Organizers of the 3rd International Service-Learning Summit recently announced that Mark Gearan, president of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, will be the summit’s keynote speaker. The gathering will take place in Durham, North Carolina, from March 4 – 6.

While Gearan has served as President of Hobart and William Smith since 1999, he also has extensive credentials in public policy and service, having served as the Director of the Peace Corps, and at the White House as Assistant to the President, Director of Communications, and Deputy Chief of Staff.

President Gearan is Chair of the Talloires Network Steering Committee, an international association of more than 200 institutions on six continents committed to strengthening the civic roles and social responsibilities of higher education. He is the Co-Chair of the National Advisory Board on Public Service at Harvard College and serves on the Presidential Advisory Group for the NCAA. He is the past chair of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Annapolis Group and the National Campus Compact.

President Gearan’s commitment to service has extended into the local community through the Geneva Partnership that he developed in 2007 in order to further deepen the Colleges’ relationship with Geneva (NY). Since then Hobart and William Smith have made a number of investments in the City of Geneva including direct payments to assist the City budget, donations to non-profit organizations, and support of civic projects. Under his leadership, HWS has partnered with the Geneva City School District on the Geneva 2020 initiative. Locally, he also serves on the advisory councils of the Happiness House Foundation, Ontario ARC and the Geneva Community Center. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a law degree from Georgetown University.

Interested in attending the 3rd Annual International Service-Learning Summit? Check out the website, register here, and continue to watch this site for updates on the program and the process that we will engage with one another. Based on previous summits and involvement with the planning committee, it’s safe to say that anyone serious about careful and conscientious service and learning across cultures will not want to miss it!