Hobart and William Smith Colleges closed out one of the most memorable fall seasons in recent history, as both the Hobart men’s soccer team and the William Smith volleyball program earned spots in the 2025 NCAA Division III Tournament. With both teams now finished for the year, the campus continues to reflect on a postseason stretch that brought together students, alumni, and the broader HWS community in a remarkable show of support and pride. The Hobart men’s soccer team, ranked 16th nationally, saw its outstanding season conclude at home, falling 1-0 in overtime to Messiah in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Among the necessities of life at HWS, such as an iced caramel macchiato from Au Bon Pain and a ground beef burrito from Tres Habaneros, safety on campus is of the utmost importance for students’ physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Appointed the endearing nickname “Campo” by students, the campus safety officers of HWS continuously work to ensure the campus community is a safe and welcoming place for students to thrive. Campus serenity cannot always be preserved, though, as large gatherings and social events can cause inevitable disturbances to student life. …

On Nov. 11, state Sen. Jeremy Cooney, who represents the 56th District and is chairman of the Committee on Transportation, stood outside of Scandling Center to reveal what he believes to be New York’s future: self-driving cars. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, is seen in full effect around select areas and urban living centers—raising the question, why market in Geneva? Waymo utilizes artificial intelligence to serve as on-the-fly thinking, a detail Sen. Cooney mentioned during his brief visit—highlighting the recent addition of the AI club as a potential sign of student interest in the service.

Hobart & William Smith Colleges expanded its security systems this year, shifting away from its status as a largely camera-free campus. Previously, surveillance was localized in a few areas around campus, such as the Warren Hunting Smith Library and the Cafe, but they are now spread throughout the Colleges in areas that the administration felt were lacking in security. While HWS does not publish a list of specific camera locations, they are exclusive to the interior of public buildings and on the exterior of administrative and academic buildings, as well as residence halls.

After more than 20 years as a councilor and six years as Mayor, Steve Valentino, the current Mayor of Geneva and registered Democrat, is ending his long service to the city. At Wednesday, December 3rd’s City Council meeting, the last scheduled 2025 session for the body, Valentino reflected on his public service. “I have been fortunate and blessed to be serving in this city for this amount of time,” he said. Valentino also noted that it was his dad, Anthony Valentino, who urged him to run for office back in 1996.

The Martini is the longtime fake rival of the campus newspaper, the Herald, and the only on-campus satire magazine. These two literary print publications exist in far different realms, sharing only their audience. Before most of your times, there was some silly beef that even I do not understand, and Jack Hanson, the previous editor-in-chief, left us little information on. Frankly, I do not care about the beef and have always enjoyed both magazines. The Martini has supplied funny quips, ludicrous article titles, and interesting artistic editing.  I always pick up Martini issues, as I love it when communities come together to make art.

On October 16, HWS hosted the Stern Family Forum. This event consisted of a discussion, or a friendly debate, between liberal-leaning writer for The New Yorker Ruth Marcus and conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. Award-winning moderator Bill Whitaker facilitated the discussion. The conversation covered many political concepts, including the judicial system, the presidency, and political polarization. Throughout the discussion, the speakers continually spoke of "originalism," alluding to its revered influences and seemingly inherent controversies. However, this topic was never fully discussed until the very end of the Forum, where its meaning and larger significance were still left unsaid.

It was a mild fall night when I strolled into the Scandling Center and up the Vandervort Room to hear Wendy Sherman, the former Deputy Secretary of State, speak at the President's Forum speaker series. While the last President’s Forum with Hue Hewitt and Ruth Marcus was standing room only, Sherman’s forum had only managed to fill the seats. Sherman first went over a brief history of his career, detailing the time she spent as social worker, her time as the director of EMILY's List, a left-leaning American political action committee (PAC) that aims to help elect Democratic female candidates in favor of abortion rights to office, her time as the director of Maryland's office of child welfare, and the founding president of the Fannie Mae Foundation.

