Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid Michael J. Quinn

Michael J. "Mike" Quinn, Ph.D. was appointed Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid in June 2023. Quinn holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership for Changing Populations from Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore. Mike earned a B.A. in English from the State University of New York College at Buffalo, and an M.A. in English from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

As the Colleges' lead for admissions and financial aid, he collaborates closely with other members of President Gearan's senior team to create sustainable strategies for enrollment and net revenue growth. Previously, he was the chief enrollment officer at Rockford University in Rockford, Illinois, and at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Prior to his career in higher education, Mike served as a communications strategist and writer in the advertising, technology and nonprofit sectors.

Director of Admissions Steven Simons

Phone: (315) 781-4836

Steven was born and raised in Wilmington, Del., and graduated from UCLA, where he got his start working in admissions as a student. Steven has a master’s degree in leading organizations from Vanderbilt University. Before coming to HWS as the director of admissions, Steven worked for nine years in Pennsylvania, including as dean of enrollment at Juniata College. As director, Steven oversees the admissions process and is passionate about helping students see their path to higher education and all that HWS has to offer. You’ll often find Steven around Geneva, running the trails, out on the lake, trying every restaurant and relaxing at the wineries.

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Associate Vice President and Director of International Enrollment and Success MARYLYN O'HORA UHNAK

Phone: (315) 781-3750
Text: (315) 290-3623
WeChat: hws_marylyn

Marylyn joined the HWS Admissions team in 2008 having spent the previous five years in admissions at her alma mater, Wells College. While at HWS, she has taken on multiple roles both within the Admissions Office as well as the Office of the President. Within admissions, her work has included campus visit and event oversight, transfer admission and international student enrollment. Branching between admissions and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, her dynamic position is focused on providing holistic support to international students, from admission all the way to graduation, and beyond.

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Director of Operations Craig Meyers

Phone: (315) 781-3768

Craig Meyers returned to HWS in 2023 after spending two years at PowerSchool, the leading provider of cloud-based K-12 software, as the product operations manager. As the ProdOps manager, Craig successfully launched several new products and features to the market. Before his time with PowerSchool, Craig spent eight years with the Hobart and William Smith Colleges IT and admissions teams. His passion for the Colleges, the community and Geneva have led him back to serve in this role. Craig and the operations team are responsible for the success of admissions communications, data management, business workflows and technology systems.

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Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Director of the Volunteer NetworkMary Morrissey Kerwick P’27

Mary first joined HWS in 2003 and has held several roles in advancement and admissions. She also spent much of the last 20 years in the nonprofit space as executive director of a small local CNY nonprofit and volunteer director for major veteran service organization, Wounded Warrior Project, where she managed a volunteer corps of over 30,000 from all over the world. Mary recently returned to HWS and currently serves as the director of the Admissions Volunteer Network. She is responsible for recruiting and mobilizing over 400 alumni/ae and parent volunteers in support of our admissions efforts.

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Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Director of Transfer Admissions

Melanie N. Sage ’95, P’25, P’27

Phone: (315) 781-4499

Melanie grew up in the Finger Lakes and attended Geneva High School. She was a first-generation college student at HWS in the mid-1990s, graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1995 with a bachelor of arts in women’s studies. After working for two years in HWS Admissions, Melanie relocated to New England, where she spent the next two decades at a variety of independent secondary schools and colleges. She has worked in advancement, executive and marketing communications, alumni/ae and parent relations, and as a freelance writer with a focus on education. Melanie recently returned to the Finger Lakes and to HWS and is the proud mom of Annabel (HWS Class of 2025) and Rupert (HWS Class of 2027).

Territories: Transfer Students, Central and Western New York.

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Senior Associate Director of Admissions Sue Willard '99

Phone: (315) 781-3865
Text: (315) 325-9003

Sue earned a bachelor's degree in history from William Smith College in 1999 and completed the education program. After earning a master's degree in history and serving as a graduate assistant soccer coach at Washington College, she returned to William Smith as assistant coach for the Herons in 2001. From there, Sue went on to coach soccer at both the NCAA Division I and III levels, before rejoining HWS in the Office of Admissions.

