Hobart and William Smith Colleges will host Moving Up Day 2025 on Friday, May 2, honoring academic success, leadership, and campus contributions. The event brings together students, faculty, and families to celebrate a century-old tradition of progression and unity.
What is Moving Up Day?
Moving Up Day began in 1905 as an annual Hobart tradition and later became a signature event for William Smith College. In the 1970s, Hobart renamed its celebration Charter Day, but starting this year, both traditions unite under a single, campus-wide Moving Up Day.
The event symbolizes students’ advancement through their academic journey:
- First-year students move up to sophomores
- Sophomores move up to juniors
- Juniors move up to seniors
This celebration highlights not only academic achievements but also the legacy of leadership, mentorship, and community engagement.
Schedule and ceremony details
The festivities will begin at 2:00 p.m. with two processions:
- From the Flagpole on the Quad: Led by the Druids
- From the William Smith statue on the Hill: Led by Hai Timiai
The processions will merge outside the tent on Stern Lawn, where the community-wide ceremony will take place. Students from all class years will be recognized for their excellence in scholarship, service, leadership, and inclusive excellence.
Honor societies including Hai Timiai, Laurels, Druids, Chimera, and Orange Key will also announce their newest members during the event.
A tradition of unity and growth
This year’s Moving Up Day reflects over a century of institutional evolution at Hobart and William Smith. Since 1922, when the two colleges held their first joint Commencement, traditions have increasingly blended—including shared yearbooks, admissions offices, student governments, and degrees.
Today, Hobart and William Smith operate as one campus with one faculty, one administration, one curriculum, and one Board of Trustees, continuing a proud history of academic excellence and unity.
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