PSS Winter 2018

WINTER 2018

Beginning A BOLD

The Inauguration of President Gregory J. Vincent ’83

The HWS sailing team on Seneca Lake.

PHOTO: KEVIN COLTON

VOLUME XLIV, NUMBER ONE 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 Alumni House Records, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 300 Pulteney St., Geneva, New York 14456-3397.

Hobart and William Smith Colleges are 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 on the basis of age, color, disability, domestic violence, victim status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected under the law.

Discrimination on the basis of 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.

For questions and comments about the magazine or to submit a story idea, please e-mail Catherine Williams at cwilliams@hws.edu.

PULTENEY STREET SURVEY WINTER 2018 EDITOR, VICE PRESIDENT FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Catherine Williams

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kevin Colton, Scott Eklund, John Lamb, Erin Little, Kirin Makker, Andrew Markham ’10, Madi Osias, The McDowell Photography Project, Mickey Strider, Jared Weeden ’91 and Stephanie Zollshan.

ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Peggy Kowalik

PRESIDENT Gregory J. Vincent ’83

SENIOR EDITOR Morgan Gilbard ’15

CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS/EDITORS Eugen Baer P’95, P’97, Steven Bodnar, Paul Ciaccia ’15, Paige Cook, Ken DeBolt, Karen George ’09, Morgan Gilbard ’15, Mackenzie Larson ’12, Mary K. LeClair, Natalia St. Lawrence ’16, Avery Share ’15, Mary Van Keuren, Andrew Wickenden ’09 and Catherine Williams.

VICE CHAIRS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Cynthia Gelsthrope Fish ’82 Andrew G. McMaster Jr. ’74, P’09

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT Robert B. O’Connor ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, ALUMNAE RELATIONS Kathy Killius Regan ’82, P’13 ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, ALUMNI RELATIONS Jared Weeden ’91 William Smith Alumnae Association Officers: Jane Erickson ’07, President; Julie Bazan ’93, Vice President; Aloysee Heredia Jarmoszuk ’98, Immediate Past President; Kate Strouse Canada ’98, Historian Hobart Alumni Association Officers: Frank Aloise ’87, President; Rick Solomon ’75, P’10, Vice President; Jeremy Cushman ’96, Immediate Past President; Derrick Moore ’05, Historian

COVER PHOTO: President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 Inauguration. Photo by Kevin Colton Gas resulting from the decomposition of landfill waste used in place of fossil fuels to produce paper.

100% post-consumer fiber paper.

PULTENEY STREET SURVEY

p.

www.hws.edu

Winter 2018

24

CONTENTS

A STATESMAN RETURNS

2

Lakeviews

4 On Seneca: Campus News 6

Bozzuto Family Boosts Innovation and Access

16

The Coaches’ Coach: Mike Hanna ’68, P'99, HON ’04 Retires

36

The AHA Moment

60 Classnotes 98 President Gregory J. Vincent ’83. Photo by Kevin Colton.

108

1 / PULTENEY STREET SURVEY | Winter 2018

HWS Community The Last Word

Dear Friends,

I

t is an honor to serve as president of our alma mater, a role I undertake with deep appreciation for the past and great hope for the future.

Since returning to the Colleges last year, I have benefitted from meeting and working with the breadth of the Hobart and William Smith community.

In my first months as president, I have seen the bold solutions our students pursue in response to the vital questions of our time and observed the close mentorship that distinguishes our faculty and staff as among the best in the nation. At events across the country, I have had the honor of sharing with some of you my observations and hopes for the Colleges’ future, and I have been inspired by the ideas that you have shared with me.

PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

LAKEVIEWS

Since graduating from Hobart in 1983, I have looked to the Pulteney Street Survey to provide updates on classmates and to deliver in-depth information on the Colleges’ trajectory. As a long-time faculty member and higher education administrator, reading this publication has allowed me to track the Colleges’ steady ascent. Today, as I author my first Lakeviews column in the Survey, I do so keenly aware of the responsibilities entrusted to me and the opportunities before us.

Kim Wilson Vincent HON ’21 and President Gregory J. Vincent ’83

In this issue of the Pulteney Street Survey, you will find stories of inspiration from some of our alumni and alumnae (p. 36) who describe how the confluence of life experience, personal values and sheer circumstance create space for “aha” moments – those epiphanies and moments of clarity that allow for a new way of being present in the world.

These transformative moments ripple far beyond their point and person of origin. As the stories of these alumni and alumnae show, when those flashes of opportunity are recognized and seized, divides are bridged and communities are enriched.

So I am especially proud to report that one of the most frequent questions I get from alumni, alumnae and parents is — how can I help? As the stories in this issue show, “aha” moments don’t arise unbidden. They are the result of being present, curious and eager to make a difference.

In response to that question, I look to the example of my esteemed predecessor, President Emeritus Mark D. Gearan L.H.D.’17, whose legacy of innovation and community-building has profoundly shaped Hobart and William Smith and established a sound foundation for the future. What Mark’s leadership so clearly demonstrates is the power of getting involved and staying engaged. You can help take Hobart and William Smith to the next level of excellence by funding a scholarship or donating to the endowment. Come speak on campus. Mentor a student. Offer yourself as a resource for students with an interest in your professional field. Identify internship opportunities. Hire Hobart and William Smith graduates.

In short, join us in creating the means and resources for students to have their own “aha” moments. I am eager to continue this important work together.

Sincerely,

Gregory J. Vincent ’83 President

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ca. 1948 Inauguration Processional

A procession of faculty, students, alums and the Board of Trustees marches through downtown Geneva in honor of Dr. Alan Willard Brown’s inauguration as the 18th

president of Hobart and the 7th of William Smith. Led by a band, participants marched

from the Quad to the Smith Opera House, where President Brown was inaugurated on the Saturday morning of the Colleges’ 1948 Homecoming Weekend.

3 / PULTENEY STREET SURVEY | Winter 2018

ON SENECA CAMPUS NEWS

Princeton Review says: No. 1 in Study Abroad, 18th in Happiest Students and 18th in Best Professors

HWS Students studying abroad in New Zealand are photographed

by Associate Professor of Art and Architecture Kirin Makker.

Hobart and William Smith offer the top study abroad program in the country, according to Princeton Review’s 2018 edition of “The Best 382 Colleges.” The Colleges climb to the top spot after being named 7th in last year’s ranking. Princeton Review also ranks HWS 18th in having the happiest students and 18th in best student-rated professors.

The in-depth profile highlights the Colleges’ academic program, “commitment to fostering growth of character,” small-class sizes, strong sense of community, faculty engagement, career preparation, a focus on global citizenship, a strong alum network and enriching extracurricular opportunities.

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Forbes:

Best Athletics and Academics The Colleges have been named by Sports Illustrated and Money magazine among the nation’s best colleges and universities that offer great athletics matched by an outstanding education. The recent ranking, “100 Best Colleges for Sports Lovers,” features “great colleges for students who love sports—but who also want a highquality, affordable education that positions them for career success.” The ranking highlights overall sports cultures, scoring institutions in two broad areas: opportunities for athletes and the fan experience.

The Colleges were named among the nation’s top colleges and universities for outstanding outcomes in Princeton Review’s 2017 edition of Colleges That Create Futures and, for the second year in a row, one of the nation’s “50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges” by Money magazine.

5 / PULTENEY STREET SURVEY | Winter 2018

For the fourth consecutive year, Forbes has named HWS among the nation’s top institutions with the best return-oninvestment (ROI), putting the Colleges’ strong base of alumni and alumnae with impressive outcomes in the national spotlight.

The Forbes magazine ranking, “2017 Grateful Grads Index: Top 200 Best-Loved Colleges,” bases its annual list of top ROI schools on median donations per 10year period as well as average alum giving participation rates.

CAMPUS NEWS

Best ROI

Bozzuto Family Boosts Innovation and Access

by Andrew Wickenden ’09

Barbara and Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68

“N

either of my parents went to college, but they knew the value of an education,” says Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68, chair of the Board of Trustees. Despite encouragement from his parents, Bozzuto recalls arriving on campus “totally unprepared academically. It was only because of support from some of my classmates and the faculty and a couple members of the administration that I persisted.”

Bozzuto went on to achieve notable success as founder of the Bozzuto Group, one of the most prominent real estate services companies in the country. And he has never forgotten the consequence of his years at Hobart and William Smith, a place “that combines both rigorous intellectual challenges with a personal one-on-one kind of support, that allows each individual to grow and leave a more complete person than they were when they started,” he says.

To foster such an experience for all future students and cement the Colleges’ reputation as a leading liberal arts institution, Bozzuto, along with his wife Barbara and their children Toby and Lexie, recently announced a $4 million gift in support of the HWS endowment.

“Throughout his tenure on the Board of Trustees, and now as Chair, Tom has been a staunch supporter of the unique, innovative and rigorous academics we offer at Hobart and William Smith and proudly extols the transformative impact of a liberal arts education,” says President Gregory J. Vincent ’83. “Likewise, Tom, Barbara and their family recognize the importance of making such an education accessible to talented students of all backgrounds, and with these gifts, he and his family are cementing the Colleges’ commitment to these critical areas in perpetuity. We are immensely grateful.”

Three million dollars of the total gift will endow the Bozzuto Center for Entrepreneurship, providing critical programming and operational support for the Colleges’ newest and fastest growing program of study.

“In the 21st century, success will come to people who know how to reinvent themselves throughout their careers,” says Bozzuto. “What the liberal arts teaches you to do, and what

Entrepreneurial Studies:

Founded in 2015, the Entrepreneurial Studies minor at HWS emphasizes the conceptual understanding, practical skills and ethical structure necessary for business or civic leadership.

Students explore and hone the analytical and critical thinking skills of a liberal arts education while pursuing projects and

coursework focused on creating non-profit or for-profit enterprises, or leading innovation within existing organizations.

This fall, the Colleges established new classrooms and meeting spaces for the Entrepreneurial Studies program at a downtown Geneva facility — now named the Bozzuto Center for Entrepreneurship —

6 / HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES

which occupies three floors and more than 7,000 square feet on Castle Street. The Center also supports related academic and co-curricular programming like the Centennial Center’s Idea Lab, Innovation Academy and Pitch competition, and houses the Colleges’ inaugural Margiloff Family Entrepreneurial Fellow. (more on page 8).

The Bozzuto Center for Entrepreneurship hosts discussions with dynamic leaders shaping technology, commerce, business and social entrepreneurship. In its “5 Questions” series, Three Brothers Wineries and Estates partner Erica Paolicelli discusses the triumphs and challenges faced by small businesses.

The First-Generation Initiative: The Bozzuto Family

I N I T I AT I V E

First-Generation Endowed Scholarship is the most recent investment in the Colleges’ commitment to improving access and support for the roughly 15% of HWS undergraduates who are the first in their families to attend a four-year college or university. Since 2006, the Initiative has been ensuring first-generation students are well-prepared to engage fully in all aspects of campus life and are maximizing their academic experience.

7 / PULTENEY STREET SURVEY | Winter 2018

A Lifetime of Achievement

D

uring Bozzuto’s more than 45-year career in real estate, he has overseen and been responsible for the creation of more than 50,000 homes and apartments. Now chairman of the Bozzuto Group, he has directed the development, construction and management of income-producing and forsale housing in metropolitan areas along the East Coast.

The recipient of the Freddie Mac Builder of the Year award, Bozzuto has also served as a Congressional appointee to the Millennial Housing Commission, a gubernatorial appointee to the Maryland Housing Commission and has chaired the board of the National Multifamily Housing Council.

He has worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Renewal, then the James W. Rouse Mortgage Company and later spent 13 years as mid-Atlantic regional partner at Oxford Development Corporation.

At Hobart, Bozzuto majored in English, was a Theta Delta Chi brother and a Druid, played football, was a member of Hobart Student Association and Little Theatre, and worked at Saga. He was president of his class in his sophomore and junior years and, in his senior year, president of the student body. He served as a combat correspondent for the 25th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, and later earned a master’s degree in metropolitan studies from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.

A staunch supporter of Hobart and William Smith, Bozzuto has served as a member of the Board of Trustees since 1999 and was named chair in 2016. He was a lead donor in the construction of the Colleges’ boathouse, named in honor of his father, Charles Bozzuto, as well as a lead donor to the Gearan Center for Performing Arts and the Gearan Endowed Scholarship Fund. He has been a participant in the HWS Executive in Residence Program, is a regular Reunion volunteer, and took a lead role in supporting the Colleges’ capital campaign. He was recognized by his peers with a 2008 Alumni Citation, which was awarded “with gratitude and admiration for his longstanding engagement.”

To commemorate their 40th wedding anniversary, his wife, Barbara, established the Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68 Endowed Scholarship Fund at the Colleges.

CAMPUS NEWS

“What the liberal arts entrepreneurial studies reinforces, is the ability to think teaches you to do, and critically, to think independently and to be willing to take risks, both intellectually and practically.” what entrepreneurial

The remaining $1 million will create the Bozzuto studies reinforces, is Family First-Generation Endowed Scholarship. the ability to think

Considering the defining role the Colleges have played critically, to think in Bozzuto’s life, the family decided that now was the time to craft a gift that “would not only have personal and family independently and to be willing to take risks, significance but would make a permanent impact,” says Bozzuto’s daughter Lexie. “This scholarship is extremely both intellectually and personal and important to my father. He was the first in practically.” his family to go to college. He didn’t have the support from —Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68, Chair of the his high school or coaches, and there are so many students Board of Trustees today who don’t either. Having this support built into the institution at Hobart and William Smith is key, and a huge step toward access and success.”

“Young people from working class backgrounds deserve an opportunity in higher education and add to the community in a way that can’t be ignored and that benefits everybody,” Bozzuto says. “The scholarship is intended to ensure that financial stress will not compound the challenges first-generation students face.”

With a passion for arts and education programs and initiatives, the Bozzutos have a long history of volunteering with nonprofits in the Baltimore area, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Maryland Science Center, which doubled in size and substantially increased its endowment while Bozzuto chaired its board.

“My parents have set such a precedent for our immediate family and those around us in the community about the importance of giving to arts organizations and educational institutions,” Lexie says. “They lead by example, showing that giving to your community is not an extra — it’s crucial, it’s essential.”

Kaenzig Named William Smith Dean Lisa Kaenzig has been named Dean of William Smith College, an appointment to which she brings more than 25 years of experience. The announcement was met with a standing ovation by students, faculty, staff and alums during 2017's Moving Up Day celebration.

“It is the dream of my lifetime to serve in a role that allows me to help women develop their potential.

I have the honor of watching students transform into the most amazing versions of themselves that I always knew they could be,” she said. Kaenzig joined HWS as an assistant dean in 2003 and served as associate dean since 2009. She holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy, Planning and Leadership from the College of William and Mary, her M.A. in Human Resource Development from George Washington University and her B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University.

Will Margiloff ’92

Margiloff Creates Fellowship This fall, Hobart and William Smith welcomed Ed Bizari as the Colleges’ inaugural Margiloff Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Fellow.

Underwritten by HWS Trustee Will ’92 and his wife Colleen Margiloff, the Fellowship enhances the Colleges’ entrepreneurial leadership programming and the applied experience component of the Entrepreneurial Studies minor.

“I’m thrilled to help build out this important initiative at the Colleges in one of the fastest growing minors in the schools’ history,” says Margiloff, an entrepreneur and early pioneer in the digital marketing field who is CEO of IgnitionOne.

Homecoming and Family Weekend More than 3,000 family members, alums, students and friends filled the Quad, bleachers and classrooms of campus for the 2017 Homecoming and Family Weekend.

President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 delivered his inaugural State of the Colleges address, highlighting points of distinction such as faculty scholarship, student outcomes and national accolades. In traditional style, the Fall Nationals took place with Chi Phi winning this year’s race.

