A global higher education leader and terrorism scholar will deliver the commencement address at Hobart and William Smith Colleges next month.
Dame Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, will speak at the colleges’ commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 17 at 9 a.m. She will also receive an honorary degree and the Elizabeth Blackwell Award.
Richardson is the first woman to lead the Carnegie Corporation, taking the role in 2023 after serving nearly a decade on its board. The foundation, established in 1911, supports efforts to reduce political polarization.
Before that, Richardson served as vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford and principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St. Andrews. She is the first woman to lead both institutions. During her tenure, she focused on expanding access to higher education and increasing socioeconomic diversity among students.
An internationally recognized expert on terrorism and foreign policy, Richardson is the author of several books, including What Terrorists Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat.
Three other individuals will receive honorary degrees during the commencement ceremony: Geneva community advocate Lillian Collins, longtime Catholic priest Father Thomas Mull, and retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. John “Jack” Woodward Jr.
Collins is being recognized for decades of service to Hobart and William Smith and the Geneva community, including her work supporting multicultural and underrepresented students.
Mull, a Waterloo native, has served nearly 50 years in the priesthood and currently leads Our Lady of Peace Parish in Geneva. He has also served as a chaplain for multiple local law enforcement agencies.
Woodward, a 1968 graduate of Hobart, spent 35 years in the Air Force, rising to the rank of lieutenant general and overseeing communications and information systems for the service.
The Elizabeth Blackwell Award honors women whose work demonstrates outstanding service to humanity. It is named for Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree, who graduated from Geneva Medical College.
