HWS News
16 July 2026 • Alums New Portrait of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell to be Displayed in the Blackwell Room
A rare photograph of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell captures her as a student at Geneva Medical College.
A newly acquired photograph of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree, will soon be on display at Hobart and William Smith, offering a rare glimpse of one of the institution's most historic figures during her years as a student at Geneva Medical College.
Blackwell enrolled at Geneva Medical College in 1847 after being admitted through a vote of the student body. Despite facing significant barriers and discrimination as a woman pursuing a medical education, she excelled in her studies and graduated first in her class in 1849. Her achievement marked a turning point in American medical education and opened doors for generations of women in medicine.
Mary Herlihy Gearan L.H.D.’17, P’21 first saw the photo while reading The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough. “The newly obtained image is especially significant because it depicts Dr. Blackwell as a young woman around the time she attended Geneva Medical College. Most known photographs of her were taken later in her life after she had established herself as a physician, educator and advocate for women's rights. I wanted to make certain that we had access to it and could share it with our community."
A copy of the photograph – which is in the permanent collection of the Museum of the City of New York – will be installed this summer in the Blackwell Room in Demarest Hall. The display will include a brief biography highlighting Blackwell's remarkable journey from a medical student in Geneva to one of the most influential figures in the history of medicine.
The addition of the portrait provides students, faculty, staff and visitors with a more personal connection to Blackwell's story, allowing them to see her not only as a pioneering historical figure but also as the determined young student who walked the halls of Geneva Medical College nearly 180 years ago.
Today, Blackwell's legacy remains deeply connected to Hobart and William Smith. Her groundbreaking accomplishments continue to inspire HWS' commitment to education, leadership and expanding opportunities for future generations.
Photo Credit: Museum of the City of New York
