position of President of Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. "One of the best personnel decisions I have made as President was to appoint Mark Gearan as the Director of the Peace Corps," Clinton said. "I believe he has been one of the most successful Directors since President Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961. He has rejuvenated the Peace Corps, and demonstrated a deep commitment to its legacy of service and the women and men who serve as Peace Corps volunteers. He can be proud that the Peace Corps will soon have more volunteers serving overseas than at any time in a generation." Gearan explained why he left government to come to Hobart and William Smith. "College administration generally and, in particular, small, residential, liberal arts colleges have always been things I thought I would like to be a part of, because of their importance, because they are mission-oriented, because they are value-centered," Gearan said. "I came up here and was enormously impressed with the students and their capacity and their love for the place and their yearning for learning," Gearan added. Under Gearan's leadership, Hobart and William Smith expanded its academic reach and advanced its reputation as a prominent liberal arts institution. By strengthening the Colleges' financial resources and increasing its fundraising range, Hobart and William Smith transformed the physical campus, adding and expanding facilities while also increasing access and opportunity for students with an expansion of financial aid. Gearan made significant commitments to diversity and inclusion, propelled the Colleges' environmental efforts, and grew programming in civic engagement, career services, leadership, study abroad and student services. The President's Forum Gearan established a lecture series, the President's Forum, to bring national and international speakers to the University. Making use of personal contacts made during his thirty years in politics, speakers in the series have included Hillary Clinton, Robert Drinan, Sam Donaldson, Ralph Nader, Donna Shalala, Michael Dukakis, George Stephanopoulos, Barney Frank, George McGovern, Gloria Steinem, and Helen Thomas. "These speakers will enrich the campus life, while at the same time giving our visiting speakers a better sense of the dynamic community we have here," said Gearan, at the time of the series' creation. Strategic Planning At the close of his first year at Hobart and William Smith, Gearan began the development of a five-year strategic planning initiative called HWS 2005. He subsequently led the next two