Mark Gearan

President

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PRESIDENT MARK D. GEARAN

Mark Gearan
Mark D. Gearan has led Hobart and William Smith through a transformative era of growth, national recognition and renewed institutional ambition – all guided by an unwavering commitment to student success and civic purpose.

Gearan first served as President of HWS from 1999 to 2017, a period defined by expanded academic offerings, increased student engagement and strengthened community partnerships. After stepping down, he served as President in Residence at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was later appointed Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, where he advanced national conversations on public service and leadership.

In 2022, Gearan returned to Hobart and William Smith. Under his leadership, HWS launched Further Together: The Campaign for Our Third Century in 2024 – a bold initiative to raise $400 million in support of students, faculty and the future of the institution. Already, the campaign has secured more than $325 million in new philanthropy, including a historic $70 million gift from L. Thomas Melly ’52, L.H.D. ’02 and Judith Hershey Melly L.H.D. ’16, one of the largest to any college or university in the nation that year. This transformational investment is expanding scholarship support and establishing the Melly Institute for Business, Innovation and Leadership.

Similarly, a $25 million gift from Cynthia Gelsthorpe Fish ’82, L.H.D. ’23 and John F. Fish is advancing the future of STEM education at HWS through the creation of the Fish Center for the Sciences, a nearly 40,000-square-foot integrated hub for science research and instruction slated to break ground in January 2026.

During Gearan’s tenure, Hobart and William Smith has earned national accolades from The Wall Street Journal, The Princeton Review and Washington Monthly for excellence in the student experience, alumni engagement, internship support and career development. With a strong return on investment, 95% of graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school within four months of graduation.

A champion of civil discourse and democratic engagement, Gearan established The President’s Forum to convene national and global thought leaders on campus. Rooted in his belief that future leaders must be prepared to live and work in diverse communities, the Forum serves as a space for dialogue across lines of difference — including identity, faith, politics and perspective.

Nationally recognized for his leadership in higher education and public service, Gearan has held key roles in government and national politics. He served as White House Communications Director, Deputy Chief of Staff and Campaign Manager for Clinton/Gore ’92, as well as Executive Director of the Democratic Governors Association. In 1995, President Bill Clinton appointed him the 14th Director of the Peace Corps, where he led the agency’s expansion into South Africa, Jordan and Haiti, and launched the Crisis Corps to deploy returned volunteers in response to global emergencies.

Gearan currently serves on the board of directors for Public Agenda and was Vice Chair of the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service, established by the U.S. Congress. He is a former chair of both National Campus Compact and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

open house

A cum laude graduate of Harvard College and Georgetown University Law Center, Gearan holds 13 honorary degrees in recognition of his contributions to education and service.

He and his wife, Mary Herlihy Gearan, are active members of both the campus and Geneva communities. They host a weekly open house at their home, welcoming students, faculty, staff and neighbors. 

A magna cum laude graduate of Emmanuel College with a J.D. from George Washington University Law School, Herlihy Gearan serves on the boards of Emmanuel College and Happiness House, Finger Lakes Cerebral Palsy Association. At Harvard, she and President Gearan served as Interim Faculty Deans of Winthrop House, where she received the John R. Marquand Award for her exceptional mentorship of undergraduates.

The Gearans are the proud parents of two daughters, Madeleine and Kathleen ’21.

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