Smith College

For the private liberal arts colleges in Geneva, New York, see Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
Smith College
MottoἘν τῇ ἀρετῇ τὴν γνῶσιν (Greek)
Motto in English
To Virtue, Knowledge (2 Peter 1:5)[1]
TypePrivate liberal arts women's college
Established1871; 153 years ago (1871) (opened 1875; 149 years ago (1875))
AccreditationNECHE
Academic affiliation
Endowment$2.4 billion (2022)[2]
PresidentSarah Willie-LeBreton
ProvostDaphne Lamothe
Academic staff
285[3]
Students2,873 (2022-23)[4]
Undergraduates2,523 (2022-23)[4]
Postgraduates401 (fall 2018)[5]
Location
Northampton, Massachusetts
,
U.S.

42°19′3″N 72°38′15″W / 42.31750°N 72.63750°W / 42.31750; -72.63750
CampusSmall-town
Colors   Blue with gold trim[6]
NicknamePioneers
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division III – NEWMAC
Websitewww.smith.edu

Smith College is a private liberal arts women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts, United States. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith and opened in 1875. It is a member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of women's colleges in the Northeastern United States. Smith is also a member of the Five College Consortium[8] with four other institutions in the Pioneer Valley: Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst;[9] students of each college are allowed to attend classes at any other member institution. On campus are Smith's Museum of Art and Botanic Garden, the latter designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

Smith has 50 academic departments and programs and is structured around an open curriculum, with requirements being a writing intensive class during the first year and the fulfillment of a major. Examinations vary from self-scheduled exams, scheduled exams, and take-home exams. Undergraduate admissions are exclusively restricted to women, although Smith announced a trans-inclusive admissions policy in 2015.[10][11] Smith offers several graduate degrees, all of which accept applicants regardless of gender, and co-administers programs alongside other Five College Consortium members. The college was the first historically women's college to offer an undergraduate engineering degree.[12] Admissions are considered selective. It was the first women's college to join the NCAA, and its sports teams are known as the Pioneers.

Smith alumnae include notable authors, journalists, activists, feminists, politicians, investors, philanthropists, actresses, filmmakers, academics, businesswomen, CEOs, two First Ladies of the United States, and recipients of the Pulitzer Prize, Rhodes Scholarship, Academy Award, Emmy Award, MacArthur Grant, Peabody Award, and Tony Award.

  1. ^ "Commencement & Ivy Day Traditions". Smith College. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  2. ^ As of March 7, 2022. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2021 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY20 to FY21 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. 2022. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Just the Facts Archived May 12, 2005, at the Wayback Machine, Smith College website.
  4. ^ a b "Common Data Set 2022-2023" (PDF). Smith College. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  5. ^ "Common Data Set 2018–2019" (PDF). Smith College. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 5, 2019.
  6. ^ "Smith College:Visual Identity Program". Smith College. 2012. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  7. ^ "NAICU – Membership". Archived from the original on November 9, 2015.
  8. ^ "Five Colleges, Incorporated: Home". Fivecolleges.edu. Archived from the original on September 13, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  9. ^ [1] Archived December 16, 2019, at the Wayback Machine Five College Consortium website. "Accessed July 9, 2009"
  10. ^ "Smith College Now Admits Trans Students". www.advocate.com. May 2, 2015. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  11. ^ "Smith College: Admission Policy Study Group". www.smith.edu. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  12. ^ "Blazing A Trail For Women, Smith College Prepares To Graduate The Country's First All-Female Class Of Engineers". www.smith.edu. April 20, 2004. Archived from the original on July 11, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.