Territories: Northern Pennsylvania, Colorado, Connecticut (Fairfield County), Idaho, Montana, New York (Westchester County) and Wyoming.

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Associate Director of Admissions, Director of New England Recruitment Kate Beyer '07

Phone: (207) 577-3821
Text: (315) 828-0965

Kate graduated from William Smith in 2007 with a bachelor of arts degree in individual studies - Diversity in the Workplace. Following graduation, Kate was the first AmeriCorps VISTA member at HWS, serving with the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. She later worked at Massachusetts Campus Compact, where she was the coordinator of student initiatives. Kate returned to HWS in 2012.

Territories: Worcester area and Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

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Associate Director of Admissions Julie Washington P'24

Phone: (973) 658-6292
Text: (315) 325-9044

Julie is passionate about the value of a liberal arts education and helping students navigate the college admission process. She is a first generation college graduate, originally from Indiana with an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and a master's degree in Higher Education. Julie has served at both the national and regional levels on many higher education executive boards and committees as well as presented on various topics at education conferences nationwide. She remains committed to advocating for access, diversity, equity, and inclusion in education. Julie loves cheering on her children and favorite sports teams but especially enjoys basketball, given her Hoosier roots!

Territories: New Jersey, Delaware Valley, Lehigh Valley, Central, Western and Southern Pennsylvania.

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Assistant Director of Admissions Zaheer Bowen '23

Phone: (315) 398-3748

Zaheer was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduated from HWS in 2023 with a major in Political Science and a minor in History. During his time as an undergraduate, Zaheer also completed the Teacher Education Program with a certification in Secondary Social Studies. Zaheer began his undergraduate journey as a Writing Colleague, and eventually went on to become the Co-Founder and Head Coordinator of Finger Lakes College Leaders, a college prep program, through the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. A self-described eclectic person, Zaheer was elected as a Student Trustee and chosen as a Finalist for the 2023 Todd Feldman and Family Pitch Competition for his idea to open an innovative restaurant in downtown Geneva. He is a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honors Society, and studied abroad in Freiburg, Germany.

Territories: Arizona, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (Southern Tier and Hudson Valley region), Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah.

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Assistant Director of Admissions and Admissions Data Analyst Michael Devaney '21

Phone: (315) 398-1255

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Assistant Director of Admissions for Visitor Relations Gaby Nieves '23

Phone: (315) 781-3737

Gaby graduated summa cum laude from Hobart and William Smith in 2023 with a double major in sociology and theatre and a minor in psychology. During her time at HWS, she performed in six theatrical productions and worked two on-campus jobs, one in the William Smith Deans' Office and another as a sociology teaching fellow. She was the president of Phoenix Players, the student-run theatre club, and was accepted into Phi Beta Kappa and Psi Chi. Gaby studied abroad in Valparaíso, Chile for a full semester and did a 3-week program in Bali, Indonesia. Originally from Staten Island, N.Y., she regularly returns to visit her Nicaraguan and Puerto Rican family.

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Assistant Director of Admissions Grace Petry

Phone: (315) 781-4782

Grace was raised in Long Island, N.Y., and recently moved upstate to Geneva. Grace graduated with her Master’s in Higher Education from the University at Albany in four years. She volunteered as a peer advisor in the advising center during her sophomore, junior and senior years, and was a member of the AOA club and the Outdoors club. In 2021 she became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Grace has three dogs and enjoys cooking, running, hiking and watching true crime shows in her spare time. She looks forward to learning and experiencing everything HWS has to offer.

Territories: Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nevada and New York (Long Island, Utica and Albany).

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Assistant Director of Admissions Communications Jordan Roblyer

Phone: (315) 781-4603

Jordan graduated from Elmira College in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in History. After graduation, Jordan worked as a mental health counselor assisting students at Elmira High School. Later, he rejoined Elmira College as an Admissions Counselor before joining HWS in August of 2021.

