Hobart and William Smith Colleges will welcome longtime campus leader Lisa Kaenzig P’22 as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Baccalaureate ceremony on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in St. John’s Chapel. The annual interfaith service offers graduating seniors and their families a moment of reflection and celebration on the eve of Commencement.
Kaenzig, who currently serves as Dean of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Director of the Centennial Center, is concluding her 22-year tenure at HWS to become Head of School at Foxcroft School in Virginia.
In her address, titled “Finding True North: Take the Detour,” Kaenzig will encourage graduates to stay rooted in their values while embracing unexpected paths. “I will urge members of the Class of 2025 to stay true to their core values, passions and life purpose,” she said.
Kaenzig’s legacy at HWS includes founding the First Generation Initiative, advising the Hai Timiai honor society, and launching the campus chapter of the Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN). She has also served in leadership roles on numerous institutional committees advancing diversity, equity, and academic support.
Nationally recognized for her research on introversion and talent development, Kaenzig has appeared on NPR and the BBC and served as Chair of PLEN’s Board of Directors. Locally, she’s been a leader in the Geneva arts and education communities.
The Baccalaureate ceremony will also feature reflections from student speakers Rebecca Barr ’25, Abigail Britton-Lowden ’25, Guarldiard T. Cyriaque Mentor ’25, Sophia Mughal ’25, and Mohammad Yassin ’25. President Mark D. Gearan and Provost Sarah R. Kirk will offer remarks, with a blessing by the Rt. Rev. Kara Wagner Sherer.
Music will be provided by the Colleges Chorale, directed by Jonathan Mott, and Midlakes Brass. Spiritual leaders including Imam Shaheed Ali, Rabbi Dr. Ann Landowne, and Chaplain Nita S. Johnson Byrd will open and close the service.
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