In a year when Ontario County once again pulled the lever to the right—painting the broader landscape in familiar Republican hues—the City of Geneva quietly authored a political deviation of its own. A Democratic majority now sits on the City Council for the first time in recent memory, a shift that is both symbolically resonant and materially consequential. For a city historically characterized by its ideological purpleness, where party labels often dissolve in the day-to-day intimacy of local governance, this transformation demands deeper consideration. Geneva’s politics have never been purely partisan.

The Seneca Lake Monster: fact or fiction? For over two centuries, this local legend has captured the attention of residents and visitors alike. Today, most people call it Senni, but some, including local Geneva business Total Recall, have dubbed the creature Seneca Sam. To the indigenous people of the area, the creature is called Oniare (own-yar-eh) and described as a dragon-like, horned serpent who lurks in the waters, capsizing canoes and eating those inside. The indigenous people warned the settlers of Oniare, but predictably, they refused to listen. It wouldn't be long before those who stole and the area had tales of their own.

Is it too much to ask, my dear student body, for you to write your own frickin' essay and not the one delivered like a flaming turd prank from Silly-con Valley? To bag up your gray matter and deliver it through the drive-thru window to old Professor Mustard. Who amongst you resists the packaging of your education into the faux performance of intelligences artificielle and more regurgitated schlock from the interwebs? Sure, we of the professor class have overplayed our hands—bluffed—grieved—harangued you with blue book exams and oral presentations and paranoid surveillance practices reserved for governmental bodies.

On October 16, HWS hosted the Stern Family Forum. This event consisted of a discussion, or a friendly debate, between liberal-leaning writer for The New Yorker Ruth Marcus and conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. Award-winning moderator Bill Whitaker facilitated the discussion. The conversation covered many political concepts, including the judicial system, the presidency, and political polarization. Throughout the discussion, the speakers continually spoke of "originalism," alluding to its revered influences and seemingly inherent controversies. However, this topic was never fully discussed until the very end of the Forum, where its meaning and larger significance were still left unsaid.

This past month, Students For Humanitarian Justice (SHJ) hosted its second annual October 7th memorial, dedicated to remembering all the lives lost on October 7th and every day afterward. In the early morning hours of October 7th, members of SHJ set up 276 Palestinian, 1 Iranian, 3 Lebanese, and 2 Israeli flags on the quad, each flag signifying 1000 deaths. These flag counts were based on numbers sourced directly from United Nations statistics tracking casualties over the last two years. Although many schools have since established similar flag planting memorials, Hobart and William Smith were among the first colleges to adopt the practice.

The Women in STEM club is led by co-presidents Faith Okoli and India Buff, vice president Laurel Lowenthal, and secretary Lizzy Legg. They are enthusiastically committed to “trying to create a community where women in STEM can study and learn with each other.” While the Women in STEM club serves as an important space for building community among female-identifying science majors, it may also come as a surprise that it is open to all students on campus. As Lizzy Legg has put it, “At HWS, we're lucky in that being a woman in STEM does not mean you’re awarded any less opportunities.” With that sentiment, the leaders of Women in STEM are dedicated to creating both academic and social events to deepen student connections with one another, fostering a space of collaboration and support.

My first time meeting Greg Cotterill was similar to many other students. I was a freshman walking out of Saga, headphones on and oblivious to my surroundings. Suddenly, I realized that there was this tall man over my shoulder, panting and saying “Excuse me! Excuse me!” Despite all my early childhood Stranger Danger warnings, I stopped. This strange man did not introduce himself but just said “follow me!” Miraculously, I did follow him – straight into the WHWS radio station. Greg then introduced himself and explained that he saw my Grateful Dead pin on my backpack and chased after me.

Hobart and William Smith Colleges are expanding their athletic offerings once again, this time with the addition of women’s flag football as the 31st varsity sport in the Colleges’ history. The new team, set to compete under the William Smith banner, will begin play in spring 2027, marking a major step forward for women’s athletics at HWS. The introduction of flag football at HWS reflects a broader national trend, as the sport has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. Both the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) have formally recognized women’s flag football as an emerging sport.