The Power of Liberal Arts Oliver Meeker ’09, a blockchain business development professional at IBM, is among a select group of liberal arts graduates profiled in You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a ‘Useless’ Liberal Arts Education, a new book by journalist George Anders. Meeker is noted for being instrumental in helping IBM explain the intricacies of its work, such as blockchain, to clients outside of the tech sector, while fostering partnerships, alliances and new business. Fortune magazine also featured Meeker, underscoring the high professional demand for liberal arts graduates. At HWS, Meeker majored in sociology and minored in art history and public policy studies. He received a prestigious Fulbright research grant to Vietnam and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Meeker is scheduled to return to campus this spring as the keynote speaker at Hobart's Benjamin Hale Dinner.

8 / HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES

“The generosity, vision and leadership Will and Colleen have demonstrated in establishing this fellowship has an immediate impact on the lives of Hobart and William Smith students,” says President Gregory J. Vincent ’83. “This kind of active engagement in the Colleges’ curricular needs is one of the important ways HWS stands out as a leading liberal arts institution.”

The Margiloff Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Fellowship is supported for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.

Bizari is an entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in business, ranging from startups to multibillion-dollar international corporations.

As the 2017-18 Margiloff Ed Bizari Fellow, Bizari advises students and supports their projects, designs new programs, coordinates entrepreneurial events, and manages the Entrepreneurial Leader-in-Residence program.

Arabzada ’19 in Runner’s World In an article published in Runner’s World, Zahra Arabzada ’19 talks about why she chooses to run in her hijab, as well as the purpose and hope that drive her to challenge misconceptions about Muslim women in sports. The article appeared in anticipation of Arabzada completing a 50-mile ultramarathon on Sept. 16, where she finished seventh in her age group after running for 16 hours and 56 minutes.

The article chronicles Arabzada’s journey from her home in Kunduz, Afghanistan to her life as a runner, biochemistry major and blogger at HWS. For Arabzada, running became a way to express her freedom and “change the narrative around veiled Muslim women.” She began to write her blog, the Hijabi Runner, to provide a resource for non-Muslims to learn about her experiences and to offer support to Muslims who choose an active lifestyle.

Top Green College

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Hobart and William Smith have been ranked among the nation’s top colleges and universities leading the way in sustainability and environmental leadership in Princeton Review’s Top 50 Green Colleges. The honor aligns with the Colleges' continued recognition as one of the most environmentally conscious schools in higher education.

“This national recognition is indicative of the significant and tangible progress Hobart and William Smith have made toward our goal for carbon neutrality by 2025,” says Professor of Economics and Chair of Entrepreneurial Studies Tom Drennen, who is co-chair of the HWS Climate Task Force.

Returning to NASA For the fourth consecutive year, a team from HWS spent a week at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, where a year of planning and testing culminated in the launch of a NASA sounding rocket carrying a research module designed by students and faculty advisers at HWS.

Consortium RockSat-C program. Their winning proposal, one of only nine selected, was designed to contain Geiger counter radiation sensors, a detector to measure muon flux, and a spectrometer to measure the visible light spectrum.

Following success in similar programs in 2015 and 2016, the HWS team entered a design proposal last fall to build a research module for the 2017 Colorado Space Grant

The design was informed by five years of research by the team’s advisers, Assistant Professor of Physics Ileana Dumitriu (first row, second from right) and Physics Lab Technician 9 / PULTENEY STREET SURVEY | Winter 2018

Peter Spacher, Ph.D. (first row, right), and builds on work by previous HWS RockSat-C teams.

Christopher Demas ’17 (first row, second from left), who recently began medical school at Brown University, has been involved in all of the Colleges’ RockSat projects and helped guide this year’s team. “Although the project is incredibly difficult,” he says, “at the end you can call yourself a NASA scientist, which not a lot of people can say.”

CAMPUS NEWS

“Throughout the race, I constantly reminded myself that it is absolutely a blessing, honor and privilege to have the freedom, peace of mind and the support to spend all those hours on the trail,” says Arabzada of the Springfield, Mass. ultramarathon. “I thought of my mother who has a hard time leaving our house in Afghanistan because of security reasons, and I thought of all the Afghan girls who wish to be right where I am at this moment. Those were my main motivations to cross the finish line.”

What I Did Last Summer

D

uring the summer of 2017, more than 650 HWS students – including those profiled here – participated in internships or research experiences around the nation and world. Part of the Guaranteed Internship Program, all HWS students have the opportunity to take part. For those internships and research experiences that are unpaid, the Colleges offer a stipend.

“That summer experience is critical for students to learn what they may or may not want to pursue in life,” says Brandi Ferrara, the director of the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education. “We are so grateful to the many alumni, alumnae, parents and friends who host our students for the summer and who generously support endowed funds that make these experiences possible.”

Dominique DeRubeis ’18 Technology Analyst at JP Morgan Majors: Economics and Computer Science

“I learned that, like any role in an organization, it is important to ask yourself what value you bring to the table. In this type of internship, value came from thinking critically about the end-to-end process and asking great questions. I thought the most rewarding part of the internship was acquiring the knowledge of and experience in executing all phases of the software development life cycle, based on proven project and testing methodologies.”

William Samayoa ’19 FreemantleMedia and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts Majors: Writing and Rhetoric, Media and Society

“I had an opportunity to work with people who produce some of the biggest shows and franchises in the industry. I left even more motivated to return to my studies and become a scholar of my industry. My time at Academy Gold included important networking, and I left confident in my ability to develop relationships.”

Therese Mandracchia ’19 Forensic Researcher at Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory Majors: Biochemistry, Law and Society

“I learned the importance of patience; it can take months to correlate family references to the unknown DNA sequence and identify the fallen soldier, who could have served in World War I or even the Civil War. It was a very rewarding experience at a laboratory that I hope to one day work for. The laboratory technicians and DNA analysts that I had the honor to shadow work tirelessly every day to bring closure to families who have lost a loved one.”

10 / HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES

Katrina Willis ’18 The Heritage Foundation Majors: Digital communications and religious studies

Jonathan Tuttle ’18 JetBlue

“This summer I learned more about how D.C. works and what kind of attitude it takes to succeed there. Although Washington gets a bum rap because of its intense demand for networking, it takes a great deal of diligence and kindness to earn those relationships. My summer internship taught me to prioritize people and treat them well.”

Majors: Economics and International Relations

“I learned that aviation management is a career path that I definitely want to pursue.

I believe that coming from a small liberal arts school gave me a unique opportunity to show flexibility in the different areas of work I was able to take part in.”

Rotimi Adeoye ’18 New York Office of Federal Affairs “I’ve always been interested in learning about local government, so it was a great experience to learn about how the City of New York functions in relation to the national government. Many of the issues NYC Federal Affairs handles involve making the lives of people in NYC better– helping families and students, and making sure every person in New York has equal opportunity. Working to serve the people of New York while navigating the quickly changing political landscape was challenging, but extremely rewarding.”

Lucas Mischler ’20 Penn Medicine

Majors: Architectural studies and art history “I got an appreciation for what drives the design process in a health care setting. It was great to gain exposure to the design field and to work alongside prominent architectural and construction teams.

In such a multifaceted project, a liberal arts education allows an individual to see concepts or ideas through a range of lenses and bring in contextual variables.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

Major: Political Science

“Digital oscilloscopes help us measure the waveforms of electronic signals, which play a key role in developing new projects and troubleshooting them. When you monitor waveforms, changes in the pattern can tell you exactly which component needs adjusting.”

“In our robotics classes, student teams go head-to-head in a competition that tests the intelligence and capability of their bots. Their machines have computers, motors and sensors, so the robots navigate entirely on their own when they encounter obstacles in a maze.”

“Our students build nearly everything by hand, so our lab feels like a workshop.

There are tools in every drawer and enough wire to wrap around the Quad several times over.”

Cracking the Code

In a world where cars drive themselves, robots perform surgery and your phone chats like a friend, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science John Vaughn P’08 explains the tools he and his robotics students use to explore the next steps of artificial intelligence and innovation.

Tools of the Trade “The multimeter allows us to measure the voltage within a circuit. There are standard household voltages for everyday items — a fan, an iron, a waffle maker. Our students work with items having very low voltage.”

PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

“This was the first aerial robot constructed by my computer science students 10 years ago.

It’s incredibly durable. After flying into walls and book shelves, it still works quite well.”

12 / HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES

“A key skill in the tech world is knowing how to construct a circuit board. It can amount to hundreds of points of circuitry, which students solder by hand.”

Faculty Publications Unrest in Africa Africa’s Insurgents: Navigating an Evolving Landscape, edited by Professor of Political Science Kevin Dunn and Research Professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs Morten Bøås, assembles an array of perspectives to examine the various conditions under which contemporary insurgencies in Africa have arisen — and what they share and do not share in common.

More Planets in the Milky Way Assistant Professor of Physics Leslie Hebb and her colleagues received national attention for research that clarifies the distinctive qualities that make planets habitable for sustainable life. Published in The Astrophysical Journal, the study measured the radii of more than 2,000 planets discovered by NASA’s Kepler satellite and found two distinct planet classes that mark the boundary between rocky planets like Earth and gaseous planets like Jupiter. And so with “a relatively simple measurement of the size of an extra-solar planet, we can now easily determine whether a planet is rocky or not—and thus determine the specific planets that have the greatest suitability for life,” says Hebb.

As noted in a June New York Times article profiling the research, based on the data “there could be billions of Earth-size planets in the Milky Way basking in lukewarm conditions suitable for liquid water, and so perhaps life as we think we know it. The Kepler team will refine those estimates with their new data.”

The Value of Privacy In the forthcoming book Core Concepts and Contemporary Issues in Privacy, Professor of Philosophy Steven Lee examines “the scope of privacy and its relation to other values” in a chapter titled “The Nature and Value of Privacy.”

“Personal information privacy is a widely-shared value in our society, but it clearly has some significant drawbacks (such as facilitating criminal conspiracy), as well as benefits,” Lee explains. “Given the drawbacks, how do we explain its wide-spread appeal? I argue that there is a benefit of privacy that is not often explicitly recognized that explains its appeal. This is the importance of privacy in promoting individual identity (and autonomy) because our identities are forged by our power to exclude information about ourselves from others.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

The book, Dunn’s 10th, examines conflicts, rebellions, insurgents and politics across the continent, from Somalia to Nigeria to the Central African Republic. Dunn authors three chapters covering the evolving landscape, the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda and the book’s conclusion, which offers an understanding of how the book’s authors offer a multifaceted portrait of insurgency.

Faculty Publications LIGO Detects Colliding Neutron Stars, Wins Nobel Prize in Physics In the quest to understand the nature and origins of the universe, scientists have made the first detection of both gravitational waves and light arriving from a single cosmic event, the collision of neutron stars some 130 million light-years from Earth. “Our ability to both see and hear these distant cosmic events can tell us a lot about the universe,” says Professor of Physics Steven Penn, an integral member of the global research team behind the discovery.

The new scientific breakthrough, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, was made in part using the U.S.-based Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), of which Penn is a longstanding contributor. Penn has made significant contributions to the LIGO detectors which scientists used to observe gravitational waves for the first time in 2015. The first discovery confirmed a major prediction of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity. This fall, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to the LIGO project through its three founders, Rainer Weiss of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Barry Barish and Kip Thorne of California Institute of Technology.

Anxiety and Depression In her new book published by Guilford Press, Associate Professor of Psychology Julie Newman Kingery and her coauthors provide an innovative perspective on the implementation of cognitive behavioral treatments for children and adolescents with internalizing disorders such as anxiety, depression and mood disorders.

With a chapter devoted to each of 13 essential techniques and strategies commonly included in cognitive behavioral treatment programs, Treating Internalizing Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Core Techniques and Strategies serves as an informative resource for professionals such as clinical child/adolescent psychologists, counselors, social workers, psychiatrists and school psychologists.

Integrated Advertising In a guest essay on one of the most popular academic blogs, Confessions of an Aca-Fan, Associate Professor of Media and Society Leah Shafer assesses how accompanying content manipulates viewer experiences. In the post, Shafer examined the YouTube page of an activist group called We Are Seneca Lake and disusses the ways the commercial interface, with recommendations and advertisements, affected the circulation and exhibition of the group’s videos.

“Social media apps may not run 30-second commercials like we see on conventional television, but they still contain and are contained by advertising,” Shafer writes. “The best way to be smart about media consumption is to be a critical consumer… and to take courses that teach you how to discern and analyze media messages.”

Dissecting Aesthetics In a cross-sectional study appearing in a special issue of the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Assistant Professor of Psychology Daniel Graham, Cameron Pugach ’15 and Helmut Leder of the University of Vienna in Austria explore the stability of aesthetic preferences.

The article “How Stable Are Human Aesthetic Preferences Across the Lifespan?” shows that “human taste is rather unstable at all stages of life: aesthetic preferences are quite unstable in early childhood; become increasingly stable in young adulthood; and then gradually become less stable in later adulthood,” the authors write. “As such, our results refute the popular impression that young adults are fickle while children and older adults are set in their ways.”

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ca. 1984

Studying in Berlin

In the early years of Hobart and William Smith’s study abroad program, more than 20 students spent a transformative semester studying in Berlin, including Sharon Akkoul ’85 (top row, second from the right). “Studying abroad cemented my life-long love of learning, travel and exploring.

It was truly a life-changing experience.” Just one of three programs offered at the time, the Colleges’ top-ranked study abroad program – No. 1 in the country according to The Princeton Review – now sends students to more than 50 destinations across the globe.

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Sports

Office Space The Coaches’ Coach

Mike Hanna ’68, P‘99, HON ‘04 Retires After 37 Years Leading the Hobart Statesmen

by Ken DeBolt

A

rowing. Hobart scholarfter nearly four athletes have earned decades at the hundreds of all-conference helm of Hobart awards and dozens of AllAthletics, Director America honors. of Athletics Mike Hanna ’68, Board Chair Thomas P‘99, HON ‘04 retired at S. Bozzuto ’68 praised his the end of the Fall 2017 classmate’s leadership. semester. He will remain “Mike has given his at the Colleges through professional career to the the academic year as a Statesmen, creating an special advisor to President environment of integrity Gregory J. Vincent ’83. and an expectation “This is both a of excellence that is comfortable and a difficult unmatched,” he says. decision,” Hanna says.

“Through his leadership, “Comfortable because I am he has positively influenced confident that President the lives of thousands Vincent and the HWS Mike Hanna ’68 of students, instilling leadership team will be the character and fortitude that has marked strong stewards of Statesmen sports. Difficult generations of Hobart men. He defines what because I would love to work with Greg Vincent it means to be a ‘Statesman.’ I thank him most and I will miss our scholar-athletes, our staff, sincerely for his service to the Colleges.” my boss Vice President for Campus Life Robb Hanna earned a bachelor’s degree in Flowers, and especially our head coaches.” economics from Hobart and was a standout Hanna’s remarkable career spans 47 two-sport athlete. As a quarterback, he broke years in college athletics, including the last all of Hobart’s season and career passing 37 at his alma mater as director of athletics. records. As an attackman, he earned second The longest serving athletic director in the team All-America honors following his senior history of the Statesmen, Hanna has guided season. Hanna co-captained both the football Hobart through its most successful era from and lacrosse teams and earned the Francis L. the lacrosse program’s unprecedented “Babe” Kraus Award as Hobart’s Athlete of the championships to department-wide success.

Year in 1968.

Today’s Statesmen excel in the classroom, Following graduation, Hanna served three compiling a collective grade point average of years as a U.S. Army lieutenant in military 3.03 last year with eight of Hobart’s 11 teams intelligence, including a tour as a military boasting a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Seventeen adviser in South Vietnam. He began his career of the College’s 18 CoSIDA Academic Allin college athletics in 1971 as an assistant Americans® were in the Hanna era. football and lacrosse coach at Johns Hopkins.

“In the long and eventful history of our After a year in Baltimore, Hanna was assistant athletics programs, I can say without fear of lacrosse coach at Navy for four seasons. In contradiction that no one has done more to 1976, he was named the head lacrosse coach shape Hobart Athletics than Mike Hanna,” says at Princeton. He returned to the Colleges four Vincent. “I have had the honor of knowing him years later. since I was a scholar-athlete and have observed Reflecting on a distinguished career, firsthand the kind of integrity and commitment Hanna is most proud of victories beyond the that he brings to everything he does. He will be scoreboards. “I want our scholar-athletes deeply missed but I am comforted by the fact to be able to look back on their four years that he has built such a strong foundation for here proudly and be able to look forward to the future.” whatever is next and feel like they’re ready.”

