Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Professor of Chemistry Walter Bowyer works with Sam Ansah ’28 and Sidonie Murphy ’28 on a lab activity during “New Chemistry Meets Old Art.”

Professor of Sociology Renee Monson leads a discussion in her FSEM “Class Matters.”

During "Encountering Difference," Associate Professor of Religious Studies Shalahudin Kafrawi greets students on the first day of class.

To mark the start of the new academic year, students attend Convocation on Stern Lawn.

Surrounded by flags from every nation that HWS students hail from and where they study abroad, President Mark D. Gearan officially opens the new academic year on Stern Lawn.

Hannah Goodness ’28, Efehan Huyuk ’28 and Fiona Gibbons ’28 sign their class banner following the Convocation ceremony.

Rachel Lee ’27, Rupert Ramsay ’27 and Annabel Ramsay ’25 walk to class on the first day of the fall semester.

Eric Bloom ’67, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist for the rock band Blue Oyster Cult, participates in a Q&A session with students in Associate Professor of Music Mark Olivieri’s class “Intro to Music Production and Recording.”

During Orientation, students assist with clean up at Seneca Lake State Park. HWS was recently ranked first in the nation for service by Washington Monthly in its 2024 College Guide and Rankings.

After working in the garden at West Street School, students join Assistant Principal Christopher Smith, President Mark D. Gearan and Principal Tricia Budgar ’01 for a photo.

Students clean up debris during Day of Service.

Members of the HWS community attend a performance by students in Professor of Theatre H. May’s SPARK! class “Let’s Play! Sharing Stories through Playback Theatre” in McDonald Theatre.

Students experiment with microphones and audio recorders during the SPARK! Finale held in the Gearan Center.

Students enjoy hot air balloon rides over campus as part of Orientation week activities. Nearly 700 new students – first-year, transfer and graduate – joined the HWS community this week.

Luke Ryan '25 scores a ferocious header off a corner kick during the Statesmen's soccer scrimmage against Geneseo.

Rebecca Mantione '25 dribbles the ball past midfield during the Herons' field hockey scrimmage against Cortland.