Phil Fleming and his husband, John, are one of 53 families displaced as part of Hobart and William Smith’s summer purchase of the Geneva Gardens apartments. At the same time as they searched for and found new housing, John and Phil received the news that John's B-cell lymphoma is back, along with the costs that accompany the treatment. That is to say nothing of their new security deposit, the first month’s rent, moving costs, pet fees, NYSEG bills, and cell phone plans. As Phil told The Herald earlier this month, the $1,500 grant from HWS was eaten up quickly — and doesn’t begin to cover the basic costs of sustaining life.

Ontario County Sherrif David Cirecione announced at a press conference that Michael Tapscott, a former officer of the Geneva Police Department, was indicted on October twenty first by an Ontario County grand jury on six counts of fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (the drug of choice being dextroamphetamine, a form of Adderall requiring a prescription), six counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, eight counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, 11 counts of official misconduct, and petit larceny. Two other men, Segerenant David Felice, and Officer William B.

If you’re on Yik Yak, you’ve likely seen a video of Logan Paul in front of a building that resembles (vaguely) the Gearan Center for Performing Arts. Looking closely at the video, you’ll see a translucent gray watermark resembling a puffball and text that reads “Sora,” clearly indicating its origin from the newest AI-powered text-to-video generator by OpenAI. Sora emerges alongside other AI video generators, but distinguishes itself by being exceedingly realistic and by allowing users to generate videos of themselves by uploading a short piece of video and audio. While it is immediately obvious to most viewers that Logan Paul is not visiting the Hobart and William Smith campus any time soon, other AI-generated videos are less easily dismissed.

As autumn settles into the Finger Lakes, HWS students looking for a break after their midterms have prime hiking opportunities right in their own backyard. The region's mix of gorges, lakeside trails, and rolling hills makes it one of the best places in New York to catch newly changing fall colors. Listed below are four hikes within an hour of campus that showcase the best of the Finger Lakes region: Watkins Glen State Park Hiking Distance: 2 miles round trip | Difficulty: Moderate | Drive time: 40 minutes Watkins Glen, the crown jewel of the Finger Lakes, is arguably one of the most spectacular hikes in the region.

From Oct. 9-11, members of the HWS Theater Department performed “The Gorges Motel,” written by Gretchen Cryer, Lynne Halliday, Isaac Himmelman, James Hindman, Arlene Hutton, and Craig Pospisil. Director Chris Woodworth and the cast present a series of short plays, featuring unique characters and intersecting narratives as they stay at a motel in Watkins Glen. The show leaves the audience with a bittersweet message of how fleeting life can be, reminding us to live life to the fullest while we still have the chance. Overarching themes of grief and growth are woven into the story, with characters confronting their own feelings of loss, death, betrayal, and, ultimately, healing. 

Do you remember the first ghost story you ever heard? Do you remember who told it? Maybe you were wrapped up in blankets on your living room floor, as a friend held a flashlight under their chin, their eyes caving in with shadows as they began: “on a dark and stormy night…”. Or maybe you were on a camping trip, gathered around the fire with your siblings, lips sticky with marshmallow goo as the oldest of you tells the story of a murder, many years ago, the firelight dancing dangerously up their cheeks. 

On September 30, the International Relations Department had the distinct privilege of welcoming Sandra Fernandez to give a talk on adjudicating refugee and asylum claims in America and all the nuances that topic encompasses. Fernandez opened her talk by distinguishing between asylum seekers and refugees. This distinction is significant because the process of adjudicating these claims looks different depending on which category the person falls into. Asylum seekers are migrants that request permission within the U.S. They typically do not have access to work permits prior to their request being approved or federal funding and assistance.

A “performative male” is a young man who turns his socially feasible preferences into an engagement-baiting performance. Their performance is meant not only to attract the attention of the general public surrounding them, but also serves as a mating ritual. Generally, on social media, the label of performative male is given to leather jacket-clad matcha-drinking, wired headphone-wearing, feminist literature-reading young men. However, one could consider the MAGA hat-wearing, protein shake-drinking, red-pilled boys of the right to be equally as performative in their masculinity. Both are performing for the same reason: they believe their version of masculinity to be the one women crave.