In competition, Hobart teams have won 13 Hanna lives in Geneva with his wife, national championships during Hanna’s tenure, Mary Anne. They have three children and five 11 in lacrosse and two in sailing. Since 1995, grandchildren. the Statesmen have captured 49 conference championships, including 12 consecutive in

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Team Spirit Vic Cragg, father of Hobart Football’s Head Coach Mike Cragg, and Lou Hanna, Mike’s father, were “very good friends” and coached at Mike’s high school together.

Work Ethic A hardhat, emblazoned with “Statesmen,” that Hanna received during the construction of McCooey Field in 2001.

With memories and memorabilia from wall to wall, the office of Mike Hanna ’68, P’99, HON ’04 is nearly as iconic as the HWS Athletics powerhouse himself. We asked Hanna to share the stories behind some of his favorite items.

"Call me Mike" Pages from Dr. Seuss’ One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish were a gift from Hanna’s granddaughters. The chosen rhyme, “We like our Mike,” references Hanna's request that his five grandchildren call him by his first name.

Vets Fly in Style In the spring of 1946, Hobart lacrosse was reinstated after the conclusion of World War II. Major Ken Neville ’31 arranged to fly the Hobart team to Quantico, Va., where they beat the U.S. Marine Corps team 6-4.

Family Traditions The 1950s Rolleiflex camera that sits on Hanna’s desk belonged to his father, Lou Hanna, a high school teacher and reporter and photographer for The Erie Times. Hanna grew up with a darkroom in the basement of their family home.

“Through his leadership, he has positively influenced the lives of thousands of students, instilling the character and fortitude that has marked generations of Hobart men.

He defines what it means to be a ‘Statesman.’” – Board Chair Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68

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As Luck Would Have It A photo of Mount Pleasant Golf Club in Baltimore, where Hanna met a Johns Hopkins assistant coach who would later recommend that Hanna apply for his position. “If it weren’t for that round of golf, I might not have ever gotten into coaching,” says Hanna, who recalls wearing a Hobart shirt that day.

CAMPUS NEWS

Quarterback Corner Hobart Hall of Famers Craig R. Swanson ’04, MAT ‘05, Hanna and Arthur W. Lambert ’58 reunite in Baltimore. All three were quarterbacks on their respective Hobart Football teams.

Deb Steward (right) discusses her career and athletics in higher education wtih sports journalist Beth Mowins.

PHOTO BY MADI OSIAS

William Smith Athletics’ Deb Steward Administrator of the Year

by Ken DeBolt

O

n Oct. 10, William Smith College Director of Athletics Deb Steward was presented the 2017 Women Leaders in College Sports Division III Administrator of the Year award. Steward was honored at the Jostens Administrator of the Year and Award of Distinction Luncheon at the Women Leaders National Convention in Dallas — which was emceed by Beth Mowins, play-byplay announcer and sports journalist for ESPN and CBS.

“For more than a decade, Deb Steward has led William Smith Athletics to the highest levels of excellence, and it was an honor to join with her peers across the “She is an country as they celebrated her many successes,” said President Gregory J. Vincent outstanding ’83 who attended the celebration in Texas. “She is an outstanding colleague to our athletics staff and a remarkable mentor for our scholar-athletes. Hobart and colleague to our William Smith Colleges are honored and gratified to know that her talents and athletics staff hard work are being acknowledged with such a prestigious award.”

Steward has served as the director of athletics at William Smith since 2005. and a remarkable She oversees all of William Smith’s intercollegiate programs and supervises the mentor for our Sports and Recreation Center, the Outdoor Recreation Adventure Program, the waterfront and the wellness program. scholar-athletes.”

“I know I can speak on behalf of all of my colleagues here at William Smith ­— President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 College Athletics when I congratulate Deb on this most deserved recognition,” said Assistant Athletic Director and Head Field Hockey Coach Sally Scatton P'02, P'06. “Over the past 12 years, Deb has served as an outstanding role model and advocate for our scholar-athletes and staff.”

The continued national success of HWS athletics has been featured in CollegeFactual.com’s 2018 National Student-Athlete Rankings, with William Smith soccer and William Smith lacrosse ranked among the top 1 percent of NCAA Division III teams nationally, and Hobart hockey ranked in the top 5 percent. Heron

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Members of the William Smith soccer team and their coaches pose for a photo on Boswell Field after capturing the 2017 Liberty League Women’s Soccer Tournament Championship title.

WILLIAM SMITH SOCCER

Ranked No. 2 in Division III (19-2-0, 9-0-0).

For the 11th consecutive season, the William Smith soccer team won the Liberty League regular season and tournament championships and made their Division III women’s soccer record 28th NCAA tournament appearance. William Smith’s stingy defense allowed just six goals on the year, posting 15 shutouts, including back-to-back clean sheets in the first two rounds of NCAAs. Evie Manning ’18 led the conference in goals (13) and points (33) with Megan Barwick ’19 close behind at 12 goals and 31 points. Junior goalie Veronica Romines ’19 is fourth in the nation in goals against average (0.259).

Manning was the Liberty League Player of the Year and was joined on the All-East Region first team by Barwick and Katherine Campbell ’18.

CAMPUS NEWS

soccer topped the rankings as the No. 1 team out of 370, Heron lacrosse ranked No. 2 out of 238 schools, and the Statesmen hockey team ranked second out of 68 programs.

Steward served as the tournament director for the 2016 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championships. It was the fourth time William Smith has hosted an NCAA championship event in her tenure, serving as a host site for the 2006 and 2012 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championships and the 2007 NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship. Steward recently completed a two-year term as chair of the Division III Women’s Golf Championship committee. She previously served as a member of the Division III Softball Championship committee.

“I know that Deb is a great fan of transformation in our students and in her coaches,” said Head Rowing Coach Sandra Chu. “I can say that one of her great strengths is her own self-critical reflection. She models the courage and humility we all need to be leaders for our athletes and provides us with the same growth opportunities that we create for our students.”

In the 2016-17 academic year, under Steward’s guidance the Herons boasted two National Players of the Year, nine All-Americans, six Academic All-Americans and 80 conference all-academic honorees. The average GPA of a William Smith student-athlete was 3.35 in the 2017 spring semester. Both the soccer and lacrosse teams won conference championships and advanced to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals and the sailing team won two conference crowns and earned three top five finishes at nationals.

Steward has enhanced William Smith’s national reputation as a top competition site, hosting 86 conference and national championship contests during the past 12 years.

In 2014, Steward was named the ECAC Division III Female Administrator of the Year.

In the fall of 2005, she was inducted into the Stevens Point Area Senior High Athletic Hall of Fame.

Steward joined William Smith after three years as an assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator at Ithaca College. Prior to her time with the Bombers, she spent eight years at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire serving as an assistant soccer coach, lecturer in the Kinesiology Department, assistant and head softball coach, senior woman administrator, business manager and assistant athletics director. Steward began her professional career at St. Mary’s University (Minn). She coached basketball, softball and volleyball for the Cardinals, coordinated the athletics department’s recruiting and was an instructor in the physical education department.

Evie Manning ’18 weaves through the defense during William Smith’s 2-0 win over Swarthmore College in a 2017 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship second round game.

FOOTBALL

(7-3, 3-2) Shane Sweeney ’18 and Brandon Shed ’18 cemented their legacy as the greatest quarterback-receiver duo in Hobart history.

Sweeney eclipsed nearly every Hobart passing record, finishing his career with 7,385 yards and 71 touchdowns. Likewise, Shed rewrote nearly every receiving standard, amassing 2,954 yards and 32 TDs. Last season, the Statesmen went 5-1 in games decided by seven points or less, but this season, the team suffered a pair of close league losses that kept them from a 12th league title.

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Shane Sweeney ’18

Brandon Shed ’18

SAILING

Ranked No. 6 in the nation by Sailing World The HWS sailing team enjoyed a successful fall, posting 13 top 5 finishes, including five regatta victories. The Colleges’ most notable win came in the War Memorial, the MAISA Coed Dinghy Fall Championship, marking the first time HWS has won that regatta since 2003.

Skipper Greiner Hobbs ’18 teamed with crew Kyle Easton ’20 and Lindsay Kloc ’19 to win A Division. They won five of the weekend’s 12 races and finished second four times.

HWS was 25 points better than second place Georgetown.

In B Division, skipper Hector Guzman ’20 and crew Noah Barrengos ’18 and Maya Weber ’20 needed a fantastic finish to the series to pull out a victory. Through nine races, HWS trailed the Hoyas by 12 points. Guzman and Weber finished second in race No. 10 and won No. 11 and No. 12. Coupled with a 4-7-8 finish by Georgetown, the Colleges came away with a three point win on Seneca Lake.

The Statesmen and Herons were perfect on their home waters this fall, winning the David Lee Arnoff Trophy in early October. HWS swept A and B divisions that weekend, too.

The Colleges’ other victories this fall came in Cornell’s Jack Boeringer Memorial, the MAISA North Fall Qualifier and Fordham’s Jesuit Trophy.

On the heels of its triumph in the War Memorial, HWS moved up to No. 3 in the Sailing World College Coed Sailing Rankings. On the strength of a second place finish in the MAISA Fall Women’s Championship, William Smith sailing moved up five spots to No. 9 in the Sailing World women’s rankings.

“Every year our goal is to work together to become one of the best teams in the ICSA,” says Head Coach Scott Iklé ’84. “This year it’s coming together well. Our goal now is to build on this momentum going into the spring. If we can stay focused, the spring season is going to be fun and exciting.”

HOBART HOCKEY

Ranked No. 9/No. 11 in Division III (8-3-4, 5-1-2) The 2017-18 hockey season marked the start of a new era for the Statesmen who said goodbye to the now defunct ECAC West for a spot in the New England Hockey Conference.

Hobart’s new league includes defending national champion Norwich, New England College, Babson, UMass Boston, Skidmore, Castleton and Southern Maine.

“Norwich is the defending national champion, and they don’t need a poll to know teams will be gunning for them. We are the new kids in the conference, and it is now obvious that we have a target on our backs as well,” said

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Head Hockey Coach Mark Taylor of the NEHC preseason poll that picked Hobart second behind Norwich.

After losing a tough overtime decision at long-time ECAC West rival Elmira to start the season, the Statesmen rebounded with four straight wins. The streak started with a 2-1 overtime victory against then No. 7 Oswego in the Cooler. Jonas Toupal ’19 scored both Hobart goals against the Lakers, netting the game winner 52 seconds into OT. After breezing through their first three NEHC opponents by a combined score of 19-4, the Statesmen turned their attention to Norwich. Hobart led 1-0 after the first period thanks to Mike Faulkner’s tally. The Cadets seized the lead with a pair of second period goals, but Will Harrison ’20 necessitated overtime with his goal midway through the third period.

Toupal leads the Statesmen with nine goals and 14 points through 15 games. He ranks third in the NEHC in goals and is tied for sixth in points. In goal, Frank Oplinger ’18 and Alexander Connal ’20 have split time. Connal has a 1.74 goals against average and a .933 save percentage, while Oplinger sports a 2.19 GAA and a .910 save percentage. Connal has a 5-2-1 record and Oplinger is 3-1-3 in goal this season.

Mouhamed Diouf ‘19 hoists the Liberty League Championship plaque following Hobart’s 2-0 win over Vassar College.

Hannah Wood ’18

FIELD HOCKEY

(12-6, 4-3) Two-time Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year Hannah Wood ’18 finished her record breaking career with 95 goals, six more than the previous standard bearer, current Assistant Coach Sophie Dennis Riskie ’07. Wood and Alexandra Frary ’18 closed out their collegiate careers by playing in the NFHCA Senior All-Star Game. Both players also represented the Herons on the All-North Atlantic first team.

William Smith, which finished tied for third in the Liberty League, notched its 33rd consecutive winning season.

Hobart cross country, led by Max Tulchinsky ’21, finished second at the CCOC Championships and at the ECAC Championships. … William Smith cross country also took second at the CCOC and placed seventh at the Liberty League meet. Jules Picuri ’19 paced the Herons to the finish line in both races. … Jace Kienzle ’20 ended the fall Hobart golf season on a high note. He shot a 77 at Irondequoit Country Club to finish seventh in the Nazareth Invitational. As a team, Hobart was third, its best finish of the fall. … William Smith golf started the fall strong, placing second in the Hamilton Invitational. Rachel McKay ’18 led the way with a third place showing. … The Hobart and William Smith rowing teams’ varsity eights both finished 12th at the Head of the Charles, automatically qualifying them for next year’s field. … Alan Dubrovsky ’20 got his Hobart tennis season off to an impressive start.

He reached the semifinals of the singles and doubles draw (with Jonah Salita ’19) at the ITA Northeast Regional Championships. … William Smith tennis captured a pair of flights at the annual Mary Hosking Invitational. Leland Barclay ’20 won the D Flight singles crown and Charlotte Engebrecht ’21 and Olivia Engebrecht ’21 won the B Flight Doubles title. … William Smith hockey (8-2-3, 4-0-2) started the season with a nine-game unbeaten streak and was receiving votes in the last national poll of 2017….Hobart basketball (8-3, 3-1) began the season with wins over No. 19 St. John Fisher and No. 16 Rochester, earning a spot in the D3hoops.com Top 25 (No. 19) for just the second time in program history … William Smith basketball (6-5, 0-4) began the season winning the NYU Tipoff Classic … The Heron squash team is 5-3 and ranked No. 23 in the nation. William Smith opened the season with a five-match win streak…. Hobart squash’s record stands at 7-3 and the Statesmen are ranked No. 25.

HOBART SOCCER

(11-5-4, 6-0-3) Adrian Colmenares ’18 buried a penalty kick in the 105th minute to lift Hobart to a 2-1 win over St. Lawrence, clinching the Liberty League regular season title. The Statesmen went unbeaten in league play for the first time since 2008. In the conference championship tournament, Hobart posted 2-0 victories over RIT and Vassar to capture the title for the first time since 2009. The Statesmen remained hot, beating their host No. 21 Buffalo State 2-0 in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, before falling to No. 9 Messiah 1-0.

Colmenares and Binjo Emmanuel ’20 earned a spot on the All-East first team. Head Coach Shawn Griffin and Assistant Coach Andrew Bednarsky were voted the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year.

William Smith hockey started the season with a nine-game unbeaten streak.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Updates

Athletic Dedications Carver-DeLaney Press Box Alums, family and the campus community gathered on Sept. 9 to celebrate the dedication of the Carver-DeLaney Family Press Box and stadium seating at John H. Cozzens Jr. ’41 Memorial Field. A cornerstone of athletic excellence at the Colleges, Cozzens Field is home to the Hobart and William Smith soccer teams.

The Carver-DeLaney Family Press Box honors the steadfast support of Trustee Calvin “Chip” Carver ’81 and his wife Anne DeLaney. A member of the Board of Trustees for more than 12 years, Carver also assisted William Smith Head Coach Aliceann Wilber P’12 with the team this fall.

On the Board, Carver has served more than a dozen years on the Financial Affairs and Audit and Compliance Committees. Partnering with the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education, he has participated in the Professionals in Residence program and networked with numerous students and graduates who have gone on to internships and careers in the financial field.

In 2012, the Calvin R. Carver Sr. Lecture and Student Support Endowment was established to promote inclusivity, resiliency, positive mental health and social justice through a yearly campus speakers series and resources for students.

Adrian Colmenares '18, Hobart Soccer Head Coach Shawn Griffin, Anne DeLaney, Emma Carver, President Gregory J. Vincent '83, Trustee Chip Carver ’81, William Smith Soccer Head Coach Aliceann Wilber P’12 and Evie Manning '18 cut the ribbon on the newly constructed Carver-DeLaney Family Press Box at the John H. Cozzens Jr.’41 Memorial Field.

