Geneva, NY — Caroline Ream, of Reading, MA, received a Bachelors of Arts degree in Educational Studies and Dance during the 2023 Commencement Ceremonies of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, held on Sunday, May 21. Ream, the child of Benjamin T. Ream, graduated cum laude.
City Year Co-Founder Alan Khazei, one of the nation’s leading advocates for national service and social entrepreneurship, delivered the 2023 Commencement Address. He praised the passion of the Hobart and William Smith graduates and shared his belief in their ability to change the world. “Your passion and leadership can bring us to a fairer, equitable, inclusive and just America and world. We need you to do that …I believe that Hobart and William Smith has prepared you well and I cannot wait until your generation is in charge.”
In his valedictory address, President Mark D. Gearan called upon the observation of Danish Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard: “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards” to ask graduates to consider the challenge of life. “We must live our lives going forward, but to truly understand it and to assist in living a meaningful life, it is understood looking backwards to those lessons, triumphs, disappointments,” said Gearan.
This year, the Colleges conferred four honorary degrees to individuals who represent the values and ideals of Hobart and William Smith. They included: Patricia Adams, a successful corporate professional, musician, journalist, steadfast friend of the Colleges and daughter of Hobart’s first Black graduate, the Rev. Dr. Alger L. Adams ’32, D.D. ’83; Dr. Gilberto Arbelaez ’06, the only emergency physician on staff at Uvalde Memorial Hospital who treated victims in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas; Cynthia Gelsthorpe Fish ’82, a longtime member of the Board of Trustees who advanced the Colleges efforts in governance and leadership and has been active in causes related to health, wellbeing and education; and Kevin Colton, Hobart and William Smith’s longtime lead photographer who has brought our campus to life with his unique perspective.
Commencement 2023 marked the 198th graduation for Hobart and the 112th for William Smith. The Commencement for the Classes of 2023 celebrated 361 Hobart and William Smith undergraduates, 41 master’s candidates and one Advanced Certificate in Management candidate.
Hobart and William Smith are a future-focused liberal arts and sciences institution led by a faculty of accessible, teacher/scholars known for the impact of their research and distinguished by the depth of their mentorship. Students complement broad, interdisciplinary study with hands-on learning experiences made possible by the Colleges’ centers for experience, action and thought. 100% of students participate in community service and more than 60% study abroad. Located in the heart of New York State’s Finger Lakes Region, nearly all students live on campus and enjoy a stunning backdrop to their college years.
