, P’06

Amplify Publishing (2024) Psychologist and entrepreneur

Stacy Feiner ’86, Professor of Sociology Jack Harris and their coauthors offer a roadmap for leadership that harnesses interpersonal connection and intrinsic motivation. “Leaders are ready to seize a new level of leadership,” Feiner and Harris explain. “The Sixth Level points the way.”

The Champion Leader: Harnessing the Power of Emotional Intelligence to Build High-Performing Teams

Christopher Connors ’03 Wiley (2024)

A thoughtful and inspiring examination of how adapt to “the rapidly changing rules of engagement” in the modern workplace.

Spirits of the Tarot: From The Cups’ Abundance to The Magician’s Creation, 78 Cocktail Recipes Inspired by the Tarot

Thea Engst ’08

Adams Media (2023)

A collection of 78 cocktail recipes based on the Rider Waite tarot deck, offering readers an ideal way to ﬁnd their drink of choice as they “sip like a psychic.”

When You Step Upon a Star: Cringeworthy Confessions of a Tabloid Bad Boy

William Keck ’90

Jacobs Brown Media (2024)

A humorous, brutally honest Hollywood tell-all from a reformed National Enquirer reporter.

Bright Young Women

Jessica Knoll ’06, L.H.D. ’24

S&S/Marysue Rucci Books (2023)

“…an unﬂinching and evocative novel about the tabloid fascination with evil and the dynamic and brilliant women who have the real stories to tell” (Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me).

We Are All Sleeping with Our Sneakers On

Matthew Lippman ’87

Four Way Books (2024)

A new collection of poems that “embrace mess as an inevitability of authentic living and human interconnection.” Featuring cover art by Courtney Shepard Muller ’87.

Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Inﬂuence, and Power on the Internet

Taylor Lorenz ’07

Simon & Schuster (2023)

A social history of the internet that captures how online inﬂuence has upended traditional barriers and created new sectors of the economy.

Dear Students: 10 Letters to Empower and Transform Your Higher Education Journey

Meredith Madden ’99

Peter Lang, Inc. (2023)

A higher education guide that prepares students to authentically and intentionally “do school” from a place of empowerment and for the purpose of transformation.

The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Cross-Examination

Sam Stern ’03

Skyhorse (2023)

A clear, contemporary guide to quick and effective crossexamination from a seasoned trial lawyer and teacher.

A Sense of Freedom and Belonging

Trustee Mehrnaz “Naz” Vahid-Ahdieh ’85, P’17 came to the U.S. to escape the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Her recent gift establishes a scholarship to support students who have also come to the U.S. as refugees or immigrants.

BY ANDREW WICKENDEN ’09

Tens of thousands of Iranians have ﬂed Iran since the overthrow of the Pahlavi Dynasty and the ruling monarchy in 1979. HWS Trustee Mehrnaz “Naz” Vahid-Ahdieh ’85, P’17 was 16 when she and her brother left to come to the U.S. to live with her uncle while their parents remained in hiding back home.

Just a few short years later, with support from an ESL teacher, she discovered HWS, applied and enrolled. “Being an immigrant, I really stood out. There weren’t that many of us at that point,” she recalls. “In my second year, my parents basically had to escape Iran, but in spite of it all, I found a home at HWS. I would have dinner with friends and professors, and that’s the reason I feel very connected to the school. I always thought I would want another immigrant to experience that sense of belonging,” she says.

With a recent $100,000 gift, she created the Mehrnaz Vahid-Ahdieh ’85 Annual Fund Scholarship to support students who have come to the U.S. as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program recipients, refugees and/or immigrants. Through the scholarship, she says she’s hoping to give opportunities like the one she had as a student — to “be able to change one life and as a result, a whole generation of people after it.”

FORMATIVE MOMENTS

It was at HWS “where I really learned what it was like to live in America,” says Vahid-Ahdieh. “When I came to the U.S., I was living with my aunt and uncle, who themselves were immigrants. Even though my mom was highly educated, my uncle was very much of the old-style, male-dominant individual with thoughts about what rules would be. So coming here gave me a sense of what the opportunities were, what freedom was.”

Inﬂuenced by the political turmoil in Iran, Vahid-Ahdieh says

she arrived at HWS planning to be a journalist, “somebody that was going to write about wars and revolutions.”

However, after an introductory economics course with Professor of Economics William Waller P’99, P’04, P’09, P’13, “I was sitting at the edge of my seat the whole spring,” she says. “I realized this i s really what I’m interested in, and the independence of ﬁguring that out on my own and having the ability to pursue it — it was a big deal for me.”