New Tennis Center This fall, Hobart and William Smith dedicated the newly renovated HWS Tennis Center, which features a refinished playing surface for the eight-court facility.

The showpiece of the new tennis center is the Morrow Championship Court, named in honor of Trustee Allison Morrow ’76, a former Heron tennis player. The Colleges also dedicated the Melly Court in honor of Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees L. Thomas Melly ’52 L.H.D. ’02 and Judith H. Melly L.H.D. ’16, and the Hebard Court in honor of Edgar B. Hebard ’60.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony acknowledged all those who made the renovations possible, including Morrow, the Melly family and Hebard, as well as James and Bernadette Atwater P’19, Bess Brodsky Goldstein ’80, Karen Carpenter Gray ’88, P ’19, Mark S. Gray ’86, P’19, D. Hunt Hendrickson ’68, Sara Karlen Lacombe ’89 and the William Smith Classes of 1975-82.

For Harry Nichols ’18, captain of the Statesmen tennis team, “these new courts are the physical manifestation of the Colleges’ commitment to scholar-athletes,” which, for Taylor Ferrari ’18, captain of the Herons tennis team, is an incentive “to play better and reach our full potential.”

William Smith tennis and Hobart tennis at the dedication of the newly renovated HWS Tennis Center which includes the Morrow Championship Court, gift of Trustee Allison Morrow ’76.

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CAMPUS NEWS

ca. 1913 Inauguration Celebration

Williams Hall, then the gymnasium of Hobart College, was trimmed with fanfare for the

luncheon that followed President Lyman P. Powell’s inauguration. Hosting leaders in higher

education from across the country and citizens of Geneva, Hobart and William Smith students sang their alma maters from the balconies and alums delivered remarks reflecting on the past and future of the Colleges. Williams Hall was cleared the next day for a dance, which concluded the two days of inauguration festivities.

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As a proud alumnus, I know firsthand the transformative power of an HWS education.

– President Gregory J. Vincent ’83

A Statesman Returns

“H

obart and William Smith have a history of taking chances and being bold,” said President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 as he addressed the crowd gathered in Trinity Church for his Inauguration. “We have a strong history of being gutsy, of graduating men and women who go on to do bold and big things. Of taking action that is ahead of the times. Of punching above our weight class to succeed in the face of formidable odds. It is this bold environment that shaped me. This bold place – Hobart and William Smith – inspires us to lead lives of consequence.”

The 27th president of Hobart College and the 16th of William Smith College, Vincent – a Hobart alumnus – was officially inaugurated on Oct. 27, 2017, surrounded by faculty, staff, students, trustees, alums, government officials and community members. A national expert on civil rights, social justice and campus culture, Vincent previously served at The University of Texas at Austin as Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement, W.K. Kellogg Professor of Community College Leadership and Professor of Law. “There is no one better to help us navigate the future than Greg Vincent,” said Chair of the Board of Trustees Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68 during his Inauguration welcome address. “In the short time he has been here, Greg has set forth aggressive plans for, among other things, student access and student success, community engagement and our financial strength. Greg has a bold vision that will take these, our beloved Colleges, to new heights.”

Vincent’s appointment, announced in April 2017, was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees following the Presidential Search Committee’s recommendation.

“I am deeply honored to serve as the president of Hobart and William Smith,” says Vincent. “As a proud alumnus, I know firsthand the transformative power of an HWS education. I am excited to continue the momentum the Colleges are experiencing and to advance our mission. Hobart and William Smith laid the intellectual foundation for my own life of consequence, and I intend to continue to make that a reality for future generations of HWS students.”

During his Inaugural Address, Vincent outlined four strategies that, “…will give us the additional resources and motivation necessary to take our place among the best colleges in the country. First, we must ensure that the student experience is multifaceted, relevant and comprehensive. Second, we must deepen engagement within and among key constituent groups, ensuring that all members of the broad HWS community and beyond understand, experience and can leverage the return on investment of a Hobart and William Smith education.

Third, we must be market smart and mission driven, realigning our budget and securing additional funding to support innovation and excellence, allowing us to

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CAMPUS NEWS PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 in The Thomas Poole Family Admissions Center.

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1

There is no one better to help us navigate the future than Greg Vincent.

– Chair of the Board of Trustees Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68

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dominate the liberal arts market. And fourth, we must claim inclusive excellence and diversity as a key strategic priority because as we know, diverse institutions are strong institutions.”

Vincent attended public schools in New York City where he graduated from the Bronx High School of Science. A Statesman on both the Hobart basketball and cross-country teams, he majored in history and economics at Hobart, served as a resident advisor and was presented the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award at graduation. He earned a law degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.

Vincent’s extensive career is distinguished by his commitment to equity and justice, both in education and in the wider public arena. He joined UT-Austin in 2005 and presided over the University’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, now regarded as a national model. Under Vincent’s leadership, the division grew to encompass a $50 million budget with more than 400 employees and 50 units, as well as 400 local and regional partners, who connect the university’s resources to communities across the state, particularly those facing significant challenges in accessing education.

At UT, Vincent was the principal investigator of four nationally competitive grants and directed the thematic faculty initiative that resulted in more than 60 faculty hires. He also successfully raised significant funding for student scholarships, priority initiatives and the permanent home for the UT charter school system and community engagement center. In 2016, Vincent served as university spokesperson in the case of Fisher v. University of Texas, in which the United States Supreme Court ruled to uphold the use of affirmative action in higher education.

“He believes we must rise up and graduate generations who will move this country and world beyond individualized and tribalized groupings of unenlightened self-interest to a shared sense of and commitment to the common

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1 National Public Radio’s Evan Dawson interviews President Vincent in the Colleges’ studio. 2 President Vincent is greeted by students in front of Coxe Hall on his first day in office.

3 First-year students spend time with President Vincent and his dog Scout during Orientation’s “Paws for a Break” event. 4 President Vincent visits with students during Orientation.

5 President Vincent and his wife Kim Wilson Vincent HON ’21 cut the ceremonial ribbon at the opening of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center. (more on page 99) 6 President Vincent speaks with Professor of Environmental Studies John Halfman and summer research students. 7 President Vincent and Lucile Mallard L.H.D.’15, President of the Geneva NAACP chapter (left) speak with Niame Traore ’18 (right) and first-year students during Orientation Day of Service.

8 President Vincent and his son Cameron (front left) celebrate with the brothers of Chi Phi Fraternity, winners of this year’s Fall Nationals during Homecoming and Family Weekend.

CAMPUS NEWS

good and welfare of the entire human family, and the very creation itself,” says the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry ’75, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and the first African-American to hold the Church’s top office. “The appointment of President Vincent is a sure and certain step toward ensuring the place of the Colleges in making a transforming difference in the lives of its students and, through them, in nothing less than the future of the human community.”

Under Vincent’s leadership, UT-Austin was recognized with the INSIGHT into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award annually since 2012, and in 2016 was named an INSIGHT into Diversity Champion. The division and UT were named to the 2015 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction in Education and Interfaith Community Service, and the Carnegie Foundation’s 2015 Community Engagement Classification.

As Ohio’s assistant attorney general in the early 1990s, Vincent successfully argued several major civil rights cases before that state’s Supreme Court. He was promoted to director for regional and legal affairs at the Ohio Civil Rights Commission in Cleveland and later served as vice president and lead counsel for Bank One.

His return to education began with an appointment as assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was then named vice provost for academic affairs and campus diversity and law professor at Louisiana State University, and then vice provost for institutional equity and diversity and law professor at the University of Oregon.

“I believe that Dr. Vincent is uniquely qualified to lead the Colleges forward,” says former Trustee Carolyn Carr McGuire ’78, who served on the Presidential Search Committee. “In addition to his impressive credentials, expertise and relevant experience, he has great respect for the history and traditions of the Colleges and a commitment to contemporize the values that have come to define this highly regarded institution and our unique community. I’m confident that

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I believe that Dr. Vincent is uniquely qualified to lead the Colleges forward.”

– Carolyn Carr McGuire ’78

Dr. Vincent will continue to elevate the well-regarded position of HWS and our relevance in the changing landscape of higher education.”

As a scholar and author, Vincent investigates the intersection of education and diversity. He is the coeditor of As We Saw It: The Story of Integration at the University of Texas at Austin, which was published in 2017. He has published chapters in books on diversity and leadership in the academy, while his analysis has appeared in The Huffington Post and his scholarship in the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Communiqué and other journals.

Vincent has served as board chair for many nonprofit and community organizations including the Austin Area Urban League and Communities in Schools, and is former senior warden of St. James’ Episcopal Church. He recently completed a term as chair and president of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and was then elected to its executive board.

Vincent is a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (The Boulé) where he serves as the Grand Sire Archon-Elect (President-Elect). The nation’s first black Greekletter fraternity, Sigma Pi Phi has more than 5,000 members, including some of the most accomplished and influential leaders around the world committed to civic responsibility and mentorship.

Vincent is also a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-Americans, and serves as national chair of the fraternity’s Commission on Racial Justice. Members of Alpha Phi Alpha, including The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, championed the Civil Rights Act and founded organizations like the NAACP and National Urban League. Today, Alpha Phi Alpha continues to develop leaders and promote equity.

At Hobart and William Smith, Vincent is a member of the Statesmen Athletic Association, the Heron Society, the Wheeler Society and the Emerson Society. In 2016, he gave the HWS Convocation Address.

“President Vincent impressed the entire search committee with his professionalism and character. His energy, transparency and dedication to helping the Colleges excel was evident throughout the search. I look forward to seeing his accomplishments in the coming years,” says Student Trustee Brianna Moore ’18.

For his service and community engagement, Vincent has received numerous awards and recognitions, notably the Educator of the Year Award from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, the Distinguished Service Award from the Commission on Access, Diversity and Excellence of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the Distinguished Service Award from the Moritz College of Law. The Austin NAACP and Austin Area Urban League presented Vincent with their highest honors, the DeWitty/Overton Freedom Award and the Whitney Young Legacy Award for committing himself “to raise awareness and educate the

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9 Members of the Public Leadership Education Network listen as Kim Wilson Vincent HON ’21 discusses her career in law. Vincent served as an attorney in private practice and a pro bono attorney in Austin, Texas. 10 During midterms and finals, President Vincent visited popular study spaces on campus to hand out pizza and cookies.

11 Kim Wilson Vincent HON ’21 and students decorate food drive collection bins at the President's House. 12 President Vincent speaks to the press on Capitol Hill after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the University of Texas in 2016.

Contributors to this story include Morgan Gilbard ’15, Andrew Wickenden ’09 and Catherine Williams.

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On the Steps of the Supreme Court Few make it to the U.S. Supreme Court, much less win. But President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 stood in the gilded chambers on June 23, 2016, after nearly a decade of litigation in one of the most significant higher education cases in recent history: Fisher v.

University of Texas. As the spokesperson for the University, Vincent played a major role in the case and had a front row seat when the Supreme Court ruled in the University’s favor, voting to uphold the use of affirmative action in higher education.

As he told the media on the steps of the Supreme Court after the ruling: “We believe the educational benefits of diversity directly and powerfully impact all of our students.” And Vincent was right. Since the early 1990s, dozens of studies have questioned and confirmed that diversity strengthens the performance of an entire student body. With its ruling, the Supreme Court upheld these findings, and the right of colleges and universities to maximize these benefits during holistic admission processes that consider diversity as one of many factors.

The University’s Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement, W.K. Kellogg Professor of Community College Leadership and Professor of Law, Vincent communicated academic research to the legal team and fostered an understanding of diversity’s educational benefits.

Despite the court’s ruling, the role of affirmative action in higher education is still under debate— a challenge that Vincent expected even on the day of victory.

“I think the one thing that we can do through education is help everyone understand that it’s in our collective interest to make sure that everyone has an opportunity,” Vincent reflected recently on a National Public Radio program. “I am ever an optimist. I always think our best days are ahead of us, but we still have significant challenges and also opportunities.”

CAMPUS NEWS

community on the importance of diversity and inclusion.” In recognition of his leadership, the City of Austin made June 13, 2017 Dr. Gregory J. Vincent Day. Vincent is married to Kim Wilson Vincent HON ’21, an attorney in private practice. Before moving to Geneva, Wilson Vincent served as a pro bono attorney and volunteer in Austin, Texas, where she donated generously of her time and resources as the former chancellor of the St. James’ Episcopal School, Parliamentarian of the Town Lake Chapter of the Links Inc. and Vice President for Development for Mexic-Arte Museum. She was a board member of the Capital Area AIDS Legal Project and volunteered at legal clinics serving AIDS Services of Austin clients where she provided assistance with everything from housing discrimination complaints to estate planning. Wilson Vincent was highly involved in court-appointed work, child protective services, mentoring young women and art education in the local public schools. During the summer of 2017, Texas Governor Greg Abbott commissioned Vincent as a Yellow Rose of Texas for her longstanding commitment to community service and, in her capacity as a lawyer, the pursuit of justice for children, women and indigent clients.

Greg and Kim’s adult children are graduates of Xavier/Louisiana State University, Spelman College and the University of Texas-Austin. They also have two children who attend Berklee College of Music and Morehouse College, as well as a child attending middle school in the Geneva City School District.

“President Vincent understands the power of a liberal arts education.

As a graduate of Hobart College, Greg knows the transformational power of HWS,” says Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies Tom Drennen who served on the search committee. “Throughout the presidential search process, he talked about the small classes, the sense of community and the members of the faculty who challenged him and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. And now, as our new President, Greg will inspire and challenge the next generation of HWS students.”

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P R E S I D E N T I A L I N AU G U R AT I O N

Chair of the Board of Trustees Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68 and President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 process into Trinity Church for the Inauguration.

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The inauguration occurred at Geneva’s Trinity Church, a local landmark with inextricable ties to the founding of Hobart and William Smith. The church’s namesake, Manhattan's Trinity Church where Right Rev. John Henry Hobart served as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, issued the grant that allowed Bishop Hobart to establish

Geneva College, which has grown and evolved into today’s Hobart and William Smith. The significance of Bishop Hobart’s legacy lies not only on campus and within the walls of Trinity Church, but in the civil rights movement.

Bishop Hobart consecrated one of the first African-American Episcopal congregations and ordained Peter Williams as the first African-American priest in New York. Father Williams was rector of St. Philip's Episcopal Church (Manhattan), a strong force in the movement to abolish slavery. That church later became home to W.E.B. DuBois, Langston Hughes, Thurgood Marshall and the future president of the Colleges, Gregory J. Vincent along with generations of his family.

Dr. Alger L. Adams ’32, D.D. ’83, the first African American man to graduate from Hobart; Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell 1849, the first woman to earn a medical doctorate; and others who embodied the innovative spirit of Bishop Hobart and William Smith.

“What do all these people have in common? Hobart and William Smith invested in each one of us, gave us opportunities to soar, and then rewarded us for daring to dream big and for making our dreams a reality,” Vincent said. “It is this bold environment that shaped me…And it all started with a grant from Trinity Church in Manhattan, a grant that has resulted in nearly 200 years of excellence.”

During his standing-room-only inaugural address, Vincent reflected on the history of the Colleges and alums like The Rev.

Above: Surrounded by faculty and members of the Board of Trustees – including Bozzuto and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Cynthia Gelsthorpe Fish ’82 – President Vincent receives a standing ovation following the investiture.

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CAMPUS NEWS

PHOTOS BY KEVIN COLTON AND ANDREW MARKHAM ’10

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resident Vincent’s Oct. 27, 2017 investiture as the 27th president of Hobart College and the 16th of William Smith College was met with a resounding standing ovation.

Guests and delegates from other colleges and universities across North America joined HWS faculty, staff and students, as well as alumni, alumnae and parents, President Emeritus Mark D. Gearan L.H.D. ’17, and many of the Colleges’ community partners in celebrating Vincent’s installation.

Full Circle

PRESIDENTIAL I N AU G U R AT I O N Student Trustee Tyler Fuller ’18 shares a passage from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Student Trustee Brianna Moore ’18 (left) later read a poem by Sara Teasdale.

