Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Mission Statement

To increase awareness in the HWS administration, faculty and student body of the opportunities for and benefits of military service.

Welcome to the HWS Military Veterans Web page! The HWS community is proud to support our community of veterans and alumni that have served or currently serve in one of the branches of the United States Military.

Through the Hobart and William Smith Alumni and Alumnae Associations, we have established a Veterans Committee as a means of creating a network to engage alums that have served in the armed forces. We are heartened by the considerable support that Veterans have gained more recently from the Colleges. It started with the dedication of the Vietnam listing of KIAs on the Memorial Bench some five years ago and recently accelerated with the Colleges’ publishing a book, 200 Years: Hobart and William Smith Colleges' Legacy of Military Service as part of Hobart College’s Bicentennial Celebration, which also included a Veterans Panel as a featured event with opening comments from President Mark D. Gearan L.D.H. ’17, P ’21. The book starts by noting that one of Hobart’s earliest trustees had been a major in the Revolutionary War and ends with a 2021 grad who is still serving. The book also includes 117 profiles of alums who have served or are currently serving. You can get a copy by making a donation to the Military Veterans’ Fund, through the Office of Advancement. Contact the office of Alumni and Alumnae Relations at alumrelations@hws.edu for your copy.

Currently, the Colleges maintain a list of veterans and those currently serving comprising about 400 names. We know that list is woefully short of the actual number. So, if you or someone you know is not on that list, please let us know by contacting John Anderson ’66 at hwsmillist@gmail.com.

Service is an important part of many, many alumni's lives, from national service in organizations such as the Peace Corps and Americorps to Red Cross volunteers to military service. So, thank you for YOUR service!

Hobart and William Smith Colleges' Legacy of Military Service