Location
Our location on the shores of Seneca Lake allows you to put your education into action. The lake becomes a laboratory, the city of Geneva is a partner in studying and creating change, and major historical landmarks that shaped our nation are within a short driving distance. Your experience will be amplified through community service, research, study abroad, athletics and leadership training. With more than 100 student clubs to join, you can continue the activities you already enjoy and discover new ones. In the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York, you'll not only have unique opportunities in and out of the classroom, you'll also have a stunning backdrop for your college years.
Campus Facilities & Equipment
Closely situated and interconnected, the HWS centers for research, action and thought allow students to complement their liberal arts and sciences studies with university-level opportunities and resources.
The centers create meaningful avenues for deep-dive exploration, interdisciplinary discovery, community-based learning and career development that help students grow intellectually, professionally and personally.
HWS CENTERS FOR RESEARCH, ACTION AND THOUGHT
Abbe Center for Jewish Life
Live among Jewish students, celebrate Shabbat and other Jewish holidays and learn about Jewish history and faith.
Adams Intercultural Center
Contribute to initiatives and dialogues that build cross-cultural understanding, celebrate diversity, promote inclusion and expand social justice.
The Bozzuto Center for Entrepreneurship
Take a hands-on, active and collaborative approach to learning the ropes of startup and social ventures through meaningful partnerships with the businesses and nonprofits of Geneva.
The Centennial Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Explore principles of leadership and entrepreneurship by setting them in motion.
Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning
Experience hands-on service learning at a college recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for excellence in Community Engagement.
Center for Global Education
Explore other parts of the world with HWS faculty through one of the nation's most highly ranked and respected study abroad programs.
The Center for Teaching and Learning
Enhance your writing, improve your study skills and showcase your independent research.
The Finger Lakes Institute for Environmental Research and Education
Explore environmental issues on board the Colleges' research vessel, mentor local students and promote environmental stewardship throughout the Finger Lakes Region.
The Fisher Center for Gender and Justice
Join fellow students, faculty and visiting scholars for dialogue, research and collaborations that foster equity and mutual respect.
LGBTQ+ Resource Center
Find support, build community, mentor (or be mentored) and gain understanding of LGBTQ+ people, themes and needs. Our coordinate Colleges environment is the perfect backdrop for dialogue on gender and inclusion.
Office for Spiritual Engagement
Find support, community and guidance whatever your faith in a community with a long and proud tradition of inclusivity.
Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education
Explore careers, get one-on-one advising and land an internship with guaranteed funding. Plan your future while enjoying the view of our magnificent lake.
The Trias Residency for Writers
Work closely with established writers-in-residence in a workshop or tutorial setting. The 2023-24 resident is author of Nightbitch Rachel Yoder. Recent residents include award-winning memoirist and fiction writer Lidia Yuknavitch, prolific poet Donald Revell, and celebrated nonfiction writer John D'Agata (a 1995 HWS graduate).
Off-Campus Opportunities
Through our nationally ranked global education program, more than 60% of Hobart and William Smith students study abroad before they graduate. Our Center for Global Education provides opportunities to participate in faculty-led programs, internships and community service on six continents through its more than 50 extraordinary programs. Wherever you go, you'll apply classroom knowledge, develop cultural understanding and build global connections that expand your personal capacity and sense of purpose.
Through the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education, students attend networking trips across the country. Trips are offered during winter and spring breaks and allow students to take a deep dive into a particular industry, learning more about career opportunities and how to prepare for them. Past programs include Day on the Hill in Washington, D.C., Week on Wall Street in New York City, L.A. Media and Entertainment, Boston Finance Experience and NYC Advertising/PR Day.
Much of life at HWS centers around the campus's idyllic setting. "My favorite thing to do for fun on campus is to go down to the docks and enjoy the beauty and waters of Seneca Lake with my friends," says one student. During warm weather, "you will see many students hanging out at our boat house and swimming whether it is the weekend or after class" or anywhere on campus "with a good view and a nice chair." The scenic environment inspires days of service at HWS, featuring "local cleanup initiatives [and] assisting in community centers, [where] each student contributes their time and energy to support the well-being of those around us." Clubs and sports provide other means for students to get involved on campus. Campus favorites include the Kinetic Dance Collective, the HWS Tutor Corps, and the String Ensemble. And athletes enjoy getting involved at all levels of competition: "We have so many opportunities to play sports, and many teams welcome walk-ons. We also have a strong recreational and club sport program, which allows students who may not want the full commitment of a varsity sport to have the option of being a part of an active team." Thanks to the school's size, "you are able to be a leader in the classroom and on the athletic field."