MAKING THE MOST OF THE LIBERAL ARTS

After graduating with a B.A. in economics and sociology from William Smith, Vahid-Ahdieh began a career in the finance industry. For more than three decades, she has provided financial advice and services to Citi Private Bank’s attorney and law firm clients and meanwhile earned her master’s in international affairs from Columbia University and her series 24, 7 and 63 financial securities licenses. As managing director at Citi and head of the company’s Global Wealth at Work services, she now leads 400 professionals across 15 locations, overseeing financial services to asset management, law, consulting, accounting and technology firms. She hopes that through her scholarship, students will be empowered “to really use a liberal arts education, not come in saying ‘I want to be a doctor, I want to be an engineer,’” but rather “figure out what you want to be. Know that you can do whatever you want with a liberal arts education. It truly gives you the ability to make a living — not only to make money, but to drive your passion and figure out what makes you happy every day.”

A COMMUNITY OF MENTORS

“The reason I heard about HWS is because my English as second language teacher had a daughter who was attending,” Vahid-Ahdieh says. “I was thinking about going to college and really didn’t know any schools besides the big names, and she said, ‘You’ll like the school.’ She brought me to campus, I applied, I got in. By then I had fallen so in love with HWS.”

Part of the draw was the community — “small enough that you get a sense of belonging, not just to your campus, but to the families of your friends and your professors,” she says. The closeness and support enables students, especially those who are immigrants, to feel comfortable while “truly being in the middle of something that is unfamiliar. And you tend to be unfamiliar to the people whose lives you’ve entered. And that’s a gift to them like it’s a gift to you.”

Between friends and professors at HWS and mentors early in her career, “there were people who took an interest,” she says, inspiring her to support the next generation of students and colleagues. As an alumna, she has been consistently engaged in student mentoring and career development. She is a regular participant in the annual New York City Finance Experience, which connects HWS students with alumni leaders in the industry, and has served as a judge in the annual student entrepreneurial competition, the Pitch. She has also regularly hosted students for job shadowing experiences and internships. At Citi, she created and oversaw the company’s mentoring program and is the head of the diversity committee for North America.

Vahid-Ahdieh notes the impact that this kind of support has made in her own life. “When people do that for you, there’s no other way you can repay that but just somehow ﬁgure out a way to pay that forward,” she says. “It makes my soul happy.”

HWS Trustee Mehrnaz “Naz” VahidAhdieh ’85, P’17 joined the Board in 2021. In 2015, she received a citation from the Alumnae Association for exceptional service and dedication to her alma mater. She previously served as chair of the Honors Committee for the Alumnae Association and represented the Association as the keynote speaker at the 2017 Senior Welcome. A loyal supporter of the HWS Annual Fund, she recently established the Naz Vahid-Ahdieh ’85 Annual Internship Fund for William Smith Students. In 2018, she was awarded the HWS Board of Trustees Career Services Award, which honors members of the HWS community whose commitment and effort through the Salisbury Center have transformed students’ lives.

MILLER ’91 RECEIVES

Tewaaraton Legend Award

BY KEN DEBOLT

Hobart Lacrosse All-American Bill Miller ’91 was recognized with the Tewaaraton Legend Award this spring. Presented at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, the award honors college laxers who played prior to 2001, the rst year the Tewaaraton Award was presented.

Miller was one of the most productive attackmen in the storied history of Hobart lacrosse, helping the Statesmen win the NCAA Division III National Championship in each of his four years. He holds Hobart’s career record for goals and ranks second on the career assists and career points lists.

“I feel so lucky to have been Bill Miller’s coach,” says B.J. O’Hara ’75, Hobart Lacrosse head coach from 1990 to 2001. “An individual and talented player like Billy doesn’t come along very often in a coach’s career. He was so highly skilled and athletic, but more importantly, he was a wonderful teammate and an outstanding leader.”

A four-time All-American, Miller is a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, the Hobart Hall of Fame and the U.S. Lacrosse Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania Hall of Fame. He played professionally in the indoor NLL for the Philadelphia Wings from 1991 to 1998 and was MVP of the NLL’s championship game in his nal season. He was also a two-time member of the U.S. Men’s National Team, helping lead Team USA to world championships in 1994 and 1998.

Today, Miller is CEO of Regeneration Biomedical, Inc., which is focused on treatments for neurological disorders and diseases such as Alzheimer’s, advanced stage multiple sclerosis, ALS and dementia.

The Tewaaraton Award is the pre-eminent collegiate lacrosse award, annually honoring the players in the U.S.

Keep Trying New Things

Through her experiments with form and technique, artist Jenny Wu ’12 is searching for work that no one else could do.

BY ANDREW WICKENDEN ’09

Since leaving HWS, Jenny Wu ’12 has traded her paint brushes and canvas for an X-Acto knife and silicone dog food mats. With these nontraditional materials, she has re ned her method of creating “painstakingly clustered bits and bands [that] have never appeared more uni ed, or more redolent of the wider world,” as the Washington Post noted in a review of Wu’s spring show at Morton Fine Art. “From the ways they shimmer and undulate…Wu’s painting-sculpture hybrids appear to be delicate. But an unexpected aspect of the artist’s creations is divulged by one of her characteristically whimsical titles: ‘Work Out So Hopefully I Can Be Strong Enough to Carry My Paintings.’.… [M]ade from thick multiple coats of latex paint that have been poured, dried and then cut into pieces…[t]he resulting artworks are as heavy in weight as they are light in e ect.”

