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Grants from foundations, corporations, and
government agencies make it possible for Smith to evolve in innovative new directions.
The college continues to be an educational leader across a wide academic spectrum
as a result of these partnerships.
Smith College received a four-year $1.3 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to support a package of initiatives aimed at improving science education for females from the earliest grades through their college years. The college’s plan, called “Developing the Modern Scientist,” is a unifying strategy that will enhance Smith’s cornerstone strengths in several key areas, including student research and collaboration, outreach initiatives, and state-of-the-art research equipment in resource centers.
Established in 1990, the Smith Summer Science and Engineering Program is a month-long summer science enrichment program for high school girls. During 2008 the program was once again supported through donations by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the Bechtel Group Foundation.
The Davis Project for Peace program supported Smith student Amelia Mitchell ’11 with a $10,000 grant to pursue her project entitled “Children’s Photovoice Project in Paraguay.” In Paraguay, Mitchell worked with rural, indigenous children teaching them how to use cameras to document, explain, celebrate and share their lives.
The Ford Foundation has recently awarded a $175,000 two-year grant to Smith’s Sophia Smith Collection in support of the Voices of Feminism project. In addition the Ford Foundation has also provided a $50,000 pre-production grant, also to the Sophia Smith Collection, for the documentary film project, “And So We Speak: Women of Color and Reproductive Justice.” This film will explore the rise of women of color in the reproductive rights movement.
The George I. Alden Trust has awarded a $150,000 grant in support of construction of Smith’s new state-of-the-art science and engineering facility, Ford Hall. These funds will enable Smith’s unique engineering program as well as students studying the molecular biosciences to move into their new facilities in fall of 2009.
The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation once again selected Smith to be a part of its prestigious Beckman Scholars Program. The grant of $77,200 will support four Smith students as they perform interdisciplinary research in the sciences. The funds will enable students to conduct full-time research for two summers and part-time research for one academic year.
The Davis United World College Scholars Program has a rich history of providing scholarship support for United World College students studying in the US. This year the program has contributed $150,000 in scholarship funding for students who graduated from a UWC school and are currently attending Smith. These funds assist Smith in maintaining international and cultural diversity.
The Branta Foundation recently made a $1 million grant to Smith’s Picker Engineering Program. This grant will provide funds to purchase state-of-the-art technology and equipment for use in Smith’s new science and engineering building, Ford Hall. This equipment, which would have otherwise taken 10 years to acquire, will expose Smith’s engineering students to technology that they will use in both graduate institution and careers in the engineering sciences. Read news release.
The Freeman Foundation recently approved a $200,000 grant in support of the East Asian Studies Program at Smith. This grant will be used to support course and faculty development in the department.
Project Coach is a program that aims to empower and engage adolescents in Springfield, MA, by training teenagers to coach elementary school children in their communities. This provides opportunities for leadership, benefits the community, and creates opportunity for the youth of Springfield to be involved in athletics. This year, Project Coach has received funding from the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, the NBA, Justice for Athletes, and the John Templeton Foundation.
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