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Assistant Director of Admissions Hannah Rolfe '21

Phone: (315) 781-3152

Hannah is a native of the Finger Lakes region and graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2021. While at HWS, Hannah double majored in history and American studies. Aside from academics, Hannah served as an O’Laughlin Ambassador and Senior Intern for the Office of Admissions, a Global Ambassador for the Center for Global Education, and a Reunion Red Shirt for Alumni and Alumnae Relations. She was a member of the William Smith Laurel Society and HWS Leads Program. Following graduation, Hannah traveled abroad to complete a Master of Arts in history from the University of Galway in Ireland. Outside of work Hannah enjoys playing with her dogs, hiking, baking, reading, water sports and spending time in the Thousand Islands.

Territories: California, District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

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Assistant Director of Admissions Gib Shea '22

Phone: (315) 781-3941

Gib is a native of Weston, Conn., and hails from a family of Statesmen and Heron alums. At HWS, Gib was a member of the HWS Leadership cohort and served as class president and a student trustee. He also participated in the sports medicine program and interned in the offices of the President, Annual Giving and Alumni Relations. When back home in Connecticut, Gib is an active volunteer firefighter and EMT. He enjoys skiing and running and has a love/hate relationship with the game of golf.

Territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut (except Fairfield County), Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York (Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Bronx), Oklahoma, Puerto Rico and Texas.

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Assistant Director of Admissions Julia Sollenne

Phone: (315) 781-4538

Julia is a native of Geneva, N.Y., and has lived in the area for most of her life. She graduated from St. John Fisher University in 2019 where she majored in English with an Interdisciplinary Studies minor focused in Education and Psychology. As an undergraduate, she worked on the campus literary magazine where she was a fiction editor and participated in other campus clubs. Julia worked at Geneva High School as a substitute teacher for three years before joining the admissions staff at HWS in 2023. She loves the Geneva community and is excited to welcome students to it. Julia enjoys writing, listening to music, cooking and spending time with her family and friends.

Territories: Western Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virgin Islands and Wisconsin.

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Recruitment Support SpecialistMadison Kaenzig De Denus '22

Madison grew up in Geneva, N.Y., and graduated summa cum laude from William Smith College in 2022. While at HWS, Madison majored in Sociology and minored in Entrepreneurial Studies. Madison was elected to Phi Beta Kappa as a senior and served as both an O’Laughlin Admissions Ambassador and a Global Ambassador for the Center for Global Education. While studying at the Colleges, she was very involved with the William Smith PLEN (Public Leadership Education Network) program, attending the events on campus and the PLEN Global Policy seminar in Washington, D.C. She also enjoyed playing with the William Smith Club Soccer team and working on projects through the Bozzuto Center for Entrepreneurship. Madison studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark where she enjoyed learning about Danish culture through her immersion experience there as a student and while taking Danish cooking classes.

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Event and Special Visit CoordinatorAnna Gove '23

Phone: (315) 781-4631

Anna grew up in Fairfield, Conn. She graduated cum laude from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2023. As a student, she worked as a senior intern in the Office of Admissions. She was a Dean's Scholar and the recipient of the Avery Arts Foundation Endowed Scholarship. While studying at HWS, Anna was involved with the arts on and off-campus. She majored in Studio Art and minored in Art History. She served as a teacher's assistant for the department of Art and Architecture, volunteered at the Davis Gallery, and interned at The Dove Block Project- a community-based cultural center. During her senior year, she received the Elizabeth Sibley Stebbins Art Prize for excellence in art at the annual Blackwell-Hale Awards. Anna’s family has a strong connection to HWS, as she has now joined five of her relatives as HWS alumni.

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Admissions Graduate AssistantKerstin Kelly '23

A native of Sudbury, Mass., Kerstin graduated summa cum laude from HWS in 2023 with a major in Architecture and a double minor in Studio Art and English. As an undergraduate, Kerstin was a two-year captain of the William Smith basketball team and held multiple on-campus jobs as an equipment manager, RFK student-worker and game manager. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in 2023.

Currently, Kerstin is enrolled in the Masters in Higher Education Leadership program at HWS and is excited to expand her horizons and continue her multi-faceted journey through the landscape of Higher Education. In her spare time, she enjoys watching the WNBA, playing with her dog and going on outdoor adventures. 