President of the Hobart Alumni Association Frank V. Aloise Jr. ’87 and President of the William Smith Alumnae Association Jane M. Erickson ’07 offer their welcome to President Vincent on behalf of the more than 20,000 HWS graduates.

Board Chair Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68 and Vice Chair Cynthia Gelsthorpe Fish ’82 officially install President Vincent as the 27th president of Hobart College and the 16th president of William Smith College.

Attending the ceremony was Patricia Adams, the daughter of the Rev. Dr. Alger L. Adams ’32, D.D. ’83, the first African-American man to receive a degree from Hobart College.

Director of the HWS Gospel Choir Patrisha A. Blue ’77 sings a powerful rendition of “America the Beautiful.”

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The Colleges’ Cantori, led by Instructor of Music Yunn-Shan Ma, perform the Hobart and William Smith alma maters.

Julianne Miller, Hillel Advisor and Director of the Abbe Center for Jewish Life, delivers the Invocation with the Rev. D. Maurice Charles, Chaplain of the Colleges (not pictured).

Delivering a congratulatory toast at a reception following the Inauguration are the Co-Chairs of the Presidential Search Committee Trustee Thomas B. Poole ’61, P'91, L.H.D ’06 and Trustee Katherine D. Elliott ’66, L.H.D. ’08.

CAMPUS NEWS

Professor Emeritus of German and Former Dean of Hobart College Clarence E. Butler L.H.D. ’06 delivers the introduction address of President Vincent.

The Vincent family gathers at a reception following the Inauguration of President Vincent. Pictured are: (left to right, back row) nephew Justin Parker, cousin Virginia Marshall, sister Leslie Vincent, son Raymond Vincent, daughter Camille Vincent, son Shawn Vincent, daughter Ashleigh Vincent, son Gregory Vincent Jr. and son Cameron Vincent. Front row: President Vincent, father Cyril Vincent, mother Gloria Vincent and wife Kim Wilson Vincent HON’21.

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Alum A-Team

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With more than 50 HWS alums serving their alma maters as professors, coaches and program leaders, we asked some of these dedicated Statesmen and Herons what drives them, and what makes working at Hobart and William Smith more than just a 9 to 5. – Morgan

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Gilbard ’15

2) David Mapstone 1) Rose Cherubin ’93, P’21, Hobart ’15, Senior Dean of First-Year Assistant Director Students: “What is of Admissions most rewarding is and Multicultural being a part of the Recruiting: “I students’ journeys know that I have from when they first succeeded when step on campus and students tell me that are figuring out who my conversations they are, to when with them make they graduate and them excited for have developed college and their and blossomed future – something as students and many of them have citizens.” never felt before.”

3) Paul Ciaccia ’15, Social Media Coordinator: “I have an appreciation for the student experience at HWS and how much a student can evolve in just four years. There were people here who took the time to teach me, which is why I do the same.”

4) Kathy Killius Regan ’82, P’13, Associate Vice President, Alumnae Relations: “Being at a place and part of a place where women are naturally (as a result of the coordinate model) empowered – in the classroom, out of the classroom, on and off the field, court, etc. – has impacted who I am.”

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5) Jared Weeden ’91, Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations: “I have always been inspired by the mission of preparing students to become citizens who will contribute to their communities and to our world.

As a graduate, I take this mission personally.”

6) Scott Brophy ’78, P'12, Professor of Philosophy: “There are lots of ways that a liberal arts education can change your life.

It’s where you try your best to make the inside of your head a more interesting place to live.”

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7) Mike Hanna ’68, P'99, HON ’04, Director of Athletics: “I want our scholar-athletes to look back on their four years and think ‘look what I did’ or more importantly ‘look what we did – as a team.’ Not just in terms of athletic success, but – is the citizenship strong among my classmates?”

8) Susan Flanders 9) Kaylyn O’Brien Cushman ’98, ’12, Coordinator Director of of Leadership Introductory Programs: “Being Biology able to leverage Laboratories: my knowledge “My professors’ and experience as passion for learning, an alum to assist teaching and biology current students in was infectious. They making the most made me realize that of their time here the best gift I could is something I’m give is an education. especially thankful I wanted to give for.” back.”

10) Benjamin Foster ’95, Senior Director of Leadership Giving: “I’ve made friends with alums from different years, which is fun and rewarding. I know their families, their kids, their dogs.

It’s special.”

11) Chevy Graham DeVaney ’95, P’21, Associate Director of Annual Giving: “We’re standing on the shoulders of those who came before us and there’s a level of responsibility.

Am I doing all that I can to make someone’s life better?”

12) Sophie Dennis Riskie ’07, William Smith Assistant Field Hockey Coach: “The most rewarding part of what I do is helping to inspire young women to reach their potential in the classroom and on the field – striving to be the best athletes and people they can be. ”

Bottom Row (l-r) – Visiting Assistant Professor of Africana Studies James McCorkle ’76, Director of Hobart Athletics Mike Hanna ’68, P’99, HON ’04, William Smith Rowing Assistant Coach Elizabeth Hughes ’14, Director of Introductory Biology Laboratories Susan Flanders Cushman ’98 and Assistant Director of Admissions Christine Moloney ’17. Second Row – Senior Assistant Director of Admissions and Multicultural Recruitment Rose Cherubin ’15, Professor of Biology Sigrid Carle ’84, Associate Vice President for Advancement and Alumnae Relations Kathy Killius Regan ’82, P’13, Communications Coordinator Natalia St. Lawrence ’16, Director of Advancement Services Karen Ilacqua Reuscher ’88, P’17, Coordinator of Leadership Programs Kaylyn O’Brien ’12, Associate Director of Annual Giving Chevy Graham DeVaney ’95, P’21, Senior Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Large Format Schools William Warder ’96, Assistant Director of Admissions Maxwell Gorton ’16 and Assistant Director of Annual Giving Michael DeRosa ’16. Top Row – Senior Editor Morgan Gilbard ’15, Hobart Dean of First-Year Students David Mapstone ’93, P’21, Social Media Coordinator Paul Ciaccia ’15, Associate Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations Jared Weeden ’91, Residence Coordinator and Sustainability Coordinator Noah Lucas ’13, Professor of Philosophy Scott Brophy ’78, P’12, Associate Director of Admissions Luke Latella ’14, Writing and Teaching/Learning Specialist and Assistant Director of the First Year Seminar Program Susan Hess ’85, Assistant Director of Intercultural Affairs Darline Polanco Wattles ’09, President Gregory J. Vincent ’83, Senior Director of Leadership Giving Benjamin Foster ’95, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications Mackenzie Larsen ’12, Advancement Services Systems Analyst Jeff DeVaney ’93, P’21, Assistant Coach/Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development Sophie Dennis Riskie ’07, Associate Director of Admissions Suzanne Willard ’99, Vice President and General Counsel Louis H. Guard ’07 and Artistic Director Andrew Markham ’10.

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AHA The annual Perseids meteor shower on a starry night.

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s a civil rights attorney and Ohio’s assistant attorney general in the 1990s, President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 found himself in a connect-the-dots situation when a single glance changed the course of his life.

“But what I saw on her face, and I can still see it today, was the one thing that I could never repair: the harm to her dignity. And that was such a powerful, tragic moment,” Vincent says. “What drove me into higher education was the idea that instead of working to correct issues after the harm was done, I could instead be involved in addressing these issues in advance, educating students and helping to build a better society. I realized that my greatest impact wasn’t going to be in the courtroom; it was going to be in the classroom.”

That “aha” moment spurred a higher education career distinguished by a commitment to equity and justice, eventually leading him to the presidency of his alma mater.

In honor of President Vincent and his leadership of Hobart and William Smith, we reached out to alumni and alumnae to learn how their “aha” moments shaped their careers and lives. They are artists furthering our understanding of the world and innovators solving the world’s most pressing problems. They are individuals committed to their communities, industry giants and modern-day heroes. They are leading lives of consequence.

PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

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The “Aha” Moment

“We were working on a housing discrimination case in Cincinnati where a black woman had all of the necessary credentials, but she was denied housing expressly because she was black,” Vincent explains. They won the case and Vincent recalls handing her a check, expecting excitement.

"WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED HAS GOTTEN YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, BUT TO KEEP GOING, YOU HAVE TO KEEP LEARNING. BE CURIOUS. KEEP ASKING WHAT’S NEXT.” –­ Lavina Poorswani ’96, Senior Program Manager at Microsoft

PHOTO BY SCOTT EKLUND

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Lavina Poorswani ’96:

A View from the Cloud

For Poorswani and her fellow computer programmers and engineers the glamour of those early boom years of the dot-com industry was “unbelievable, like stepping into a life I’d never even dreamt of. The excitement was enough to carry you on a high.”

Poorswani entered Hobart and William Smith at the cusp of the Internet age, when “computer science was all too exciting and the Internet was so new it wasn’t even called the Internet.

Every problem was new,” she says. “You could do things on paper that you had to learn how to program on the computer — how to add, how to subtract. It was all about learning how to make the computer work for you.”

But the zeitgeist met reality in the spring of 2000. As Time magazine reported on the 15th anniversary of the dot-com bust, “stocks sunk.

Companies folded. Fortunes were lost, and the American economy started to slip down a slow mudslide that would end in a full-on recession…In less than a month, nearly a trillion dollars worth of stock value had completely evaporated.”

“I worked for a lot of startups that don’t exist anymore,” Poorswani recalls. “Everybody thought these companies were worth more than they were, and the market crashed and everything went under. Some were ahead of their time and people weren’t ready, but most were ideas with too much money behind them.”

It was during the economic upheaval of the early 2000s that Poorswani’s interest in this other side of the tech industry — how companies generate funding and go public, why

some succeed and some don’t — led her to the MBA program at Duke University.

“I didn’t understand the financial part of the industry,” she says, “and that’s one thing every STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] student should learn. When you’re dealing with technology, whether in the context of for-profit companies or social entrepreneurship, you need to understand some finance, accounting, business and ethics.”

After earning her MBA, Poorswani worked as an investment banker and then a digital strategy consultant, helping clients understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the newest technological wave at that time: mobile devices. In 2011, she joined Microsoft as senior finance manager, bringing her diverse experience and forward-looking perspective to bear in leading the company’s cloud finance strategy. Most recently, she returned to the engineering side of the tech industry as senior program manager, currently designing a new financial model for Microsoft’s cloud-based services.

Cloud computing — along with artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data analysis — is where to expect growth in the tech industry, Poorswani says, pointing to substantial (and sometimes staggering) investments in these areas among leading companies. She recognizes concerns over another tech bubble but says a repeat of the dot-com bust of the early 2000s isn’t likely.

In addition to sounder investment practices, she predicts that the growth of STEM jobs will necessitate collaboration and growth from a wide range of non-STEM fields.

“From finance to human resources to legal to ethics, the more advances we see in technology, the more we have to integrate these different areas,” she says. In the tech world, when everything is new and the only constant is change, “whatever you’re thinking of today is obsolete tomorrow. What you’ve learned has gotten you to where you are today, but to keep going, you have to keep learning. Be curious. Keep asking what’s next.” – By Andrew Wickenden ‘09

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The “Aha” Moment

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s a 24-year-old software engineer, Lavina Poorswani ’96 spent nearly a month preparing a product demo for marquee clients and investors at the largest information technology trade show in the world. The year was 1999; the place, Las Vegas. Between the hours of the trade show was nonstop networking, a series of parties, dinners, meetings, food and drink, cigars, and a 20-seat gold limousine that shuttled Poorswani and her colleagues between casinos, hotels, nightclubs and the local Kinkos.

moment: the buzz of the tech boom

moment: a toy stethoscope

Dr. Richard Goldberg ’68:

Brain Stuff ”WHAT YOU DO IS SOMEWHAT DETERMINED BY THE STORY AND TRAJECTORY OF YOUR LIFE.” – Dr. Richard Goldberg ’68, President of MedStar Medical Group

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ltimately, all mind stuff is brain stuff and all brain stuff gets translated into mind. What we really understand about brain functions, you can put on the head of a pin. Psychologically, people do various things with epiphanies. Some of them are opened new and afresh to the world. Some of them get frightened, scared, retreat and dig their heels into their lives as is. What you do is somewhat determined by the story and trajectory of your life.”

That’s how Dr. Richard Goldberg ’68 explains what happens when your brain is faced with lifechanging curveballs or fresh perspectives. For Goldberg, president of MedStar Medical Group and an esteemed psychiatrist, his “aha” moment began with a toy stethoscope and blood pressure machine at the age of 8. “I was just intrigued with the whole thing and it peaked my curiosity,” Goldberg says. “But probably behind that was the history of my father. He worked his way through college and got accepted to medical school, but then the Great Depression struck.” Medical school never came into fruition. “It was a big regret in his life. And not accidently, his two sons turned out to be doctors— not because he wanted us to fulfill his dreams, but because the esteem he held for doctors influenced us.” – By Morgan Gilbard ‘15

While at HWS, Goldberg was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa, Temple Club, as well as the concert and marching bands. Following his graduation from Hobart, he earned his medical degree from Georgetown University Medical Center and completed his residency there in psychiatry. He later served on the university’s faculty and president of the Georgetown University Hospital under the nonprofit medical group MedStar, before becoming president of MedStar in 2016.

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What do you believe are going to be the biggest health challenge in the next decade?

Protecting Public Health

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wenty-one years ago, Loren Cadena ’96 had a chance meeting with Dr. William Foege, the renowned American epidemiologist credited with creating the strategy that eradicated smallpox. It was a pivotal moment for Cadena, who had just applied to business school and was planning on a career in the corporate world after years of aiding nonprofits in the fight against HIV. But meeting Foege led her to an affirming realization: she was needed beyond the boardroom.

At Foege’s urging, Cadena continued her career in public health and since 2003, she has worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Today, she is deputy director for global health protection in their Central American regional office, charged with protecting public health and safety.

No two days are ever alike for Cadena, as she pivots from fighting infectious diseases such as Zika and Dengue in Guatemala City, where she is based, to sharing new therapies for lesser-known diseases like Leishmaniasis that plague the developing world. Whether sharing health data with local governments on tobacco use or conducting field research on rabies with bats, Cadena’s work impacts people and animals in eight countries in Central America and the Caribbean. – By Mary Van Keuren

Loren Cadena ’96, Deputy Director for Global Health Protection at the CDC

Q – A

What is the biggest challenge for you?

Meeting the demands of outbreaks, which happen in this region quite often, and doing this with less staff and less money. Public health isn’t a priority until there is an outbreak and people think death is imminent. Think Ebola.

What is the most important thing you learned at HWS? I learned many valuable lessons at HWS, but the most important one was that I have the tools to do anything. Having small classrooms and open discussions made me comfortable with speaking up and sharing my ideas.

And I thank Professor [Emeritus of Political Science Thomas] Millington for pushing me to study Latin American politics; it has come in handy, since culture, government and health all go hand-in-hand.

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I think it will be an outbreak of a re-emerging infection, something we used to vaccinate for and now don’t, like yellow fever; we have had several outbreaks in both Africa and South America and we have a shortage of the vaccine around the world. Pharmaceuticals don’t produce enough because we thought we wouldn’t have to deal with it again. An outbreak knows no borders; whether you are in New York City or a small village in Africa, an uncontained outbreak will reach across oceans without regard to geography or wealth. We also need to see how the warming of our climate relates to an increase in diseases. We will continue to see diseases in the developed world that we have not seen before.

What do you find most rewarding about the field of public health?

I love the work I do. We use science and research to help eradicate disease and improve the lives of those most affected by diseases, the vulnerable, children and the poor. I can actually see how important science is and how little we need to improve health and keep our population safe.

The “Aha” Moment

Loren Cadena ’96:

moment: a chance encounter

“IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN JUST ME, MOVING OVER WHATEVER LANDSCAPE I FACE. NO OXYGEN, NO PREPLACED ROPES, NO HIGH ALTITUDE PORTERS — JUST ME AND MY PARTNERS.”– Phil Powers ’83, CEO of American Alpine Club

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moment: a 75-foot fall Phil Powers ’83:

The Rest Step

“Climbing can be tiring and takes a long time, and if it’s a big mountain, every step adds up. Every step is important,” says Phil Powers ’83, who has been CEO of the American Alpine Club (AAC) since 2005.

