Hobart and William Smith Colleges

A Scientific Community

Anchored by a $5 million lead gift from Kevin Stein ’88, support from alums provides the financial foundation for a state-of-the-art facility that will be the hub of scientific education at Hobart and William Smith.

BY ANDREW WICKENDEN ’09

Studying science and math is like “learning a language,” says Kevin Stein ’88, a language that’s “practical, pragmatic and teaches wonderful problem-solving skills.” To expose more students “to a topnotch science education in a liberal arts environment” and encourage “well-rounded practitioners of this wonderful language,” Stein and his family have committed to a leadership gift of $5 million that will anchor the development of a new science facility at Hobart and William Smith.

With additional gifts of $500,000 from Dr. Arnold Cohen ’71, P’05 and his wife Dr. Colleen R. Carey P’05; $500,000 from Trustee Dr. Richard Wasserman ’70 and his wife Tina Wasserman; and $100,000 from Betty Good ’75, the Colleges are readying for the next stages of the integrated science center project, which will centralize and further encourage the collaborative, interdisciplinary teaching, learning and research already happening on campus.

“Our faculty and students will benefit tremendously from the new science center and the support of our alums, who know firsthand the life-changing teaching, mentorship and research opportunities that take place at the Colleges,” says President Mark D. Gearan. “We are incredibly grateful for the leadership of our accomplished alums and their families, whose support ignites our plans moving forward and will propel the success of our students and faculty.”

STEM fields were always a passion for Stein (right), now President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of TransDigm Group Inc., a leading global producer, designer and supplier of highly engineered aerospace components, systems and subsystems to commercial aerospace and military programs around the world. It was at HWS, though, where Stein found “the mentoring and close relationships with faculty members, advisors, deans and presidents that was instrumental in my career,” he says. Teachers like Professor of Chemistry Romana Lashewycz-Rubycz and Professor Emeritus of Chemistry Kenneth Carle P’82, P’84, P’90 inspired him to “chase the challenges” and “keep learning new things.… It’s pretty awesome that I can give back to the institution that really molded me and gave me a sense of purpose and commitment to community.”

Dr. Cohen (right), a retired gastroenterologist, says: “Over the years, I’ve become convinced that the best preparation for becoming a physician was at a liberal arts college with a strong science program.”

A Professor of Medicine at the Washington State University College of Medicine and an Associate Clinical Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Cohen credits Hobart and William Smith with his own intellectual growth and preparation for Harvard Medical School and life as a physician. As he puts it, “HWS changed the way my mind worked.” He hopes the new science center enriches STEM education for science majors and non-majors a

Dr. Wasserman (right), who serves as Medical Director of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Medical City Children’s Hospital, says: “The major strength of my HWS education was the liberal arts context within which I learned. My perspective of science as one of the liberal arts has shaped my life’s work as a physician and clinical investigator.… My wife, Tina, and I have supported the new science center because we believe our science faculty and students are poised to surpass their recent scientific research and educational achievements and deserve a modern, state-of-the-art facility to achieve those goals. We hope that you will join us.”

Good (right), a retired Vice President of the Bank of New York, says that “a new, up-to-date facility is key to attract students who want to come to HWS, particularly women.” Although she was an economics major, Good wants to support young women who are “bridging the gender gap in STEM fields. More and more women are majoring in STEM, so the new science center is being planned at the right time.”

To learn more about the science center project, contact Vice President for Advancement Bob O’Connor P’22, P’23 at oconnor@hws.edu or (315) 781-3535.