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Assistant Director of Financial Aid Hannah Snyder

Phone: (315) 781-3875

Hannah joined the HWS Enrollment Management team in 2017. Prior to that she was a project manager in the financial services and aerospace corporate sectors in New York City and Silicon Valley. While at HWS, she has taken on multiple roles in the Office of Financial Aid, as the Posse, HEOP and Farash liaison, in addition to her Assistant Director duties. Her position is focused on providing financial aid counseling and support to all aided students, from admission through to graduation. In 2019 Hannah was nominated by HEOP students, and received an award from the HEOP Office, as “Most Valuable Staff Member.” Hannah graduated with a BA from Hamilton College.

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Administrative Assistant for VP of Admissions and Financial Aid Diane Tobin

Phone: (315) 781-3622

Diane has served as administrative support in higher education for the past three years. Diane grew up in Greenwich, CT, and after earning her bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications from Ithaca College, moved to New York City. She opened a few bars/restaurants on the upper east side and then made a total plot twist and followed her passion into the fitness industry. While working as the general manager of a health club, she met her husband, and together they have been raising their five children in Montclair, NJ. Their son, Wyatt (HWS ’26), is a Stateman and plays football. Most weekends, Diane and her dog, Mabel, can be found commuting to Montclair to be with her family.

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Senior Intern Matt Dwyer

Major/Minor: Media and Society/Entrepreneurial Studies

Hometown: Frankfort, IL

Matt is a native of Chicago, IL. At HWS, Matt is a Double Major in Media & Society and English, a Double Minor in Entrepreneurial Studies and History, President of the Delta-Phi Chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and also a First-Year Mentor on campus. He also is participating in a study abroad trip to Cuba this upcoming winter. When back home in Chicago, Matt loves spending time with his dog, Kylo. He also enjoys music, writing and has a love/hate relationship with the game of golf.

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Senior Intern Emily Johnson

Major/Minor: Biology/Spanish and Hispanic Studies

Hometown: Scarbrough, ME

Emily is a current senior admissions intern and is a Maine-native. She is currently studying Biology with a minor in Spanish, and intends to eventually become a Physician Assistant. She loves the balance and education that HWS provides, with the ability to study the humanities while also working in the lab and preparing for a career in medicine. Emily is a recipient of the Blackwell-Hale Academic Achievement Award. Beyond academics, Emily is on the William Smith soccer team, and is a two-year member of the Leadership Council. She is passionate about having a voice on the field and in the classroom. Emily has worked for the biology department, and works as a server and soccer coach back home in Maine. In her time outside the classroom and the field, Emily loves to hang out with friends, shop, ski, read, and run. She enjoys all things outdoors, and looks forward to sharing more about HWS with prospective students.

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Senior Intern Joe McCoy

Major/Minor: Child Advocacy and Inclusion Studies and Education/Entrepreneurial Studies and American Studies

Hometown: Manchester Center, VT

Joe was born and raised in Manchester, Vermont, and is a double major in Educational Studies and Child Advocacy and Inclusion Studies and a double minor in Entrepreneurial Studies and American Studies. As an undergraduate student, Joe is in the final stages of completing the Teacher Education Program with dual certification in K-6 special and general education. Joe is a Hobart varsity football and baseball team member, a LEADS Program graduate, and current Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity president. He also spends much time in the Bristol Field House as an intramural Coordinator. A student-first mentality, he is a member of the Orange Key, Chimera, and Druid Honor Societies. Joe is a driven opportunist who values experience and wants to give back to a community that has given him so much. He is excited to join the 2023-24 Admissions Team.

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Senior Intern Katelyn Weeks

Major/Minor: English and Philosophy

Hometown: Rochester, NY

Katelyn Weeks is a senior at the Colleges from Rochester, NY. She is a double major in English and Philosophy with a Writing Colleagues minor and a concentration in creative writing. In addition to her majors, Katelyn is part of the Teacher Education Program, earning her certification to teach Secondary English. On campus, Katelyn is president of Hobart and William Smith Quiz Bowl, a co-leader of Thel, the student-run literary arts journal, and a member of Hai Timiai, the William Smith senior honor society. She holds two on-campus jobs as a Writing Fellow and a Teaching Fellow and is currently helping coordinate social media for the Seneca Review. Katelyn is excited to be back in Geneva this year, after just returning from her semester abroad in Maastricht, Netherlands.