Powers began climbing at an early age with a “fullbodied introduction to the sport” from mentors who conveyed “the value of being in the natural world and moving through the landscape.” He had the aptitude, the encouragement and the drive to become a seasoned climber and climbing instructor even before he graduated from Hobart. Since then, he has ascended some of the most treacherous routes of the tallest mountains in the world. He was part of the first ascents of both the Washburn Face of Denali in Alaska and the Western Edge of Lukpilla Brakk in Pakistan. In 1993, on his second attempt, he summited K2 — without supplemental oxygen.

At more than five miles above sea level, the air at the summit of K2 is dangerously thin, but Powers wanted “to meet the mountain on honest terms and climb in good style. If one of the main challenges of a mountain is its height and the resulting lack of air pressure, then breathing supplemental oxygen would be like using a ladder to skirt a difficult section of terrain. It has always been just me, moving over whatever landscape I face. No oxygen, no preplaced ropes, no high altitude porters — just me and my partners.”

Like the rest step, Powers’ approach to climbing is grounded in pace and process, and “getting things done appropriately before moving on to the next phase.” But despite preparation, technique and his “pretty risk averse and ultimately conservative” climbing philosophy, inherent dangers persist. Any combination of weather, fatigue, lapse of concentration and bad luck can spell disaster.

During a 2011 climb in Clear Creek Canyon in Colorado, a momentary miscommunication with his climbing partner led to a 75-foot fall that left Powers with a broken arm, ribs and vertebrae and severe damage to his internal organs. With “great care, great family and lot of support from the climbing community,” he made a miraculous recovery and is now “climbing like I used to, skiing like I used to.” But the accident at Clear Creek Canyon “was a wakeup call,” Powers says, “for me, my family and the community.”

“On a basic level, it was a reminder that fundamental communication skills are important,” he explains. “On a more formal scale the American Alpine Club has embarked on a large effort to improve safety across the country from a technique and consistency perspective, so that people in New Hampshire and California are teaching the same thing the same way so idiosyncrasies don’t support inconsistency.”

Today, the AAC is working with the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation and U.S.-based institutions to establish a national climbing education curriculum and safety standards to improve knowledge and reduce accidents. The AAC’s education program is grounded not only in the mechanics of climbing but in the governing principles behind those mechanics.

“Even though our program is in its infancy, I think it’s caused people to be better mentors, to be better involved. The conversation it has initiated is extremely healthy,” says Powers.

The process of revamping the AAC’s educational programming will unfold over the course of the next several years, during which Powers is determined to maintain a strong, measured pace, pausing to plan before taking the next step. – By Andrew Wickenden ’09

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The “Aha” Moment

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s mountaineers make their ascent, they pause almost imperceptibly after each stride, locking out the downhill leg at the knee, so their weight rests on the skeleton and gives the muscles a break. This “rest step,” as it’s known, is a small but important way to conserve energy and maintain focus in a demanding sport in which participants contend with everything from snowstorms and avalanches, to food shortages and altitude-related illnesses — not to mention the constant hazard of gravity.

“THERE’S THE ACADEMIC PART OF MUSEUM AND CURATORIAL WORK, BUT THE CORE OF WHAT I DO IS ABOUT MAKING ART PART OF THE PUBLIC DIALOGUE.”– Christina De León’s ’05,

Associate Curator of Latino Design at Cooper Hewitt

PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

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moment: study abroad in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Christina De León ’05:

A Curator’s Climb

De León now spends her days as the associate curator of Latino design at New York City's Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design. Described by art’s most influential as “an exciting, new curatorial voice,” De León is the first to hold the role dedicated to fostering an appreciation of Latino culture and its influence throughout the globe.

It’s a mission that consumes De León, who is most captivated by the artists and designers overlooked on the world stage like the women of Latin America. “It’s important to consider the influential role of women in history – not only as artists, designers and architects – but as arbiters of taste who helped shape ideas of what it meant to be modern. Women were very much at the core of it all historically because the home was where new and modern design concepts were tested and explored,” explains De León.

Currently completing her Ph.D. at the Bard Graduate Center, De León began her career as an education assistant at The Met Cloisters after connecting with Dianne Doctor ’78 at a fateful William Smith Founder’s Day Dinner. Doctor, taking an interest in De León’s passion for the field, connected De León with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she worked as an education assistant and curatorial assistant for five years.

“My career is the result of a great deal of luck, chance encounters, and people championing on my behalf. But there was also a lot of blood, sweat and tears and killing myself, because it is impossible to move forward without putting in the hard work,” De León says.

While planning the museum’s next exhibition, De León finds herself thinking of how art and design can make an impact. In that way, little has changed since Sao Paulo. “This is such a privileged position – to work in a museum or any kind of cultural institution where you’re trying to engage the public in cultural deduction – in art and history – to get them excited about it, to get them to explore, to learn new things,” De León says. “There’s the academic part of museum and curatorial work, but the core of what I do is about making art part of the public dialogue.”

– By Morgan Gilbard ‘15

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The “Aha” Moment

C

hristina De León’s ’05 “aha” moment happened in Sao Paulo, Brazil. While studying abroad her junior year and visiting with a youth arts organization, she recalls, “…spending the afternoon and being so moved by how music and art had changed all of these people’s lives. I remember thinking to myself, ‘You have to focus more on art.’ It may sound a bit cliché, but it was a moment that pushed me to think about my future career plans seriously.”

Mike Stevens ’84, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the New York Giants PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

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moment: a candid question Mike Stevens ’84:

The Giant of the Giants

T

he office of Mike Stevens ’84, the senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the New York Giants, is just steps away from the stadium that welcomes 1.3 million football fans each season and captivates more than 20 million across the world each time the Giants step on the turf. At the helm of everything from sales and social media to advertising, Stevens has spent the past 11 years writing the marketing playbook for one of the oldest teams in the NFL. – By Mackenzie Larsen ‘12

Honestly, it was not by design. I knew nothing about the business of sports when I graduated, but I had a general sense that I wanted to explore the field of communications. One interviewer said to me, “Don’t tell me what you think I want to hear. Tell me what your dream job would be.” Nobody had ever asked me that question before and the thought never occurred to me. For some unknown reason, I answered “sports” and that person referred me to people in the field.

What has made an impact on you?

I look back at the highs and lows of my undergraduate experience and the perseverance required to succeed over those four years and it feels very similar to the ups and downs of my career, but over a longer time horizon. My most memorable experience at the Colleges was being a Student Trustee and gaining insight on how the school operated and the interplay between the school administrators and the Board members. I will never forget, Mr. [William] Van Arsdale [P’83, P’85], the Colleges CFO, saying to me, “Hey, Stevens. I can tell you get how this whole thing works.” That comment from a person I respected and admired meant a lot to me.

What makes you excited to go to work in the morning?

People always ask me what high-profile players or coaches are like, and although there are many great players and coaches I admire and appreciate, my greatest enjoyment are fans and their stories, celebrations, rituals and their sense of community. Fan passion is easily visible on social media, but the most fun and inspiring time for me is walking the parking lots before a home game and witnessing the spectacle that is tailgating. Giants decals and paint schemes adorn all sorts of vehicles; there are hundreds of Giants tents and 80,000-plus people wearing Giants apparel tailgating for hours before kick-off. Friends and families cherish this time together and the energy of the celebration is incredibly tangible.

Playing a small part in providing people with enjoyment is truly one of the best aspects of my job.

What have been your favorite moments as a member of the Giants team?

I have been incredibly lucky to celebrate two Super Bowl wins with my wife, Leila Garrett-Stevens ’86, and our sons, Will and Owen. I think the last airplane trip my parents took was our charter to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis. Experiencing Super Bowl XLII and XLVI moments with my family was priceless. When we returned home after each win, participating in the parade with the team down the Canyon of Heroes in New York City with more than two million people was exhilarating and amazing.

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“DON’T TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK I WANT TO HEAR. TELL ME WHAT YOUR DREAM JOB WOULD BE.”

The “Aha” Moment

You’ve had a distinguished career in sports marketing at the Washington Redskins, the NBA and now the Giants. What inspired you to pursue a career in sports marketing?

moment: a sibling’s services in the Navy

“I DIDN’T WANT TO SIT BEHIND A DESK ANYMORE, AND I REALLY WANTED TO BE OUT THERE HELPING PEOPLE.”

How did you first get interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter?

I joined a junior firefighter and EMT program in high school, and then I joined our local fire company, Berwyn Fire Company, as a junior firefighter when I was 16-years-old. My brother was in the Navy and I felt compelled to do some type of service, but I ended up falling in love with it.

What inspired you to make a career change?

– Mary Ellen Toscani ’11, Director of Fire Department Relations at The First Twenty

In 2014, I was working at my first “real” job for Harmelin Media in Philadelphia. It was a great job and I really loved it, but it wasn’t completely fulfilling for me. I was volunteering with The First Twenty and still volunteer firefighting, but I had an urge to go out and still help people. Media and media buying is great, but I began realizing that it might not be the right place for me.

Mary Ellen Toscani ’11:

Saving Firefighters

W

ith 45 pounds of gear on her back, Mary Ellen Toscani ’11 likes to “get out there and get dirty helping people.” She’s been charging into scorched buildings as a volunteer firefighter since she was 16 and now she’s fighting the most dangerous threat firefighters face: their own health.

“We really wanted to create a program that helps firefighters create good physical fitness habits, good nutrition habits and good mental wellness habits,” says Toscani, the director of fire department relations at The First Twenty, a Philadelphia nonprofit that works with fire departments to fulfill the unmet health needs of service members across the nation. “The program keeps them well-rounded and performing at their highest level, but also keeps them safe.”

Since taking on her role in 2014, Toscani has secured key funding from FEMA and Under Armour while developing and managing resources to help 16,000 firefighters “from the neck up and the neck down.” Toscani develops and oversees programs designed to help firefighters address challenges with mental health, weight loss, strength and stamina training, and nutrition that could otherwise impact their ability to safely execute their rescue missions. – By Avery Share ’15

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I got to a point where I didn’t want to sit behind a desk anymore, and I really wanted to be out there helping people. I was able to turn the First Twenty into a full-time job and I’m really thankful for that.

How did your experience at HWS influence your career path?

The staff at the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education pushed me to go out and get an internship every summer. It was a great way for me to figure out what I liked and what I didn’t like, so when I got out of college I had a direction and it was just a matter of finding the right fit for me.

HWS also definitely gave me the skills to present a good resume, to write well, to have an open mind and to tackle problems in the right way.

It gave me direction and the skills to figure out where I was headed.

The firefighter part mixed in with everything I learned at HWS, helping me excel in my line of work right now.

moment: TV still matters

New Media and Marketing at Viacom

W

ith the fast-evolving digital, social and mobile media landscape, the opportunities are abundant for entertainment companies to venture into uncharted territory. Karim Mawji ’92, a senior vice president at the media giant Viacom, says that identifying those opportunities “is the tough part” — but also the fun part of his job. “What keeps it interesting,” he says, “is that you are constantly forced to change with the times.”

“When I got into the business, it was very simple,” says Mawji, who worked his way up through the ranks of the media industry during the 1990s and 2000s. “Years ago, it was easy to reach your audience: people watched TV at home. Now people consume content all the time on various mobile devices. It’s gotten a lot more complicated.”

The digital revolution of the past 20 years — with its attendant mobile technologies, ad-block software and audiences “cutting the cord” in favor of streaming services — amounts to a sea change for the entertainment industry, especially where advertising is concerned. During that time, Mawji built a wealth of experience in sales and advertising at TeleVest, ESPN, NetZero and Nickelodeon.

Now at Viacom, he oversees Marketing and Partner Solutions on the West Coast for all of the company’s brands, including Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central. From that vantage, he has discovered that while audiences aren’t sitting through commercials like they used to, “content is still king.”

And because “our content and brands live everywhere,” he explains, hyper-targeted ads can reach the right viewer, in the right place, at the right time. As a result, Viacom’s advertising partners are connecting with the audience of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, for instance, not only during the program’s airtime but through the Comedy Central app, on social media, at award shows and

wherever viewers are watching content on the go.

“The delivery mechanisms have changed and there are more ways to consume content on more devices, but at the end of the day, the great content will rise,” he explains. “For our partners, it’s still about connecting with audiences and getting messaging across in a meaningful way.”

“WHAT KEEPS IT INTERESTING IS THAT YOU ARE CONSTANTLY FORCED TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.”– Karim Mawji ’92,

Accordingly, he and his Senior Vice President at Viacom team are innovating and adapting, using apps like SnapChat and collaborating with competitors like Amazon to complement the reliable stalwart that is television advertising. Despite the evolving digital revolution, “TV is still the No. 1 medium,” Mawji says, connecting more memorably with more audiences.

Sitting with his 11-year-old daughter in front of the television, he notices that as she watches her recorded programs, although she has the option to fast-forward through all of the commercials, she doesn’t. Why not?

“She has favorites,” Mawji says. – By Andrew Wickenden ’09

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The “Aha” Moment

Karim Mawji ’92:

“THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF WHAT I DO AND WHAT I’VE BEEN STRIVING TO DO HAVE BEEN TO REFINE THE TRADE OF COOKING IN A WAY THAT REMAINS NOURISHING — TO MYSELF, MY TEAM AND THE PEOPLE WHO ENJOY THE FOOD.” – Eric Korsh ’98, Executive Chef at North End Grill

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moments: great food defies any trend

Chef Eric Korsh ‘98:

Behind the Menu

If Korsh’s name sounds familiar, it should. He’s the kind of chef praised in the pages of Bloomberg and The New York Times, collecting fans from coast-tocoast since he was named a rising star in San Francisco in 2009. At North End, he’s teamed up with famed restraunteur Danny Meyer, the founder of Shake Shack and ventures throughout Manhattan, an experience that Korsh says has been the most formative and rewarding of his career.

“It’s important to surround yourself with people who are not inspired by trends, because the people who are all about trends are usually a few steps behind what actually is going to happen,” Korsh says. “Simply great food defies any trend.”

When Korsh is developing items for his French-inspired menu, he finds inspiration in old cookbooks and conversations with those outside the food scene. His career is built on having “aha” moments. “People who have a strong interest in food, who also have years and years of life experience – that makes up a person who I’m really interested to talk to. There’s a direct correlation between how rich someone’s experiences are and their appreciation of good food. And I don’t mean fine dining. I mean good food; it can be your grandmother’s food.”

Korsh shares his craft from a chrome kitchen in Battery Park, but he remembers another: the dining room formerly in the basement of Comstock Hall. “Do they still have that up there? I spent many days and nights in there cooking.” – By Morgan Gilbard ‘15

PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

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The “Aha” Moment

C

ompiling rich flavors is as natural as breathing for executive chef Eric Korsh ’98, who has spent the majority of his life in the kitchen behind the menu. The culinary connoisseur of New York City’s North End Grill, Korsh stepped into his first professional kitchen at just 15 while growing up on Long Island and hasn’t looked back. “I was always kind of searching for the next thing that was going to leave me inspired,” says Korsh, who entered Manhattan’s fine dining scene shortly after graduating from Hobart. “The nuts and bolts of what I do and what I’ve been striving to do have been to refine the trade of cooking in a way that remains nourishing— to myself, my team and the people who enjoy the food.”

moment: the power of community

Karen George ’09:

Building Up

“I

arrived at the end of a wooded dirt road somewhere in the mountains of North Carolina when I was 25. I saved up all my money for a year, moved into my car and quit my jobs. Now here I was: at the literal end of the road. I was to spend the next four months at a Women’s Natural Building Apprenticeship with nine other women hailing from Texas to Vermont. I had never built anything before. I didn’t even know if I liked to build. Being a child of the 90s, my only experience of “being handy” was helping my mother wallpaper or hang another set of floral patterned curtains.

