Dear students, staff and faculty:

I write to share exciting news about our upcoming Year on Democracies.

On the evening of Wednesday, September 8, we will welcome to our campus the Honorable Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and one of the foremost voices in American democracy today.

Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Smith, part of our Presidential Colloquium Series, will serve as the kickoff event for our yearlong examination of the ideas and ideals of democracies around the world. I can think of no better guest to launch this series of vital conversations. At the event, it will also be my great pleasure to present Speaker Pelosi with the Smith College honorary degree she had been scheduled to receive in 2020.

We will share more information, including public access, ticketing and livestreaming details, closer to the event. In the meantime, I invite you to mark your calendars and plan to join this special opportunity to hear from—and honor—one of this nation’s most influential national leaders and public servants.

Sincerely,

Kathleen McCartney
President