Lt. Gov. Delgado To Speak at Hartwick College

ONEONTA—New York Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado will deliver the 2025 Leslie G. Rude Memorial Lecture on Tuesday, March 11. His presentation, “Public Service in New York,” is free and open to the public. It begins at 5 p.m. in the Anderson Center for the Arts on the Hartwick College campus.

According to a press release, Delgado has visited Hartwick College several times as part of events hosted by the Institute of Public Service. During this lecture, he will discuss his efforts to inspire and support the next generation of public servants in New York.

Before the talk, a local government and college fair will be held in the foyer of Anderson Theatre from 4-5 p.m. The fair will offer students an opportunity to meet members of the Oneonta and Otsego County governments and learn more about the community. According to officials, the event is being organized by Hartwick College student Cooper Cohen ’28, who was appointed by Oneonta Mayor Drnek to co-chair the Town-Gown Taskforce, and Amelia Williams ’26, an intern with the Institute of Public Service.

A reception will follow the lieutenant governor’s talk, during which community members and college students will be encouraged to mingle, share their hopes for Oneonta and strengthen community ties, organizers said.

Born and raised in Schenectady, Delgado attended Colgate University before studying philosophy and political theory at Oxford University. He later earned a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Elected to Congress in 2018, Delgado represented New York’s 19th Congressional District, becoming the first person of color to represent upstate New York in Congress. In May 2022, he was appointed lieutenant governor and elected to a full term later in the year.

As lieutenant governor, he served as chair of the Regional Economic Development Councils. Delgado was also tasked with leading the New York State Office of Service and Civic Engagement, which was formed in January 2024.

The lecture honors Leslie Rude, a former Hartwick College faculty member and administrator. Following his death in 1998, his widow, Marion Rude, and Professor Emeritus Norma Hutman established the Leslie G. Rude Memorial Lecture to reflect his passionate interests in political science and public speaking, and his commitment to public life. The annual lecture aims to bring a prominent speaker with political expertise to the Hartwick campus to share ideas with students, faculty and community members about issues pertinent to the current political climate, Hartwick College officials said.

For additional information on the Leslie G. Rude Memorial Lecture, contact Laurel Elder, professor of political science, at elderl@hartwick.edu.