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Senior Intern Conrad Palmer

Major/Minor: Psychology and Environmental Science

Hometown: Manhattan, NY

Conrad Palmer joins HWS from New York City where he lives with his mother and two college-aged siblings. Here at HWS, Conrad studies Psychology and French Concentrations. On top of his studies, Conrad is a member and co-captain of the Hobart men’s rowing team as well as a three year member of the Hobart honors societies. Conrad spent the fall of 2022 studying in Aix en Provence, France where he continued his studies and explored different European countries. As Conrad prepares to begin his final year at HWS, he is eager to work with admissions to give others the opportunity to experience the same joy he felt in his time with us.

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Senior Intern Marlayna DiFante

Major/Minor: Biochemistry

Hometown: Brockport, NY

Marlayna is from Brockport, NY and graduated from Brockport High School. She is a current senior and First-Generation student at Hobart and William Smith majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Child Advocacy. In addition to her studies, Marlayna is Lt. of Personnel for HWS EMS, a lifeguard, a chemistry Teaching Fellow, a Civic Leader, and a member of William Smith Laurel Society and Hai Timiai. Marlayna has also participated in summer research at HWS the past three summers studying The Synthesis and Characterization of Molecular Wire Candidates with Professor Christine de Denus. She is pursuing an Honors in Chemistry this year. Marlayna plans to go into medicine following her graduation from HWS. In addition to science, she enjoys swimming, traveling, and watching reality shows. She looks forward to her senior year at HWS and furthering her professional and interpersonal skills through her work in admissions.

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Senior Intern Mark (Ryan) Mulflur

Major/Minor: Economics/International Relations

Hometown: Hingham, MA

Ryan comes to HWS from Hingham, Massachusetts, and is majoring in Economics and minoring in International Relations. Ryan is a member of the high-performing Hobart Rowing team and was honored to be elected as one of its captains. He had the opportunity to study abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, and completed an International Economics and Finance certificate at the prestigious Charles University. He enjoys playing the cello in the HWS String Ensemble, drumming and dancing for African Diasporic and Jamaican Dance classes, getting barrel tossed in Kinetic Dance Collective surf dances, and plunging into the frigid waters of Seneca Lake during the winter.

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Senior Intern Jordan Britton

Major/Minor: Environmental Studies/Geoscience

Hometown: Rochester, NY

Jordan is from Rochester NY and is an Environmental Studies Major and Geoscience minor. In addition to working in the Admissions Office, he is also a teaching fellow and a first-year mentor here on campus. Jordan enjoys traveling and has studied abroad in The Bahamas, Wales, and will study in Auckland, New Zealand later this year. Jordan has also done summer research on Salamander population distribution in the Finger Lakes Nation Forest through the Environmental Studies Department. After graduation, Jordan intends to get his master’s in Sustainability at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and pursue a career overseeing large-scale sustainable development projects across Europe.

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Senior Intern Eden LaRonde

Major/Minor: Political Science

Hometown: Canastota, NY

Eden LaRonde is a William Smith Senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Law & Society and Economics. Eden is passionate about student life on campus and facilitating the first-year experience. On campus, Eden is a Lead Community assistant for student engagement and works in one of HWS's residential neighborhoods. Eden has been an admission team member since the first year and served as an O'Laughlin Ambassador. She is a Pi Sigma Alpha and a Laurel Honor Society member. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, during the Fall of 2022 semester, where she learned about the politics of popular culture. Eden is politically active on campus in her free time and enjoys looking for the best coffee in upstate New York.

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Senior Intern Avi Rajkarnikar

Major/Minor: International Relations/Entrepreneurial Studies

Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal

Avi is an international student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges from Kathmandu, Nepal. He majors in International Relations with a minor in Management and Entrepreneurship. He has been a member of both the Hobart Basketball and Swimming and Diving teams. He is a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship of Inclusive Excellence and the Roger J. Frankel Award, which is given to a senior who has made the greatest contribution to the HWS community. His connection to Hobart is tied by his family legacy, as his father graduated from the colleges in 1989.

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