Hobart and William Smith Colleges' President Mark D. Gearan will be presented with the Heron Award at the annual William Smith Athletics Banquet in the Vandervort Room of the Scandling Campus Center on Tuesday, April 18. That evening, the William Smith Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will also present its annual appreciation awards.
 
The celebration will be webcast at www.hwsathletics.com/HeronAwards. Prior to the start of the banquet, William Smith Athletics will host a "Green Carpet" event complete with interviews with coaches and student-athletes streamed on Twitter.
 
Gearan will be the 20th recipient of the Heron Award, which is presented in recognition of the honoree's commitment to William Smith College and its athletics program. Recipients of the Heron Award are chosen by the Heron Society Board of Directors.
 
The longest serving president in the history of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Gearan will conclude his presidency at the end of the academic year. His 18 years of service to HWS have been marked by unprecedented growth in every area of the Colleges, including athletics. Gearan's efforts have expanded athletic opportunities for Herons with the addition of varsity ice hockey in 2014, fostered the growth of the Heron Society and its support of William Smith athletics, and enhanced the facilities for all student-athletes, most notably through the creation of the Caird Center for Sports and Recreation, which opened in 2010.
 
The Heron SAAC annually presents appreciation awards to a person or persons from the community, the faculty, and the staff. This year's recipient of the Community Appreciation Award is Joanna Penrod. The recipients of the Faculty Appreciation Award are Associate Professor of Russian Studies Kristen Welsh and Professor of Anthropology and Sociology Jeff Anderson. In addition to receiving the Heron Award, President Gearan will share the Staff Appreciation Award with his wife, Mary Herlihy Gearan.
 
Penrod is one of the most ardent supporters of William Smith athletics. From the rinks, to the fields, to the courts, she and her children are there, cheering on the Herons. The Penrod family offers endless positive energy to William Smith student-athletes.
 
Welsh and Anderson are Faculty-Athletic Fellows for the field hockey team. In addition to their presence on the sidelines of McCooey Field, they have helped William Smith Athletics as visiting team hosts during NCAA Championship events. Welsh and Anderson are committed educators always willing to assist students in their academic pursuits.
 
For the past 18 years, the Gearans have been committed and caring members of the HWS community, supporting HWS student-athletes in a wide variety of ways from cheering in the stands, to opening their home to teams for a meal, to their daily interaction with students. They have modeled what living a life of consequence means.
 
The William Smith SAAC consists of two student-athletes from each of the College's 12 varsity teams. The purpose of SAAC is to provide a mechanism for communication and promote activity between student-athletes, the athletic department and the campus community.
 
In addition to the Heron Award and SAAC Appreciation Awards, William Smith Athletics will present 35 team and department awards.
 
The William Smith Athletics Awards Banquet has been permanently underwritten thanks to the generosity of a William Smith alumna with gratitude for her experience as a Heron student-athlete.