IN MEMORIAM: Senator James L. Seward

This is how Hartwick College remembers former New York State Senator Jim Seward ’73, H’99, who passed away July 27, 2024, at the age of 72.

One of the inaugural members of the Hartwick Institute of Public Service Leadership Council, the Oneonta native who represented the state’s 50th Senatorial District for most of his 37 years of service fully believed in the power of Hartwick to inspire a new generation of public servants.

The 17-term senator taught the College’s New York State Policy and Politics course and supported numerous Hartwick interns who learned from him at his state senate office. He also gave many graduates their first jobs in public service.

“Senator Seward was an upstanding individual and role model,” said Theo Malone ’21, who took Seward’s policy class. “His love for New York, Otsego County, government and policy was always palpable anytime you were graced with his presence.”

In honor of his dedication to the people of his state, the institute recently launched the Senator Seward Public Service Internship, a paid summer internship focused on inspiring a young person to follow in his footsteps and pursue a career in public service.