“HAVING FAITH IN MY COMMUNITY AND MYSELF IS WHAT TRULY CHANGED MY LIFE.” – Karen George ’09, Founder of Build Like a Bird Natural Building

What I did know was my life wasn’t fulfilling and this was my attempt at finding purpose. That summer the women and I built a small timber framed cottage out of straw and clay. It had walls made of natural plaster and a sweet little slate roof. We grew in our skills and our confidence.

We built each other up. I learned the importance of sitting by a lake and watching the moonrise. I learned to be a good member of a community.

That summer I learned to just be.

As the apprenticeship came to a close, I had no idea what I was going to do. I didn’t have a home or a job. I knew I wasn’t going back to my old life. There was nothing there for me. So in comes my first true act of faith.

Having faith in my community and myself is what truly changed my life.

Historically, I was a meticulous planner and this time I didn’t plan anything. Instead I just reached out into the world and said, “What’s next?” The world answered with two months of building with cob in Tennessee, two months building and teaching in Nicaragua, a month building in Costa Rica, etc. etc. Today, I still follow that thread.

I began my business, Build Like a Bird, while living in a hostel in Nicaragua. I’ve spent the last five years traveling from Utah to New York, teaching workshops and building interesting things (tiny houses, earthen ovens and even wood fired hot tubs).

Through it all, it was never the building driving me. What drives me are the people coming together, learning with and from each other, being empowered and having a good time doing it. That sounds a lot like what HWS was for me and probably many people. We as humans crave community, encouragement, support and fun. That shouldn’t end when we leave school and head into “the real world.” My real world continues to support and encourage me. We need each other to reach our potential.

We are here to lift each other up. It is our responsibility. ” This piece is written by Karen George ’09, the founder of Build Like a Bird Natural Building. While working on everything from wood fired hot tubs to children’s playsets, she leads workshops in sustainable construction across the country. Her work was recently featured in WNC Woman, a magazine based in her home of Asheville, N.C. Graduating from William Smith summa cum laude, George majored in dance and psychology.

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PHOTO BY THE MCDOWELL PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT

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moment: a semester in London

John Sipher ’83, P’19:

Tinker, Tailor, Statesman, Spy

J

ohn Sipher ’83, P’19 joined the CIA during the final years of the Cold War. He was stationed in Moscow during the 1990s, served as Deputy of the CIA’s worldwide Russia program for three years and has experienced firsthand the Russian intelligence tactics that persist today in sowing distrust, mayhem and violence.

Sipher, who retired in 2014 with the Agency’s Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, recently described in the New York Times the nature of Moscow’s covert operations: “or as the Russians would call them, ‘active measures’.”

And based on his experience, Sipher is “100% confident” that Russia took such active measures to influence the 2016 U.S. election.

“Russia has been using all its available tools to attack us and do damage to the U.S. and our allies,” he says. “While it is sometimes hard to put together, these attacks are very real and doing damage to our society. It is not ‘fake news.’”

Russian aggression, which ebbed slightly after the Cold War and has steadily escalated since the late 2000s, is just one of many geopolitical threats the U.S. faces. “We are the main power propping up the global economic order, and have alliances in every part of the world,” Sipher says. “We cannot succeed if we cannot manage relationships and threats related to cyber-attacks, proliferation, terrorism, the growth of China, Russia and numerous regional issues.”

To combat such threats, the CIA employs “several distinct tribes with distinct skills,” says Sipher, who was a high-ranking member of the Clandestine Service, the “tribe” of operatives in the field “who learn languages, live overseas and recruit and meet foreign spies to collect information for the president and senior policy-makers.” The tribe of analysts synthesizes information from all parts of the U.S. government, including the material appropriated by the Clandestine Service, while the Directorate of Science and Technology handles “all sorts of fancy, secret programs that utilize technology, and collect information that cannot be gained

by any other means,” Sipher explains.

During his years as a spy, Sipher lived throughout Europe, the Balkans, South Asia and Southeast Asia rendezvousing with agents and assets “in dark alleys and apartments around the world,” constantly steeped “in the critical issues of the day,” always eager for “the opportunity to make a difference.”

That eagerness to make a difference was stoked during Sipher’s semester abroad in London as an HWS student, which was “without a doubt the biggest influence on my interest in working overseas,” he says. When he returned to the Colleges the following semester, he says he “re-dedicated myself to my studies and took advantage of the great professors.”

After graduation, Sipher earned a master’s

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in international affairs at Columbia University before beginning his career in the intelligence sector.

“The application and hiring process at CIA has always been an intense one,” he recalls, from the “typical reams of application paperwork, interviews and recommendations,” to the psychological screening, background investigation and polygraph test.

In short, the process “is no fun,” Sipher says, but “the Agency does a pretty good job of looking at the whole person and ensuring that they are hiring smart, thoughtful and honest people who take their obligation seriously and operate in a way that would make most Americans proud.”

As the CIA carries out its missions in a “hypercharged political environment,” Sipher emphasizes the nonpartisan nature of the Agency and other U.S. intelligence services. “We work for every Administration and provide information to help whoever is in the White House,” he says.

“Sometimes pundits or politicians say things to suggest that the CIA supports one side or the other in the political process. Those thousands of people who go to work every day take an oath to the Constitution, and do not work in support of any particular party.”

With that sense of duty and dedication to serving his country, Sipher — “even in my small way,” he says modestly — “was able to provide information to Presidents that both changed and reinforced policy, helped to destroy terrorist networks, caught spies within our government and helped to bring an end to the Cold War.”​ – By Andrew Wickenden ’09

The “Aha” Moment

... RENDEZVOUSING WITH AGENTS AND ASSETS “IN DARK ALLEYS AND APARTMENTS AROUND THE WORLD,” CONSTANTLY STEEPED “IN THE CRITICAL ISSUES OF THE DAY,” ALWAYS EAGER FOR “THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.” – John Sipher ’83, P’19, Former CIA Officer

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moment: a 1981 Supreme Court decision

Stephanie Seidman ’71:

The Attorney from the Lab

I

n the twilight of second-wave feminism, Stephanie Seidman ’71 often found herself alone in chemistry labs. Alone, that is, among the men that filled the rooms of her education and early career. “It didn’t really sink in that I was the only one. Looking back, I can see it, but it wasn’t something that affected me at the time,” says Seidman, now a bio-pharma patent attorney and partner at Dentons in San Diego, Calif. “It was not a hospitable environment in chemistry for women.”

There was a new barrier for each that Seidman surmounted. After earning her Ph.D. in molecular biology and biochemistry from Indiana University and serving as a research fellow at the National Institute of Health, she found that research positions were vastly limited. If Seidman wanted to make an impact, she would have to create her own opportunities. “A friend of mine had read an article about patent law, and learned that because of a 1981 landmark Supreme Court decision that organisms could be patentable, molecular biologists soon would be in demand as patent attorneys. So I went to law school.”

Seidman identifies as a scientist who practices law rather than an attorney who thinks about science. A leader in her field, she directs a team of doctorates, lawyers and paralegals in biotechnology and

pharmaceutical innovation, most of whom are women. Throughout her career, she has developed and prosecuted hundreds of pharmaceutical, biotechnical and chemical patents— helping protect intellectual property and move the needle forward on healthcare. She’s continually recognized as one of the strongest legal minds in biotechnology, making The Best Lawyers in America List annually since 2010.

“Protecting inventors’ intellectual property, such as patents, copyrights and trademarks, and navigating the long and expensive course leading to the issuance of a U.S. patent takes an individual who possesses the rare combination of professional training as a scientist and as an attorney. It takes someone like Dr. Stephanie Seidman,” wrote the San Diego Source in 2012.

Seidman’s career has been so expansive that she does not find more pride in one drug or treatment over another. “I work with companies when they first start out and stick with them as they develop and mature, and develop an intellectual property portfolio. The time for development of a drug from start-up to market takes many years. There is satisfaction in working with founders and seeing a company mature and ultimately have a drug hit the market.”

– By Morgan Gilbard ’15

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“THERE IS SATISFACTION IN WORKING WITH FOUNDERS AND SEEING A COMPANY MATURE AND ULTIMATELY HAVE A DRUG HIT THE MARKET.”

The “Aha” Moment

– Stephanie Seidman ’71, Patent Attorney and Partner at Dentons

PHOTO BY MICKEY STRIDER

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moment: racing through Kenya Trustee Christopher S. Welles ’84, P’12, P’15:

Where the Savannah Ends

I

t began as a family vacation, but in the decade since, a “life-changing” trip to Kenya has snowballed into an urgent call to action for HWS Trustee Chris Welles ’84, P’12, P’15.

Equipped with only a map of Kenya and GPS coordinates, Welles and his family had 10 hours to hit 13 checkpoints in the shortest distance possible, all while negotiating dense thorny brush and nearly vertical rocky slopes, navigating dry and not-so-dry riverbeds as well as the occasional elephant herd, and racing other teams angling for victory. They were competing in the Rhino Charge, an off-road motorsport race that supports wildlife conservation efforts in the region.

Since their first year participating, Welles and his family have competed in the Rhino Charge five times, raising more than $200,000 for Rhino Ark and, in the process, devising a way to magnify Kenya’s rhino conservation efforts. In 2015, Welles’ son Wyatt developed an eye-catching logo — a rhino silhouette emblazoned with the American flag — to put on stickers and hats as thank-you gifts for the team’s sponsors. With positive feedback from sponsors, a growing affection for Kenya and an abiding concern for the threatened rhinos, Welles developed the concept for American Rhino, an apparel company with a mission “to preserve African wildlife by funding the most effective local wildlife conservation organizations in Africa.”

At the time, Welles had been running Twin Oaks Partners, a boutique executive search firm (named for the favorite haunt of generations of HWS students) that Welles had founded in the early 2000s. “It was a good job,” he says, “but when I had the opportunity to go to Africa, and then to go

back for the Rhino Charge, it dawned on me that I could make a difference.”

Welles left Twin Oaks Partners and began traveling regularly to Kenya. He met with local residents, business owners and international wildlife advocacy groups to build connections for the company and its charitable arm, the American Rhino Foundation, which collects 10 percent of each sale to fund conservation initiatives.

“If we’re going to promote conservation, and we have the ability to manufacture in Kenya and employ Kenyans, we need to do everything we can,” Welles says of the company’s Kenyan products. “Poachers are out there trying to kill rhinos and chop off their horns to sell them on the black market. If someone comes and waves a bunch of money, saying ‘lead me to the rhinos,’ it’s hard to say no.”

Since Welles launched American Rhino one year ago, the company has established brick-and-mortar locations in Lynnfield, Mass., and in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood.

The company’s expansion coincides with a growing presence in Kenya, as American Rhino supports education programs on conservation and tools to help protection efforts on the ground. The foundation recently issued a $10,000 grant to a local school and provided uniforms and proper gear for rangers at Massai Mara National Reserve. “These are the guys out there in the line of fire. They spend nights out there in the bush, protecting animals from poachers. They’re shot at, wounded, and they were doing all this in flip-flops before,” he says. “So being able to present them with these uniforms, seeing the joy, the smiles, the hugs — that felt really rewarding.” – By Andrew Wickenden ‘09

PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

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“IF WE’RE GOING TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION, AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MANUFACTURE IN KENYA AND EMPLOY KENYANS, WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN.”

The “Aha” Moment

– Trustee Chris Welles ’84, P’12, P’15, Founder of American Rhino

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HWS

COMMUNITY fanfare • honors • awards • celebrations

Alums First As part of President Gregory J. Vincent’s ’83 inaugural year, the Colleges have focused on bringing alumni and alumnae back to campus to share their perspectives and expertise with students.

D’Agata ’95 Returns as Trias Writer-inResidence

NPR’s Laura Sydell ’83 Delivers Convocation Address Laura Sydell ’83, digital culture correspondent for National Public Radio, welcomed students to campus for the new academic year. “This is a time in your life when there are people around you who are invested in your success. That is really special,” Sydell told students. “As I’ve made choices about what to do with my life I’ve always checked back in with that part of me that was formed here. I’ve always followed my heart and my head…. Figure out what keeps your head and your heart going while you’re here.”

During the event, Sydell was honored with the William Smith Alumna Achievement Award. Sydell has covered politics, arts, media, religion and entrepreneurship across the globe throughout an award-winning career.

“For her commitment to knowledge and truth, for her important contributions to journalism, for her keen insight into the questions that define the modern world, and for the important difference she has made in the history of her alma mater, we honor Laura Sydell,” said Associate Vice President for Advancement Kathy Killius Regan ’92, P’13 at the ceremony.

As this year’s Trias resident, author John D’Agata ’95 has already taught a nonfiction workshop, mentored students who have shown distinction in writing at the Colleges, and coordinated a speaker series. D’Agata, professor of English and director of the Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa, is the author of The Lifespan of a Fact (with Jim Fingal) and About a Mountain, which was named by the New York Times as one of the 100 Best Nonfiction Books Ever Written. His first collection of lyric essays, Halls of Fame, was published by Graywolf Press and was a finalist for the PEN/Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction.

Vieira ’95 on Careers in the CIA The Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education welcomed Heather Byrne Vieira ’95, who spoke to students about careers in government intelligence and foreign relations.

Vieira, whose extensive career with the Central Intelligence Agency now includes her role as the lead talent officer for analysis, is one of the latest alums to join the Professionals In Residence series.

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Chin ’84 at Founder’s Day

Alumna Achievement Award recipient Chrysa Chin ’84, executive vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, discusses her career, gender inequality and the future of women in sports with Heron basketball forward Kendra Quinn-Moultrie ’18.

An executive vice president with the National Basketball Players Association, Chin leads the strategic engagement and development department, directing the implementation of player initiatives and developing programs and resources designed to catalyze players’ growth and success on and off the court. While working at the NBA, Chin became the vice president for player development, where she was the first woman to hold a managerial position in the Player Development Department as well as the first to hold the title of vice president. She helped launch the WNBA during its inaugural season. “You have to fight through and that’s what I did. I made sure people understood that they had to respect me and understand that I was there to do a job, regardless of my gender.”

LGBTQ+ Resource Center Launches with Savas Abadsidis ’96 Savas Abadsidis ’96, the managing editor of the nation’s leading publisher of LGBTQ+ content, Retrograde Communications, delivered the keynote address at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Colleges’ new LGBTQ+ Resource Center. “By the time I left, we had created a place where we could exist, and also redefined what the coordinate system could be: not one that was only based on gender equality. But one that incorporated the various intersectional identities of all of us and eventually would create the community you enjoy today,” said Abadsidis, who worked alongside classmates and professors to surmount challenges and to further justice on campus.

The LGBTQ+ Resource Center offers a safe, physical space for students and organizations to meet and find campus and community resources. Its opening coincided with the 15th anniversary of Hobart and William Smith’s LGBT Studies program, the first of its kind in the country.

The HWS community celebrates the opening of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center with a keynote address from Savas Abadsidis ’96, managing editor of the leading media conglomerate on LGBTQ issues, Retrograde Communications.

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HWS COMMUNITY

For her trailblazing career and contributions to countless NBA players and their families, Chrysa Chin ’84 received the William Smith Alumna Achievement Award. The presentation took place during William Smith College’s annual Founder’s Day celebration. “William Smith College has been a significant part of all that I’ve been able to achieve,” said Chin to an engaged group of students who filled Bartlett Theatre.

fanatics WESTHAMPTON, N.Y. Alums gathered in August to welcome President Gregory J. Vincent and Kim Wilson Vincent HON ’21, to the helm of the Colleges at the Westhampton Country Club, graciously hosted by Herbert J., Jr. ’76 and Lori McCooey P’04, P’09; Sean M. ’78 and Jane McCooey P’08, P’12; Patrick M. McCooey ’82 and Victoria Vosbien; Daniel F. ’90 and Suzanne McCooey; and Dolores McCooey Lentz ’92 and Roby Lentz.

Trustee Herbert J. McCooey Jr. ’76, P’04, P’09, Sean McCooey ’78, P’08, P’09, President Gregory J. Vincent ’83, Kim Wilson Vincent, Dolores McCooey Lentz ’92, Patrick McCooey ’82 and Dan McCooey ’90.

Former Trustee Richard K. Abbe ’92, P’19, Trustee Linda D. Arrington ’88 and Hallie Lorch.

