Hobart and William Smith Colleges

The sun sets over the Hobart and William Smith campus on the Friday of Commencement Weekend.

Interim President Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D. '12 speaks to graduates at rehearsal on the Quad.

Seniors receive their final charm bracelets on their way into the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts for the annual William Smith Senior Welcome and Toast.

Lizzy Houston '19 accepts her charm bracelet before the William Smith Senior Welcome and Toast.

Dr. Lisa Abeshaus ’84, P’19, an obstetrician-gynecologist, delivers the alumna speech at the Annual Senior Welcome Toast on Friday. “The strength, well-being and power of this institution is reliant on you staying involved, coming back and giving back to this community, she said.

Tamira Jackson-Lofton ’19 delivers remarks written by Ifunanya Okeke ’19, president of the William Smith Class of 2019. Okeke's laryngitis prevented her from delivering the speech.

Interim President Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D. '12 celebrates as he is welcomed as an honorary member of the William Smith Class of 2019 by Tamira Jackson-Lofton ’19 and Ifunanya Okeke ’19.

William Smith Alumnae Association President Julie Bazan '91 lifts a glass of champagne at the Senior Welcome and Toast. Bazan presented the Association's awards and class announcements at the ceremony.

William Smith Dean Lisa Kaenzig P’22 offers the traditional Dean’s Toast, in which she encouraged the graduating seniors to go out into the world and take your power.

William Smith seniors raise their glasses at the annual Senior Welcome and Toast.

Members of Hai Timiai, the William Smith Senior Honor Society, lead the way to the annual tree planting.

Alta Boyer ’36 speaks at the tree planting, a tradition that dates back nearly to the College’s founding by nurseryman William Smith. Each year, seniors plant a tree to commemorate their bond as a class.

Seniors take turns with the shovel as they plant their class pine tree.

William Smith seniors touch the good luck tree, a tradition that dates back to the College's founding, in which William Smith women would touch a special tree on The Hill for good luck.

Druids lead the way to the Bozzuto Boathouse for the Hobart Launch.

Graduating seniors are greeted by Hobart alumni as they make their way to the annual Hobart Launch.

The sun broke through the clouds to shine on the students and alumni gathered at the Bozzuto Boathouse on Friday for the Hobart Launch.

Associate Vice President for Advancement and Director of Alumni Relations Jared Weeden '91 welcomes alumni, friends, family and graduating seniors to the Hobart Launch.

Ryan Montbleau ’19 reminds his classmates that “it is time for us to carry out our lives of consequence, to connect with older alums and to welcome new ones in the years ahead.”

Retired Central Intelligence Agency officer John Sipher ’83, P’19 delivers the traditional address at the Hobart Launch. “You are part of an extended Hobart family,” he told the new alumni, “and they will be with you forever.”

Student Trustee Gavin Gross '19 welcomes newly retired Professor of Economics Scott McKinney P’13 as an honorary member of the Hobart Class of 2019.

Associate Vice President for Advancement and Director of Alumni Relations Jared Weeden '91 presents an engraved paddle to Joel Sherman P’85, P’92, GP’19, GP’21 in thanks for his family's continued generosity to the Colleges.

Eric Hall Anderson ’59 reveals Cort Williams ’19 as the new class correspondent. Elected by his classmates, Williams is now responsible for collecting classnotes for inclusion in the Colleges’ alum magazine, The Pulteney Street Survey.

John Sipher ’83, P’19 and Dr. Richard Solomon ’75, P’10 hand out paddles to the newest members of the Hobart Alumni Association.

Michele Sherman Entner P'19, Joel Sherman P’85, P’92, GP’19, GP’21 and Alex Entner '19 pose with a box of the cigars the Sherman family donates for the Hobart Launch ceremony.

Some of the newest members of the Hobart Alumni Association pose at the Bozzuto Boathouse.

Students play KanJam during the Senior barbecue on Stern Lawn.

Hobart Senior Class President Marcel Johnson '19 poses with his family during the barbecue dinner on Stern Lawn.

Fireworks light up the sky in celebration of Commencement weekend.

Seniors, faculty and staff gather at the Oneg Shabbat Dessert Reception at the Abbe Center for Student Life on Friday night.

Dusk settles over the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts.

Interim President Patrick A. McGuire presents Max Barsh '19 with his Latin Praise at the Academic Achievement Ceremony on Saturday morning. Barsh graduated cum laude.

Pamela Icyeza '19 accepts a bound copy of her Honors thesis in economics from Interim President Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D. ’12 during the Academic Achievement Awards Ceremony.

Ellen Catherine Cooke '19 shows off a framed photo of the Masters of Arts in Teaching graduates.