What are the origins of your sculptural paintings? The source of what I’m making right now goes back to when I was making landscape paintings, biking around Geneva and painting di erent scenes. Back in college, thick textured oil paint on canvas was attractive to me, and also the concept of time embedded under the surface, with each new layer of paint embodying linear time. My current sculptural paintings break open that time, transforming the liquid latex paint into malleable solids and revealing the contingent, sometimes chaotic nature of linear time.

In addition to the traditional painting and

drawing courses I took at HWS, I took new media and architectural design studios, which opened up my perception of what art can be.

What’s di erent about this new process? Those years making landscape paintings taught me to see colors, how the blue sky is actually thousands of di erent blues. It was about discovering all those colors and trying to record or demonstrate that on the canvas. Now, I’m thinking: Okay, I want this piece to be mostly blue, but what blue? How do I arrange di erent blues? It’s more like building than painting in the traditional sense. I don’t have

any brushes. The tool I use most frequently is the X-Acto knife. I remember using X-Acto knives to cut foamcore in architecture class; every 20 cuts the blade gets dull and you have to change it. I did not know that learning to cut things would play into my practice more than 10 years later.

You’ve been teaching undergraduate artists for a number of years now. What’s that like? It’s a rewarding and magical experience, especially to encourage students to nd their own voices: how can you make a painting that only you—and literally nobody else in the world—can make? Teaching them, sometimes I feel I am teaching my younger self.

Looking back at your time at HWS, what lessons stand out? I remember very clearly Professor Nick Ruth once said painting is “muck on stu .” When I rst heard that, I was not ready to explore beyond oil on canvas yet. But those three words have been living in my mind rent free. When I was making landscape paintings, I did not envision this future. I envisioned making stu , but I didn’t know what. The work I’m making right now is one branch of lots and lots of trials and failures. It’s important to not xate on one path — there could be many di erent paths. Don’t be afraid of being di erent or making the wrong things. I think it’s important to just keep trying new things.

Wu is an artist, visiting assistant professor of ﬁne arts at Trinity College, and Chair of Touchstone Foundation for the Arts in Washington, D.C. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums internationally. She holds a B.A. in studio art and architectural studies from HWS and an M.F.A. in studio art from American University.

THE PULTENEY STREET SURVEY

300 Pulteney St., Geneva, NY 14456

NICOLE DAVIS ’00

Milton Public Schools PreK Teacher and 2023 Teacher of the Year

Board Member of Elevate Youth

M.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching K-12, Simmons College

M.A. in Mental Health

Counseling and Movement

Therapy, Lesley University

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Dorchester, Mass.

PARALLELS

engaged teaching, memorable mentors and an urge to travel across the generations

What qualities make a teacher effective? ND: Being organized yet ﬂexible. Also, knowing your students well enough to read the room accurately. AG: A genuine passion for teaching, patience, creativity, empathy, and adaptability.

Which HWS professor had a major impact on you? ND: Professor Betty Bayer. She was just so brilliant and that came across in her teaching. I learned so much. AG: Professor Jamie Bodenlos. Her unwavering dedication to teaching mindfulness and her advocacy and counseling work have deeply inﬂuenced me.

What was your favorite psychology class? ND: Child Psych AG: Child Psych

Favorite Saga order? ND: I loved the burger bar on Sundays. AG: Saga has the best French fries!

What makes a good day at school? ND: My kids leaving happy and excited is always a good day! AG: Laughter, excitement and boundless curiosity.

What would students be surprised to learn about you? ND: That I come from a family of teachers. AG: That I played ice hockey my whole life!

What are some challenges facing the education profession? ND: Teachers aren’t seen as competent professionals anymore. There is also a lack of understanding that the majority of our materials come from our own pockets and most of the prep work happens outside of school hours. Burnout is a real problem. AG: Insufﬁcient funding, limited resources, and a shortage of educators equipped to meet the diverse needs of students.

What’s your ideal way to spend your summer break? ND: Traveling! I go away for as long as I can and to as many places as I can! AG: Travel! There are so many places around the world I would love to see!

If you could take your students on a ﬁeld trip to anywhere in the world, where would you take them? ND: The Denver Aquarium! I love the ﬂoor to ceiling glass so they could see everything in the tanks. AG: The largest aquarium in the world, the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in southern China.

GEORGE ’24

Member of the Teacher Education Program

Writing Fellow

Student-athlete (ice hockey) Athletic Study Mentor Major: Psychological Science and Educational Studies

Hometown: Marysville, Mich.

ALEX