Books, Bears, and Baked Goods

Ask Smithies what they are most looking forward to at the start of the academic year, and the responses will be as diverse as the students themselves.

Sharmila Green ’27 says the best thing about launching a new semester at Smith is rejoining her housemates.

“I’m most looking forward to returning to Tyler House, and the amazing community I have there,” says Green, who is president of the Smith Student Government Association. I’m so excited to welcome new students into a place that truly feels like home, and make the most of the year in our beautiful living spaces together.”

Paw Poe ’29, an engineering major, Smith rugby player, and Mwangi Cultural Center student coordinator, says “I’m looking forward to growing and learning new things! I’m excited to see what my academics, athletics, and social life have in store for me this year.”

For geosciences major and SGA All-campus Senator Mo Hassan ’27, starting the semester is about returning to “the liveliness of Smith—from the buzz of students in the Campus Center to seeing people out on the lawns, soaking up the sun, before it gets too cold.”

This fall, Smith is welcoming an entering class of 648 students. During Orientation, which starts on Thursday, September 3, new arrivals can take part in programs ranging from resource fairs to pet-a-pet sessions, to ghost tours of campus.

The Office of Student Engagement has created a calendar of activities for First Week at Smith—everything from rock wall climbing to plant sales. Look for the posters on campus, or go to the Smith Social Network for details.

Here is a sampling of activities to look out for at the start of the semester.

Book Talks and Tea

This year’s Smith Reads book selection, Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers, connects to a much-loved college tradition of serving and sharing tea. The protagonist of the two novellas in Chambers’ award-winning collection is a “tea monk” who enjoys the ritual of tea service and its role in building community. Chambers’ hopeful book “responds directly to our students’ request for speculative fiction, as it explores questions of self-discovery, community and what we need from each other and the world,” says Jennifer Joyce, dean of the first-year class. As part of the Smith Reads program for incoming students, new Smithies are invited to book discussion groups on Friday, September 4, at 12:30 p.m. in various classroom locations. On Monday, September 7, Chambers will give a reading that is open to the community at 9:30 a.m. in John M. Greene Hall.

And in other good news for book lovers, Professor Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor will give a talk about her new memoir, Something We Said, on Thursday, September 10, at 4:30 p.m. in Neilson Browsing Room. The book explores Pryor’s relationship with her famous father, comedian Richard Pryor, and the complex history of the N-word—a subject she teaches at Smith.

Connect and Collaborate

Making connections is key to developing leadership, which is why Smith’s Wurtele Center for Collaborative Leadership has created weekly drop-in sessions where students can engage in low-stakes discussion, reflection—and fun! On Wurtele Wednesdays, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. each week in Kathleen McCartney Hall, students can gather with center staff and student interns for games, crafts, and other creative activities. On Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., the center hosts weekly Coffee Chats in the Campus Center Café for informal conversations about collaborative leadership. As the invite says, “Whatever brings you in, we’re here to chat—and the coffee’s on us.”

Explore Wellbeing

To help raise awareness of the many ways students can participate in self-care, the Schacht Center for Health and Wellness is hosting a resource fair on Wednesday, September 9, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Chapin lawn. The fair will offer information about a range of holistic wellness supports at Smith and in the broader community, including group therapy, academic tutoring, local healthcare providers and other wellness resources. “We’re really excited to do this because it has been something that students have requested,” says Sunny Windorski, director of Wellness Services at Smith. “We want to highlight that wellness and wellbeing are highly personal. Our intention is to help students find out about the many ways to engage with self-care on campus and in the community.”

Share Some Team Spirit

With a new mascot and some winning streaks in the record books, the Smith College Bears are prepping for a busy fall. Home games kick off early: The Smith volleyball team plays on campus September 4 and 5 in the Bonnie May Invitational, and the Smith field hockey team will compete at home on September 5 and 6 in the Caryl Newhof Classic (named for Caryl Newhof MA ’51 in recognition of her more than 40 years with Smith Athletics). The Smith soccer team plays at home against Wesleyan University on September 9. To keep up with all things Bears, visit the Smith Athletics website.

Experience Art that Pops

The Smith College Museum of Art’s major fall exhibition features paintings by Alma Thomas, an artist, educator, space buff—and the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of Art. These vibrant, colorful works from the Smithsonian American Art Museum are organized around themes of space, Earth and music (there’s even an accompanying playlist visitors can sample as they wander the exhibit). As a visual bonus, the exhibition includes two works from SCMA’s permanent collection and another that is on loan. An opening reception for “Composing Color” will be held on Friday, September 25, at 5 p.m. Thomas’ paintings are on view through January 2027 at SCMA. There is no charge for museum admission.

Enjoy Sweet Treats

What do a few thousand donuts in multiple hues and flavors look like when laid out on tables in the Campus Center? Smith students, faculty and staff are treated to just such a sight on the first Tuesday of each month, when President Sarah Willie-LeBreton hosts an all-campus morning meetup. The vibe at First Tuesdays is casual and friendly, and refreshments include gluten-free, dairy-free, caffeine-free, and vegan options.

Attend a Local Music Festival

Smith will be well represented at the biennial Five College New Music Festival to be held September 11–13 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. A new work by Kate Soper, Smith’s Iva Dee Hiatt Professor of Music, will be performed on Friday, September 11. Ten other Smith music faculty members and performance instructors will perform throughout the weekend. Admission to the festival is free.

Await the Mystery of Mountain Day

Some morning early in the semester, bells will ring on campus announcing the arrival of another Mountain Day. A Smith tradition since 1877, Mountain Day offers a surprise break from classes and a whole day to enjoy hiking, biking, apple picking, shopping, reading—among other great ways to spend a fall day in western New England. At heart, Mountain Day is about enjoying the small pleasures and bonding with fellow Smithies. So, keep an ear out for those bells!