Hobart and William Smith Colleges recognized students, faculty members and community organizations for their contributions to service, scholarship and civic engagement during the institution’s 18th annual Community Engaged Scholarship Forum.
Held on HWS Day, the forum celebrated projects and partnerships connecting the Geneva campus with the broader community through service-learning, research and volunteer initiatives. Organizers said the event highlighted the impact of collaboration between students, faculty and local organizations.
Executive Director of Community Engagement and Service-Learning Katie Flowers presented several awards during the event. Andrew Bolduc ’26 received the Inspirational Leadership “Spark” Award for encouraging service among fellow students. A member of the Hobart basketball team, Bolduc helped increase the team’s annual community service hours from 50 to more than 200 during the past year.
The Compass Award for Outstanding Engaged Student Scholarship was presented to Abigail Cole ’25 and Abby Hark ’26. Cole was recognized for helping establish the HWS chapter of the Food Recovery Network, which partners with local food pantries to distribute surplus food from campus and reduce waste. Hark was honored for volunteer work with local Girl Scouts, Geneva 2030, Habitat for Humanity and the Geneva Parks Collective.
President Mark Gearan presented the Community Partner of the Year Award to Chris Lajewski and the teams at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and the Montezuma Audubon Center. The partnership provides HWS students with opportunities to participate in environmental conservation and hands-on learning experiences.
Provost and Dean of Faculty Sarah Kirk presented the Civically Engaged Faculty Award to Associate Professor of Art and Architecture Gabriella D’Angelo. College officials cited her work with the Geneva Parks Collective and efforts to support community-driven neighborhood planning and development.
The forum also featured a poster session showcasing service-learning projects completed by students in partnership with civic leaders and community organizations throughout the Geneva area.
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