Hamilton President Joan Hinde Stewart was honored at the YWCA of the Mohawk Valley's Salute to Outstanding Women on April 6. The annual Salute celebrates and honors women who have made "exemplary contributions in their industry." Stewart was recognized in the education category.
The YWCA award recognizes the contributions women make to bring about social and economic change, promote women's equality, serve as outstanding role models, work on behalf of women's issues and demonstrate exceptional leadership within their professions.
Joan Hinde Stewart assumed the Hamilton presidency on July 1, 2003. She was formerly dean of the College of Liberal Arts and professor of French at the University of South Carolina (USC). The first in her family to earn a college degree, Stewart also joined the Hamilton faculty as professor of French. She is the first female president in Hamilton's more-than-190-year history.
Prior to her arrival at USC in 1999, Stewart was at North Carolina State University as a member of the faculty from 1973 to 1999 and chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures from 1985 to 1997. She also served as assistant dean for research and graduate programs for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. In 1988-89, Stewart chaired the North Carolina Humanities Council, and in 1977 she received the university's Outstanding Teaching Award.
Before joining the NC State faculty, Stewart taught at Wellesley College. She received her Ph.D. from Yale University in 1970, having graduated summa cum laude in 1965 from St. Joseph's College, a small, private, liberal arts institution in Brooklyn, New York.
In introducing Stewart, luncheon emcee and YWCA executive director Denise Cavanaugh said Stewart was the first in her family to attend college. She said that while Stewart was obtaining her degrees in the 1960s and '70s "she most likely faced an uneven playing field with her male colleagues. It is inspiring that Joan Stewart is the first female president of the formerly all male Hamilton College."
In accepting her award Stewart referred to the unconditional support she received from her family that helped her to achieve her goals. She credited her family with bringing her "from West 12th Street in Brooklyn to the presidency of Hamilton College." Stewart also acknowledged the women with whom she works at Hamilton.
Also being recognized this year was alumna Cassandra Harris-Lockwood 'K '74, who was the honoree in the business and industry category. She is executive director of For the Good, Inc., editor of the Utica Phoenix and director of the Mohawk Valley Contractors Guild. She is former director of Cornhill People United, created the Youth Motivational Program for at-risk black boys in Cornhill and founded the Teen Center for the Arts. In conjunction with Hamilton College she founded the tutoring and mentoring program, the Study Buddy Club.
While a college student, Harris-Lockwood co-founded the Women's Center at Kirkland College, now the Hamilton College Womyn's Center.
