Judy Day’s Legacy Recognized at Hartwick Public Service Event
On Thursday, March 27, the Hartwick Institute of Public Service hosted a Gender & Public Service event in the Day Apartments classroom to commemorate Women’s History Month and honor the legacy of Judith “Judy” Day. Day, the namesake of Hartwick’s newest residence hall, the Day Apartment Community, was a dedicated public servant who served in local and state government, and the late wife of Hartwick College Trustee Larry Miller ’73.
The event featured several alumni who are making a difference in their communities and across New York State, including:
- Jasmin Ahmed ’24: A volunteer organizer at the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, empowering immigrants and allies.
- Jennifer Givner ’99: Chief media and government relations officer at the New York State Thruway Authority, with over 25 years of public sector experience, including roles under four governors and two attorneys general.
- Will Rivera: Managing director of MyOwn Image, advocating for policy changes to combat technology-facilitated gendered violence.
Watch the video of the event here.
The panelists shared insights from their work, inspiring the more than 60 students in attendance to consider how they can contribute to their communities and democracy through their career choices and volunteer work.
When asked by Hartwick senior Katherine Coco ’25 about the most exciting moment in her career, Jennifer Givner ’99 highlighted her role in spearheading communications for the $4 billion Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge project between Rockland and Westchester counties—one of New York’s largest infrastructure projects in decades. Her children now refer to the bridge as “Mom’s bridge.”
The panel was introduced by two current Hartwick College students, Aliyah Brooks ’25 and Halle Wimette ’26. Both spoke about some of the opportunities they have had this semester as public service interns, including following local news through free digital subscriptions to the local newspaper, attending a local government fair where they got to speak with Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek, the Chief of Police and their elected representatives in city and county government; and to meet and hear from New York Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado about his work inspiring a new generation of public servants.
