Scholarship Recipient

Why Smith?
I was looking for an open curricular structure that allowed for interdisciplinary exploration. I loved the community of historically women's colleges and how it extends to alums. Smith had all this and also demonstrated strength in fellowships, such as Mellon Mays and Fulbright.

What does being a Smithie mean to you?
It’s an indescribable essence! But if I had to pinpoint components, I’d say resourcefulness and unrelenting resiliency. The BIPOC Smithies and alums who have supported me shape what a Smithie means to me.

What has financial aid meant to you and your family?
Financial aid is essential to my family as it enables me to attend college without extreme financial stress. Affordability was the biggest factor in my college decision.

What are you studying?
I am majoring in women and gender studies, minoring in data science and planning to add a museum concentration. Post-graduation, I’m interested in pursuing a doctorate and being equally an activist and an academic.

“Financial aid has created pathways in my life that I never thought were possible. I have been granted fellowships and opportunities that actualize my wildest dreams for my future.”

What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of?
My fondest accomplishment at Smith is conducting data science research and becoming a Mellon Mays Fellow. I came to Smith with no prior experience in data science and independent research, yet I was able to use the open curriculum to explore my passions.

Who has had the greatest influence on you?
My loved ones impacted me the most. Growing up in a Jamaican-Ghanaian household in South Jersey, close to the Philadelphia border, shaped my identity.

What do you like best at Smith?
I love the people and the unique class options. I have been able to take a vast breadth of courses, which has fostered my interest in interdisciplinary methods.

Which faculty members stand out for you and why?
My favorite faculty members are Leslie King, professor of sociology and chair of environmental science and policy; Andrea Hairston, Louise Wolff Kahn Professor of Theatre and professor of Africana studies; Kathleen Pierce, visiting assistant professor of art; Lindsay Poirier, assistant professor of statistical and data sciences; and Albert Kim, assistant professor of statistical and data sciences! Their content was truly engaging and you can feel their genuine care for each and every student.

What’s an opportunity you’ve had at Smith that changed you?
I was a teaching assistant for Race and Gender in the History of Photography, a class that I had previously taken and that fostered my passion for the arts and visual critique. I was grateful to return as a teaching assistant and revisit material that pushed me to my fields of study.

What’s a little-known fact about you?
I am super good at finding bargains. My thrift finds are top tier! I also have a six-year-old record collection and love a ridiculous breadth of music genres and artists.

Why should donors give to financial aid?
Financial aid has created pathways in my life that I never thought were possible. I have been granted fellowships and opportunities that actualize my wildest dreams for my future.

Contact Us

To make an endowed gift or to learn more about supporting financial aid at Smith, please contact Betsy Carpenter ’93, associate vice president for development, at 413-585-2052 or ewcarpen@smith.edu.