Founders Day at Smith College

Dear Friends,

In recognition of Smith College's 150th anniversary and to mark the day Sophia Smith signed her will establishing the college, we are celebrating Founder's Day on Saturday, March 8. Through free activities and programs across campus, we'll come together to honor the spirit of generosity within the Smith community.

Generosity takes many forms, from Sophia's original bequest to the exchange of knowledge that happens in classrooms every day, from our shared commitment to making Smith better to the countless ways alums use their education to lead change in the world.

We hope you will join us on Saturday, March 8, 2025. All events are free and open to the public with no registration required.

Activities:
150 Years of Smith College and Northampton
Lecture: 1–2 p.m. | Reception: 2–3 p.m.
Alumnae House, 33 Elm Street

Smith President Sarah Willie-LeBreton and Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra '96 will host "150 years later—Smith + Northampton: A History of the College's Founding."

In 1869, Sophia Smith was committed to siting a future college for women in her hometown of Hatfield, but just three months before her death in 1870 she revised her will, shifting the location to Northampton. What changed her mind? What were Northampton's "superior advantages"? And what was Northampton like in the years after the Civil War and before the first class of Smith students entered in 1875? Join Laurie Sanders '88, Historic Northampton's co-director, for a closer look at the important connections between Northampton history and Smith College's founding.

Smith College Museum of Art
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
20 Elm Street
Explore and enjoy four floors of art (for free!), including a display of art titled Women Artists in Europe: 16th–18th Centuries on the second floor and contemporary artwork by Torkwase Dyson on the third floor.

Spring Bulb Show
10 a.m.–8 p.m. Enjoy special extended hours!
Botanic Garden, 16 College Lane

Smith College Bell Ringers
3–6 p.m.
Mendenhall Performing Arts Center, Greene Street
Stop by the Mendenhall Bell Tower for an open house from 3 to 4 p.m. The bells will then be rung in quarter peals and other formats from 4 to 6 p.m. Enter the Mendenhall Performing Arts Center at the Berenson Studio across from Sage Hall. Access to the ringing chamber requires climbing a short ladder.

Campus Center Café
9 a.m.–10 p.m.
Julia McWilliams Child '34 Campus Center, 100 Elm Street
The Campus Center Café offers a wide variety of food and beverages including gourmet pizzas, salads, soups, sandwiches, and grilled foods, including vegan and vegetarian selections.

If you're coming to campus, consider participating in the Smith Students for Reproductive Justice's (SSRJ) Period Product Drive for the Northampton Survival Center. To honor the Smith spirit of generosity, SSRJ is collecting period and personal hygiene products for donation to the Northampton Survival Center. All donations must be new, unopened, and full-size (not travel-size). Drop off during business hours March 3-8 at locations across campus, including the Alumnae House and the Office of Student Engagement in Campus Center 106.

Parking:
Visitor parking is available in white-lined spaces on campus, as shown on this map. The City of Northampton also offers metered street parking.

We hope you will join us to celebrate Founder's Day on Saturday, March 8. A full schedule of events can be found online. Questions? Email eventsrsvp@smith.edu.