George Kast, Jennifer Kulesa-Kast ’93, Marjorie Kulesa P’93, P’04, Scott W. Mitcherling ’97, Christina Kast Mitcherling ’97 and Jessica Kulesa Vesonder ’04.

MaryJane Poole P’91 and Lori McCooey P’04, P’09.

Vice President for Advancement Bob O’Connor and Shep Poole ’91.

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“Each of my family members who graduated from HWS feels connected in different ways.

Some of us played sports, went through the education program, spent many nights working at Houghton House, spent a semester abroad or were part of the same fraternity. Each of these connections helped shape our experience at HWS and it gives us something to bond over. We always like to discuss how the Colleges have developed over time and all the new experiences the Colleges have to offer.”

–Jessica Kulesa Vesonder ‘04

WASHINGTON, D.C. Alums enjoyed an evening at the Capitol Center, hosted by Christopher Soucie P’20.

Bob Marsh ’81, Christopher Soucie P’20 and Former Trustee Timothy Eden ’79.

Isabelle Jeppsen ’21, Emma Falkenstein ’21, Katherine Vangaever ’21 and Julia Schwartz ’19.

DALLAS, TEXAS President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 joined alums in Dallas at the home of Trustee Dr. Richard L. Wasserman ’70 and Tina Wasserman.

Left to right: Angela Olsen, Eric Olsen ‘77, William Smith Director of Athletics Deb Steward, Shari Damon ’12, Director of Leadership Giving Julie Kennedy P’12, P’15, P’19, Tony Guidetti ’10, President Gregory J. Vincent ’83, Doug Austin-Weeks ’78, Tina Wasserman, Ludwig A. Ziegelmair ’57, Jennifer Dorn Knapek ’89, Adam Carter ‘90, Assefa Tesfaye, Dr. Richard L. Wasserman ’70, Hirut Assefa, Amy Hoover ’95 and Assistant Vice President and Dean of Campus Operations Stacey Pierce.

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HWS COMMUNITY

Alexander Schroder ’15, August Savarese ’17, Shannon Casey ’16, Faith James ’13, Avery Share ’15, Sraddha Fonseka ’97, Kathryn Busa ’16 and Hannah Cooper ’16.

PHOTO BY ANDREW MARKHAM ’10

BUFFALO HWS alums, students, families, faculty and staff tailgated with Bart the Statesman at New Era Field before cheering on Ali Marpet ’15, center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as he took on the Buffalo Bills. Statesmen and Herons joined Marpet in the end zone following the game.

“It’s an amazing experience to be able to watch one of your former teammates perform at the highest level. There are so many people who are so proud of Ali and all that he has accomplished.

I loved watching him play with our coaching staff and being able to catch up after the game. He is one of the top players for the Bucs right now and one of the top centers in the NFL.” – Hobart

Ali Marpet ’15 and President Vincent take the field after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ game against the Buffalo Bills.

Ali Marpet ’15

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PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

Football Offensive Line Coach Michael Green ’14

SARATOGA, N.Y. Alums spent an August afternoon at the Saratoga Race Course with refreshments provided by Neil Evans ’67 and the C.H. Evans Brewing Company.

The “Day at the Races” event at the Saratoga Race track this summer was a blast! I was able to reconnect with classmates, some I hadn’t seen since my senior year, and meet other alumni living in the area. Now that Jamie Landi ’08 and I have moved away from Geneva, we’ve found that these events are a great way to stay connected with HWS, catch up with familiar faces, remind us of the incredible alumni network that we’re a part of, and make a new place feel like home. — Tempe Newson Landi ’11

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HWS COMMUNITY

HEAD OF THE CHARLES in Boston, Mass. Nearly 200 alums joined President Emeritus Mark D. Gearan L.H.D.’17 and Mary Herlihy Gearan L.H.D.’17 at the Head of the Charles in October to support Hobart Rowing and William Smith Rowing, which each finished 12th out of 26 teams.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. President Gregory J. Vincent ’83, Kim Wilson Vincent, alums, students, faculty and staff gathered at The Strathallan, graciously hosted by Patrick J. ’92 and Jennifer H. Solomon P’20.

At left: Dan Masino ’21, Michael Masino P’21 and William Smith Athletic Director Deb Steward

Marshall Ireland ’20, Connor Solomon ’20, President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 and Brady Flannery ’20.

HOBART HOCKEY Alums of Hobart Hockey hit the greens for 18 holes of golf in Saratoga Springs in June.

Pictured (l-r): Associate Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations Jared Weeden ’91, John Mead ’89, Brian Duffet ’90, Michael Wormley ’89, Dana Angelo ’90, Sean McKiernan ’90, Matt Treat ’90, Matt Kerwick ’90, John Lombara ’90, Phil McCarthy ’91 and Bill Greer P’11, P’15.

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Patrick J. Solomon ’92, P’20

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. Alums gathered with President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 at Philadelphia Country Club, hosted by Trustee Scott J. ’81 and Lynne Nowadly Mason ’80, P’13; Former Trustee Peter S. ’86 and Barbara Miller; and Trustee James “JB” ’96 and Elizabeth Robinson on Nov. 2.

Lynne Nowadly Mason ’80, P’13, Trustee Scott Mason ’81, P’13, Chair of the Board of Trustees Thomas S. Bozzuto ’67, President Gregory J. Vincent, Former Trustee Peter Miller ’86 and Barbara Miller.

Whitney Kellett P’19, P’21, Honorary Trustee Roderic Ross ’52, LL.D. ‘79, Patricia Johnson Ross ‘53 and Roderick Kellett P’19, P’21.

David Higgins P’19, Jennifer Higgins P’13, Drew Helbing ’16, Karen Helbing P’16 and Phil Helbing P’16.

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HWS COMMUNITY

GENEVA, N.Y. William Smith lacrosse fans tailgate before the Herons game in Geneva against Westfield State University on May 14.

The Herons won 15-1.

SPOTLIGHT Alums in the News

Emmy and Golden Globe Wins for The Handmaid’s Tale The Handmaid’s Tale, the Hulu television show based Warren Littlefield ’74 on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel of the same name and of which Warren Littlefield ’74 is an executive producer, won eight Emmys, including “Outstanding Dramatic Series,” and two Golden Globes for best drama series and best performance by an actress in a television drama. This marks the first time a series broadcast on a streaming platform has won an Emmy for “Outstanding Series.”

Coover ’41 Lives on in His Most Famous Invention “When you stumble upon an unexpected discovery, just stick with it.” That’s what CBS Sunday Morning said of the late Harry W. Coover ’41, P’66 when the show celebrated his achievements as an inventor, most notably of Super Glue, on one of its 2017 programs.

The author of 460 patents, Coover was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Barack Obama in 2010.

“When you stumble upon an unexpected discovery, just stick with it.”

In a book described as part fiction and part memoir, Kimberly Chang ’83 explores her father’s mysterious exodus from China to the U.S. during the 20 years of civil and world war leading to China’s 1949 revolution. Her questions and their answers are complicated by decades of conflicting stories and her father’s growing dementia.

Described as a “dazzling, compassionate work” that is “exquisitely rendered” by the literary world, Accomplice to Memory is Chang’s first book.

“One could argue (and we would) that Suzette has been a driving force behind the transformation of Rockland, Maine from a quiet town to a thriving nexus of the arts,” writes The Mainer, of Suzette McAvoy ’80, who serves as the executive director and chief curator of the Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA). “Suzette brings an impeccable eye, eloquence, and unflappable determination to her role.” McAvoy oversaw the fundraising and construction of CMCA’s new facility designed by internationally acclaimed architect Toshiko Mori.

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PHOTO BY ERIN LITTLE

McAvoy ’80 Featured in The Mainers

Chang ’83 Publishes Accomplice to Memory

Best Commencement Speakers on Face the Nation Face the Nation highlighted the “fresh wisdom” of Matthew Skinner ’17 during his Hobart Commencement speech in a feature that aired on CBS in June. “Cherish within your heart those characteristics that will make you the best parent, partner, coworker and friend. Don’t silence those who have been silenced their whole lives. Often, the quiet person in the corner has the best stuff to say. And for the love of God, shut up and listen,” Skinner said.

PHOTO BY JOHN LAMB

Fixing Food Deserts In an interview with the Clever Cookstr, a podcast devoted to discussing the various areas of the food industry, Joshua Serrano ’15 spoke about how he is working to improve access to sustainable food sources in urban areas.

Serrano recently joined Teens for Food Justice, a youthled social justice movement that trains youth to become urban farmers and works with them to build indoor hydroponic farms that yield more than 22,000 pounds of fresh produce annually in Title 1 schools in New York City.

“It’s important for students to be able to be guided and connect with folks who come from similar experiences that the students are having,” he said in the interview. “It’s important to get those people to be directly involved with guiding the youth through the program.”

Teens for Food Justice CEO/Director Kathy Soll and Joshua Serrano ’15

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HWS COMMUNITY

Shirtz Howe ’94 Headed to 2018 Olympics

Dr. Allyson Shirtz Howe ’94 is heading to the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, as the head physician for the U.S. women’s ice hockey team. Through her work with USA Hockey, she has traveled with the U-18 team to Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland and Hungary. In 2014, she traveled to Sochi, Russia, as a general physician for the U.S. Olympic Committee. “Every time I wore USA, I couldn’t wait to do it again. When I got back from (Sochi), that started the dream for me. My ultimate goal was to go with a team,” Shirtz Howe said in a Portland Press Herald article. “It’s going to feel much more focused to be part of a team with a goal of a gold medal.”

THE LAST WORD Wordplay: The Etymology of ‘Inauguration’

by Eugen Baer P’95, P’97, HON ’07 Professor of Philosophy and Dean of Hobart College

A

s far back as I can remember I have been fascinated by the inner life of words. For me, words were safe spaces to dream in, with many secret doors and windows. I would enter them and find all these treasures, which were essentially hidden from an outside view. Later, I found out that most spiritual traditions think of words as places: makom in Hebrew, topos in Greek, basho in Japanese Zen, just to name a few. These are intimate places – ultimately sacred – and are best approached through poetic reverie.

This is true also of the word “inauguration.”

The word evokes the Latin verb augere, which means “increase”. We still have an echo of augere in the English “augment.”

“Increase” is one of those words that almost immediately opens an abyss for the word dreamer, in this case it is the Leibnizian question “why is there something rather than nothing?” This question, which many children and older people love, is well known to awaken the thrill of the Aristotelian wonder in both humanists and scientists. My 16-year old son Geni recently started to grow things and each morning he checked whether “something” was growing.

When, finally, he detected a tender and deeply saturated green sprout that had broken through the dark earth, he fell into a mini-trance and began to dance.

But let’s not forget that the verb augere has found historical significance in the Latin word augur. Augurs in ancient Rome were

PHOTO BY KEVIN COLTON

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HWS Community Members to Follow: priests who predicted the future from the flight formations of birds.

Nobody knows the future, but the word and practice of inauguration suggests that we want to make sure it’s a prosperous new beginning.

The secret of the word augur is to bring out the full potential of the person who is now moving into a new period of his or her life.

The semantic aura surrounding augur is alluringly positive. It’s half wishful thinking, half an objective situation indicating that this moment is the right moment. Hence, seize the moment.

And then there is this little word “in.” A whole spatial drama and action scene is hidden there. “In” is dynamic and propelling. It signals a movement into something, into augere, in-auguration, into growth and wellbeing. This means that now is the time to look for signs that suggest that it is indeed the right time for you to make the “jump” you have always been dreaming about or go into that new phase of your life that your mother hoped would come sooner or later.

The last word on “inauguration,” however, belongs to the Italian language. It is an untranslatable word, pure music to the ear with wide semantic echoes throughout the ages. And so, I will use that word to congratulate our President Gregory J. Vincent on a prosperous beginning and wish him a steady course of augere in his new position. The word, mysteriously, means both “congratulations for your present achievement” and “good luck for the future.” To get its full impact, you have to say the word out loud and several times.

The word is auguri.

President Vincent, on the occasion of your inauguration, auguri, auguri, auguri!

Eugen Baer P’95, P’97 has served Hobart and William Smith for 46 years as a professor of philosophy and, since 2006, Dean of Hobart College. He earned his doctorate in philosophy from Yale University in 1971, and teaches courses in semiotics, philosophy of language and European studies. The former president of the Semiotic Society of America, Baer is the author of eight books and numerous articles relating to philosophy and spirituality. He speaks 13 languages, tutored the Swiss Guard at the Vatican and trained as an Olympic downhill skier. Dean Baer is an honorary member of the Hobart Class of 2007.

President Gregory J. Vincent ’83 Twitter: @PresVincent Instagram: @presvincent

Kim Wilson Vincent

Twitter: @kwvlaw Foodie, Community Volunteer, Art Enthusiast, Attorney

Laura Sydell ’83 Twitter: @Sydell NPR’s Digital Culture Reporter looking at the intersection of culture and technology. Enemy of the People.

John Sipher ’83 Twitter: @john_sipher Instagram: @johnsipher Former CIA Clandestine Service. Sometimes writes and talks about stuff. Good father, decent husband and excellent dog owner. Much nicer than my picture suggests.

Leah Shafer

Twitter: @leahshafer Media Studies professor. Feminst. Pop Culture Sensualist.

Phil Powers ’83 Instagram: @jhmgphil I show up. American Alpine Club.

Deb Steward

Twitter: @debsteward William Smith College Director of Athletics

Non profit org.

U.S. Postage PAID Burlington, VT Permit No. 19

300 Pulteney Street Geneva, New York 14456 The pages of this publication were printed using 100% recycled paper which enables the environmental savings equivalent to the following: • 239 trees preserved for the future • 231,002 gal. US of water saved • 23,633 lbs. of waste not generated • Saved 77,647 lbs. CO2 from being emitted • 199 MMBTU energy not consumed * * These calculations were derived from the Rolland Eco-calculator.

MEGHAN MOORE ’18

PARALLELS

• Editorial Intern at Sterling Publishing during the summer of 2017 • Major: English

JENNIFER BREHL ’83 • Senior Vice President and Executive Editor at HarperCollins • Major: English • Longtime editor of Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman, Christopher Moore and Issac Asimov.

• Writing Colleague, America Reads Coordinator and Orientation Mentor who studied abroad in Bath. At Sterling, she collaborated with the imprint’s Hearst Publishing editor on books for Good Housekeeping and Cosmopolitan.

1. Old-book scent: yes or no? Yes, of course.

2. Favorite place to read on campus? By the lake.

1. Old-book scent: yes or no? I love it!

3. If you were a superhero, your power would be… To fly so I could travel inexpensively.

2. Favorite place to read on campus? The roof of McCormick House.

4. A good book has… An intriguing first page.

3. If you were a superhero, your power would be… Invisibility.

5. Hard-copy or e-reader? Hard-copy.

4. A good book has…A point.

6. Favorite way to find new books? Word of mouth.

5. Hard-copy or e-reader? Hard-copy.

7. Most important app on your phone? The Amazon app.

6. Favorite way to find new books? Word of mouth.

8. What’s next on your reading list? The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

7. Most important app on your phone? The daily New York Times crossword puzzle.

9. Next new hobby? The piano, but it is a huge time commitment.

8. What’s next on your reading list? Louise Penny’s Glass Houses.

9. Next new hobby? Churchill solitaire, but thus far it has eluded me.

10. Book that changed your life? Every book I read changes my life at least a little bit.

11. Which English class inspired you the most? It’s a toss-up between Dan O’Connell’s Irish literature class (I still have my beat-up paperback copy of Ulysses and chapter-by-chapter notes) and Andrew Harvey’s class on Milton.

12. If you could travel through time, what time period would you visit and why? The 1960s to see my childhood touchstones through the eyes of an adult.

10. Book that changed your life? I think they all change your life a little.

11. Which English class inspired you the most? Probably one of my first — “Intro to Creative Writing” with Associate Professor of English Kathryn Cowles, who is now my adviser. I have to give her credit for inspiring my decision to major in English.

12. If you could travel through time, what time period would you visit and why? 1950s - 60s, just for the fashion really.