HWS named Legacy Partner for Wells

The Wells Book Arts Center, long housed in Morgan Hall, will be the cornerstone of a new academic program at HWS.

Great news! The Colleges of Hobart and William Smith in Geneva, NY — just one lake over from Aurora — have become the legacy partner of Wells College.

The present and historic educational identity of HWS and their location in the Finger Lakes make them the ideal partner. Their compatibility and heart of service has been proven in the terrific support they have provided to the large number of Wells transfer students (more than any other school!) they adopted and nurtured.

On the April day that they announced the closure of our beloved alma mater, the leadership of Wells College informed the public that Manhattanville University would be our legacy partner! Within two weeks, the founding members of the WLS incorporated and hired attorneys to fight that decision to entrust our legacy to a financially unstable, incompatible institution 250 miles away

Our initial effort, a careful crafted letter from our attorneys to the Wells Board of Trustees and the NYS Ofiice of the Attorney General, was shared with the public. Subsequent efforts took place behind the scenes, along with a successful public petition to “Say No to Manhattanville.”

On August 23, 2024, several of our WLS board members met at length with HWS President Mark Gearan in Geneva to discuss our deep concerns about Wells’ legacy. We remain very grateful for that important opportunity, and hope to build upon that initial relationship as the newly announced legacy partnership unfolds, develops and deepens.

Thank you, Wells Legacy Society members, supporters and friends, for keeping the faith on this journey! This is a long-awaited, very welcome major step along our way.