Smith College Admission Academics Student Life About Smith news Offices
About the Project
Facts About Women
Narratives
Good Books
Workshops and Events
Project Staff
Related Links
Smith Students and Work-Life Issues
Womens Narratives of Success

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

Upcoming Workshops and Events

Past Workshops and Events


Eat, Write, Talk: A Getaway for Juniors and Seniors
January 16-19, 2011

In its selective January term course, the Women's Narratives Project takes juniors and seniors on a grant-funded retreat to talk and write about themes inherent in making life decisions, including perfectionism, risk-taking, tolerating failure and family narratives of success. The workshop is led by Dean of the College Maureen A. Mahoney and Dean of Religious Life Jennifer Walters.

Resisting Convention: Narratives of Passion and Purpose
Thursday, November 4, 2010

Dar Williams, Lenelle Moise MFA ‘04 and Carolina A. Miranda ’93 will speak about creating unconventional lives.  The panel is co-sponsored by the Women’s Narratives Project and will be followed by a reception.  CDs and other merchandise will be available for sale.

 Watch a full length video of the panel discussion on iTunesU.

 

 

"Thinking Creatively About Leadership" Family Weekend Panel
Saturday, October 23, 2010
This diverse panel of students will talk about the connection between pursuing their passions and developing as leaders. Panelists include Cristina Santarosa '11, who is a mentor to peers in the chemistry lab, Phoebe Harris '11 and Grace Miceli '11, who created a Smith literary magazine called Swimming Lessons, and Dana Elliot '13 and Colby Singleton '11J, who help run Smith's successful "Bicycle Kitchen." Sponsored by the Women's Narrative Project and Center for Work & Life.

Eat, Write, Talk: A Getaway for Juniors and Seniors

January 17-20, 2010

Eat, Write, Talk: A Getaway for Juniors and Seniors January 17-20, 2010

Twenty juniors and seniors joined dean of the College Maureen A. Mahoney and dean of religious life Jennifer Walters for a grant-funded retreat at the beautiful Trinity Conference Center in West Cornwall, CT.  They talked and wrote about themes inherent in making life decisions, including perfectionism, risk-taking, tolerating failure and family narratives of success.

 

Idealism and Compromise in Politics and Life  November 5, 2009
Three Smith alumnae, all current or former members of the Obama administration, spoke about making a life in politics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smith Mothers and Daughters Talk About Getting a Life

October 24, 2009
A panel of Smith mothers and daughters reflected on navigating work, friendship and love.

 

 

 

 

 

J. Courtney Sullivan '03 read from her novel, Commencement

September 24, 2009

 

                      

From Chapter One:  “[On] Orientation Day, Celia wept in the backseat of her father’s Lincoln Town car all the way out to Smith.  The family had to pull over in a Taco Bell parking lot so she could get herself together before meeting her housemates.  By the time she arrived at the front door of Franklin King House, she was fixed with a big fake smile and half a tube of her sister’s Maybelline concealer. . ."

The "Get a Life" Workshop

January 2009

In this non-graded, five-day January term course, juniors and seniors began to develop a habit of reflection about their own values and goals. They talked and wrote about themes inherent in making life decisions, including perfectionism, risk-taking, tolerating failure and family narratives of success. The workshop was led by Maureen A. Mahoney, Dean of the College, and Jennifer Walters, Dean of Religious Life.

Watch the video of the alumnae panel discussion with Barbara A. (Boe) Morgan AC04 and Melissa Krueger AC03 on iTunesU

Read the student narratives from January 2009.

Photo Album for 2009 "Get a Life" Workshop

 

The "Get a Life" Workshop

January 2008

Photo Album for 2008 "Get a Life" Workshop

 

The "Get a Life" Workshop

January 2007

Read the student narratives from January 2007.

Photo Album for 2007 "Get a Life" Workshop

 

 

Narratives of Life’s Success

Friday, June 22, 2007
Maureen Mahoney, dean of the college and Jennifer Walters, dean of religious life, led a workshop entitled “Narratives of Life’s Success” as part of a spring alumnae program, Your Best Life: Women’s Health and Well-being.

A Question of Balance: Lifestyle and Health

Friday, June 22, 2007
Jennifer Walters, dean of religious life, led this lunchtime panel together with Barbara Brehm-Curtis, Professor of Exercise and Sports Studies, and Carolyn Jacobs.

Narratives Across Class: A Panel Discussion

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Our third annual panel discussion brought together the writer Adrian Nicole LeBlanc '86, the writer Lorene Cary, and the playwright and actor Anna Deavere Smith. They discussed how social class has figured in their lives, and what compels them to create work that is, at least in part, about class.

We chose this topic because it’s an important one for Smith’s socio-economically diverse student body. Students feel the impact of social and economic class differences as they negotiate friendships, career aspirations and work, yet class difference is a taboo subject among friends and classmates. During this panel, Dean Walters facilitated an open and complex discussion among three remarkable women

Read Lorene Cary's talk on class.

Family Weekend Panel: Smith Mothers and Daughters Talk

Saturday, October 25, 2008
Three Smith daughters and their mothers participated in a panel discussion about work, friendship and love. The mothers and daughters were: Esther Mobley ’11 and her mother Page Kelley ’81; Ashley Brickhouse ’11 and her mother, Mitchelin Brickhouse; and Bridget Reutener ’01 and her mother, Mary Reutener ’70. The panel was moderated by Jennifer Walters, Dean of Religious Life.

Watch video of the panel discussion (part 1, 31 minutes)

Watch video of the panel discussion (part 2, 27 minutes)

Watch video of the panel discussion (part 3, 26 minutes)

Ambition and Friendship: Narratives of Conflict and Support

Thursday, November 8, 2007
Heather Abel, Nan-b de Gaspé Beaubien '57, Nanon de Gaspé Beaubien-Mattrick, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon and Martha Southgate '82 discussed their experience of the connections and conflicts between ambition and friendship. Maureen A. Mahoney, Dean of the College, introduced the panel and Jennifer L. Walters, Dean of Religious Life, moderated. A reception followed.

Beyond Balance: Work & Family Reconsidered

Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Suggesting "balance" as a life goal can produce anxiety because the truth is that most of us feel out of balance most of the time. We are often given advice to solve the "balance" conundrum by being clear about who we are and what we want. Achieving this clarity, however, is easier said than done. Deans Mahoney and Walters discussed the possiblity that tolerance of imbalance and continued reflection about life goals may be a better approach than setting the unreachable goal of a perfectly balanced life.

Mothers and Daughters Talk About Getting a Life

Saturday, October 20, 2007
A panel of Smith mothers and daughters (pictured below) reflected on navigating work, friendship and love. The panel discussion was moderated Maureen Mahoney, dean of the college. Read a transcription of "Mothers and Daughters Talk About Getting a Life."

Elvetra Cossie, Afiya Williams '08, Maureen McCadden, Molly McCadden '07, Ashley Varner SCSSW '99, Chilton Varner '65

Creating a Life: Anticipated Paths and Unexpected Turns

Monday, October 23, 2006

Mary Catherine Bateson, Liz Phair, Betsy Stark and Rebecca Walker shared their own narratives of success at our inaugural event. The panel discussion was moderated by Jennifer Walters, dean of religious life, with opening remarks by Maureen Mahoney, dean of the college.

DirectoryCalendarCampus MapVirtual TourContact UsSite A-Z