HWS News
13 May 2026 • Service Davenport to Deliver Keynote Address at Baccalaureate
Hobart and William Smith graduates and their families are invited to attend the annual interfaith celebration and opportunity for reflection on the eve of Commencement.
This year’s keynote address, titled “Labor of Love,” will be delivered by Donna Davenport, Professor of Dance and Movement Studies. Davenport will retire at the end of the semester following a distinguished career at Hobart and William Smith.
The Baccalaureate ceremony, coordinated by The Rev. Nita S. Johnson Byrd, will take place on Saturday, May 16, at 1:30 p.m. in St. John's Chapel. The interfaith service offers a reflective setting for graduates and their loved ones to honor their academic and personal journeys.
Spoken reflections will be offered by graduating seniors Daudi Aden '26, Elinor Brunner '26, Brooke Donnelly '26, Rachel Morton '26 and Hali Seidberg '26.
In her address, Davenport says she will share with the Class of 2026 and their families that “the labor of love is life itself, and to express love each day is to be passionate about your goals and devoted to helping others.”
Davenport’s teaching career at HWS has spanned 36 years, and her teaching and service have touched countless students on campus and throughout the Geneva community. She served on the board of Geneva Concerts for 10 years and collaborated with education and dance faculty at The Smith Opera House and The Cracker Factory. Her commitment to introducing students to the expressive joy of dance led her to volunteer as Dean of Faculty for St. Peter's Community Arts Academy, establish the “Power of Dance” program at the Boys & Girls Club and help launch dance education initiatives with the Geneva City School District.
Her service to the HWS community is equally notable: Davenport designed and co-coordinated the Arts and Education and Social Justice Studies degree programs; developed several bi-disciplinary courses; dedicated herself to choreography and performances; and served as Associate Dean of Faculty, a four-time department chair and a member of numerous working groups and committees.
Davenport holds a doctorate and master of dance education from Temple University, as well as a BFA in dance and a B.A. in psychology from University of Massachusetts. Recently, she completed a book manuscript titled Moving into Knowing Self: An Interactive College Reader, which reflects and encapsulates her years at HWS.
