In keeping with Sophia Smith's wish "that the institution be so conducted, that during all coming time it shall do the most good to the greatest number," the Center for Work & Life will encourage students to identify their passions within the context of what is important for society, to become leaders who are agents of change and to develop the skills necessary to bring others along with them in the pursuit of meaningful goals.
Signature Programs
Rachel Simmons, Leadership Development Consultant for the Center for Work & Life
Beginning
in 2010, the Center for Work & Life launched a new student program in leadership development
with best-selling author and educator Rachel Simmons called Leadership
for Rebels: A Recipe for Courage and Personal Authority. In this four-part workshop,
Rachel gives students tools for self-awareness, clear communication and conflict negotiation. The
workshop is offered each fall and spring semester, and enrollment is limited. Deadlines for applying
to the workshop are listed in the current semester's "Passport," and
the application is posted online. In addition to Leadership for Rebels, Rachel has also delivered
two major campus-wide talks on topics in young women's leadership; one in fall 2010, and another
in fall 2011. For more information about Rachel's work at Smith, please e-mail Jessica
Bacal, director of the Center for Work & Life, or Ally
Einbinder, program assistant.
The Phoebe Reese Lewis Leadership Program
The Phoebe Reese Lewis Leadership Program is a highly acclaimed, innovative program that provides undergraduate women with hands-on learning experiences and training in practical leadership skills. Any first-, second- or third-year Smith student can apply to the program in the fall of the academic year. Upon successful completion of all elements of the program participants will receive a Phoebe Reese Lewis Leadership Program certificate in addition to their undergraduate degrees.
You can get leadership experience at Smith by doing any of these things:
Student Affairs
Smith College Student Affairs offers many opportunities for students to act as leaders in the Smith community. You can apply for a role on Judicial Board, in Residence Life or in orientation.
The essence of the Bridge Orientation Program is its examination of cultural diversity. Through a variety of interactive student-led seminars and group activities, participants are encouraged to share their perspectives and hear the voices of their peers to better understand and appreciate their similarities and differences.
The Student Government Association (SGA) is located in room Campus Center 206 and is responsible for making decisions regarding significant areas of non-academic and non-residential life of students. SGA serves "to encourage active cooperation in the work of self-governance; to enact and enforce laws according to the Grant of Powers; and to ensure the representation of the views and perspectives of the student body in the governance of the College." SGA serves you—the students of Smith College! Come and share your ideas, concerns or talent.
All Smith students are members of the Student Government Association, which supports the projects and programs of 100 student organizations catering to students with interests ranging from ethnic dance to community service. You can join—or lead—any of these organizations. You might make your voice heard in the debate society or on the campus radio station, try your hand at ceramics, write editorials for the student newspaper or a poem for the literary magazine—it's entirely up to you.
Do you want to get involved in an outdoor leadership training program? Or maybe you already have skills that you would like to share and help run some fun trips?
E-mail: smithoutdoors@smith.edu
The Multifaith Council meets twice a month on Tuesday evenings. If you are interested in joining, contact Maureen Raucher.
E-mail: mraucher@smith.edu
Health Reps are elected by houses and serve as liaisons between Health Services and the residential student body. The major goals of the position are to supply the houses with health promotion information and resources, such as latex products.
While the Health Rep serves as an elected liaison between Health Services and the house, a Wellness Rep is not elected. There can be more than one per house, and off-campus students are welcome.
The Wellness Committee, led by Emily Nagoski, welcomes new student members. The committee meets on the first Thursday of every month at noon in CC 205. Contact Jan Morris for more information.
E-mail: jmorris@smith.edu
Education Network (PLEN)
The Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN) is the only national organization whose sole focus is preparing women for leadership in the public policy arena.
Each year, PLEN brings about 250 women students from colleges and universities across the country to Washington, D.C. for a weekend, week, or an entire summer to experience first-hand how public policy is shaped and implemented at the national level.
Students meet with and learn from women leaders making and influencing public policy at the highest levels in the Congress, courts, federal agencies, corporate sector, policy research and advocacy organizations and the news media.
Founded in 1978, PLEN has served thousands of women, of which more than one-third are women of color or from other populations historically under-represented in public policy leadership.
The Smith Scholars Program is designed for highly motivated and talented students who want to spend two to four semesters working on projects of their own devising, freed (in varying degrees) from normal college requirements. A student may apply at any time after the first semester of her sophomore year and must submit a detailed statement of her program, an evaluation of her proposal and her capacity to complete it from those faculty who will advise her and two supporting recommendations from instructors who have taught her in class.
The deadlines for submission of proposals for the Smith Scholars Program are November 15 and April 15 of the student's junior year. The proportion of work to be done in normal courses will be decided jointly by the student, her adviser(s) and the Subcommittee on Honors and Independent Programs. Work done in the program may result in a group of related papers, an original piece of work, such as a play, or some combination of these.
A Smith Scholar may or may not complete a regular departmental major. Further details, guidelines and applications are available from the dean of the senior class.
Program
The Jean Picker Semester-in-Washington Program is a first-semester program open to Smith junior and senior government majors and to other Smith juniors and seniors with appropriate background in the social sciences. It provides students with an opportunity to study processes by which public policy is made and implemented at the national level. Students are normally resident in Washington from the June preceding the semester through December.
Applications for enrollment should be made through the director of the Semester-in-Washington Program no later than November 1 of the preceding year. Enrollment is limited to 12 students, and the program is not mounted for fewer than six.
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