Celebrating Smith’s 150th

In September of 1875, Smith College opened its doors to 14 students and six faculty members. Ever since then, we’ve been pushing the world forward in profound ways. Smith—and Smithies—have been a force for change, transforming our society, our history, and the lives and leadership of women. Smith’s impact on the greater good has been undeniable.

Read President Sarah’s letter to the community launching our sesquicentennial. 

Throughout 2025, we’ll celebrate Smith as a college of and for the world. Check back here often for new content, event listings, and timeline updates.

A Look Back at 150 Years

 

150 Years, 150 Stories

Smith College has an inspiring and complex story. Over the course of the year, we will collect 150 (or more!) stories of the people, places, ideas, and initiatives—some new, some taken from our archives—that provide a rich, nuanced portrait of Smith’s place in the world, its influence on culture, and the powerful ways it has evolved and responded to the big issues of the day. Check back here for regular updates, and feel free to share your own personal stories of how Smith shaped you.

Little Love Stories

A First-Generation Student Goes Abroad

Getting to study in England was life-changing for Vicki Johnson ’87—and now her daughter, Sula Johns...

  • Little Love Stories
  • February 7, 2025
Little Love Stories

A Choral Recording for the Ages

Nearly 50 years later, Leota Boesen ’78 fondly remembers an intense taping session with the Smith Co...

  • Little Love Stories
  • January 31, 2025
Little Love Stories

Learning to Live Authentically

With supportive, like-minded people, Skye Myerson ’17 embraced their values, gender identity.

  • Little Love Stories
  • January 28, 2025
150th Anniversary

1909: President Marion Le Roy Burton

In this Quarterly profile, Burton, who began his presidential duties in 1910, is described as a “man...

  • 150th Anniversary
  • January 10, 2025
Archival black and white of Marion Le Roy Burton sitting in a chair

Write a little love story to Smith

To help us celebrate the college’s 150th anniversary, send us a love story to Smith. It can be about a favorite place on campus, an influential professor or staff member, an enduring memory or friendship—something that captures the essence of what makes Smith special. We’ll post responses to this page and possibly use some of the stories in an upcoming issue of the Smith Quarterly.

Submit Your Story

Game Changer

Smith has always been a place for "Game Changers"—people who challenge the status quo and make a real difference in the world. Their stories show how one person can spark big change.

Explore more profiles of Smith’s Game Changers.

Deborah Archer ’93

In 2021, Deborah Archer made history as the first Black woman to be named president of the American Civil Liberties Union. A renowned civil rights lawyer, teacher, and scholar, Archer was the first in her family to attend college. She chose Smith at the urging of a family friend who had graduated from Smith and told Archer that it was a “magical” place. When she received the Smith College Medal at Rally Day in 2022, Archer said, “I would not be the person I am without Smith. I came knowing that the world needed to change. But it was at Smith that I came to believe that I could change it.” Early in her career, she was a lawyer at the ACLU and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where she took on cases related to voting rights, employment discrimination, and school segregation. In addition to her position with the ACLU, Archer serves as associate dean of experiential education and clinical programs and co-faculty director of the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at New York University School of Law. She is also a member of Smith College’s board of trustees.

Deborah Archer headshot

Celebrate in Style

In honor of our sesquicentennial, we’ve put together a collection of gear ranging from mugs to T-shirts to notebooks. Let everyone know you’re proud to celebrate 150 years of Smithie magic.

Shop the 150th Collection

On View at Neilson

A group of Smithies walking away from the Grécourt Gates, smiling

1968 September
Washington, D.C.-area Smith students in front of the Grécourt Gates.
Grounds subject files, CA-MS-00137, box 264.1, folder 23

Smithies!

Celebrating 150 Years of Student Life

On display on the ground floor of Neilson Library throughout 2025, this exhibit offers a glimpse into the social, academic, and athletic lives of Smithies over the last 150 years. Check out an astronomy class from the 1800s, a protest in 1956, a dance rehearsal from 1990, and more in this exhibit curated from the Smith College Archives.

Learn more about the display.

A Year of Celebration

We’ll be celebrating all year long. Check out some of the highlights of the sesquicentennial year. View the full events calendar.

Rally Day

February 20

Announcement of the commencement honorands

Bulb Show Opens

March 1

Celebrating the 130th anniversary of the Smith College Botanic Garden

Come Home to Smith Day

November 1

Have a story, content idea, or addition to the timeline? Email smith150@smith.edu.