Nita Byrd, Hobart and William Smith Colleges' new Chaplain and Dean for Spiritual Engagement, speaks at Baccalaureate in St. John's Chapel on Saturday afternoon.

Professor of Music Robert Cowles leads the Colleges' Choir in St. John's Chapel.

Former portfolio manager at American Stock Exchange and retired faith leader Christine Janis ’76 delivers the featured address at Baccalaureate. Now is your time, she told the graduates. You have participated in and are prepared for new challenges set before you.

Zahra Arabzada '19 shares stories about her experience as a Muslim woman on campus during Baccalaureate.

Matthew Fox '19 speaks at Baccalaureate at St. John's Chapel.

Fulbright Award recipient Meredith Kellogg '19 offers remarks during Baccalaureate.

Sarah Walters '19 reflects on personal growth at Baccalaureate.

Members of the Posse 3 cohort pose with their mentor Stacey N. Pierce, former Assistant Vice President for Campus Life at HWS and now Associate Vice President of the Posse Foundation.

Members of the Classes of 2019, who are the first in their families to graduate from college, gather for a photo at a recognition ceremony hosted by the HWS First Generation Initiative.

Members of the Classes of 2019 who are the first in their families to graduate from college pose with family and friends, faculty and staff after a recognition ceremony in their honor.

Liza Plummer '19 and Kayla McEachern '19 check out the Commencement program during robing in Bristol Field House.

Matthew Straughn '19 gets a hand from Postmaster Pamela Slentz during robing in Bristol Field House on Sunday morning.

Associate Professor of History Lisa Yoshikawa and Associate Professor of Religious Studies Shalahudin Kafrawi P'20 are robed and ready for Commencement.

William Smith Assistant Dean Kelly Payne receives a helping hand from Presidential Fellow Sydney Gomez '17 during robing in the Geneva Room.

The platform party, including honorary degree recipient Edward A. Froelich '55, L.H.D. '19 and Commencement speaker Dorothy H. Wickenden ’76, L.H.D. ’14, gather for photo.

The Mohawk Valley Frasers Pipe Band leads the processional at Commencement in the Robert A. Bristol ’31 Field House.

Commencement 2019 opens with the platform party processing through the crowd in the Robert A. Bristol ’31 Field House on Sunday.

Students congratulate each other during the procession.

Students process to their seats during Commencement.

Professor of Music Robert Cowles conducts the Colleges Chorale.

Associate Professor of English Melanie (Conroy Goldman) Hamilton officially opens Commencement 2019.

Interim President Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D. '12 delivers the valedictory remarks at Commencement. We need leaders like you to step up, as you have done here on campus, he said, where your diverse voices and experiences have changed the trajectory of the institution for the better.

Provost and Dean of Faculty DeWayne Lucas presents the Master of Arts in Teaching degrees and the College Experience Certificate.

Interim President Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D '12 confers an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters on Edward A. Froelich '55, L.H.D. '19 a retired senior supervisory analyst and vice president at Pershing LLC. In absentia retired elementary teacher Gloria Robinson Lowry ’52, L.H.D. '19 also was awarded an honorary degree.

Board Chair Thomas S. Bozzuto '68, L.H.D. '18 presents the Touching the Future Award to Tina Hartounian, a high school teacher in San Fernando, Calif. Hartounian was nominated by William Samayoa '19.

Dorothy H. Wickenden ’76, L.H.D. ’14, executive editor of The New Yorker and former HWS Trustee, delivers the Commencement address, in which she advised students to take a leap of faith.

Dorothy H. Wickenden '76, L.H.D. '14 delivers the Commencement address. She urged the graduates to shake off apathy and inertia and seek the highest good.

Jemma Roche '19 delivers the William Smith Senior Speech at Commencement. She challenged her classmates to ask who they are and who they will be.

In the Hobart Senior Speech, Alex Kerai '19 asked his classmates to consider what legacy they will leave behind as they depart from the Colleges.

Markezah Diashell Phillip-Holbrook is recognized as a recipient of a College Experience Certificate from HWS.

Interim President Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D.’12 presents diplomas to graduates in the Robert A. Bristol '31 Field House.

Hobart Dean Khuram Hussain and William Smith Dean Lisa M. Kaenzig P'22 present the candidates at Commencement.

William Smith Senior Class President Ifunanya Okeke ’19 celebrates after receiving her diploma.

Interim President Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D. '12 presents a diploma to Magdy Gad '19.

The Hobart and William Smith Classes of 2019 toss their caps into the air in celebration of their graduation.

William Smith Alumnae Association President Julie Bazan '91 and Alumni Association President Dr. Richard Solomon ’75, P’10 head to the stage.

Faculty make their way into the Robert A. Bristol '31 Field House.