New,
Old Traditions at Rally Day 2013
is among the grandest and oldest of traditions
at Smith College. The annual celebration began the first
year the college opened, in February 1876, as a day for
students and the college community to gather, rally and
celebrate George Washington’s birthday.
Today, 136 years later, the
beloved celebration continues, with some old traditions intact,
and a few new ones added. For those keeping track, here’s
a rundown of Rally Day traditions, starting with the new.
The commencement speaker
is announced during Rally Day. Rally Day provides
the perfect venue and timing for students to be the first
to hear who their commencement speaker will be. This tradition
began five years ago.
 The
Smith Traditions tea. If you want to know what
Rally Day is all about, come to the Smith Traditions tea,
featuring a presentation by college archivist Nanci Young,
on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 4-5 p.m., in Neilson Browsing Room.
Refreshments served.
Rally Day Convocation
streamed live on the Web. For the third
year, Rally Day will
be filmed and available to (available as of Feb. 21 at 1:30
p.m.).
Seniors gather as a
class before Rally Day ceremony. For the fourth
straight year, seniors are called to gather outside the
Campus Center Carroll Room on Rally Day, Thursday, Feb.
21, at 12:45 p.m., and walk to John M. Greene Hall together.
Each senior will receive a “Smith College 2013” pennant
to wave during the celebration.
The Rally Day Carnival!
All students are invited to the Rally
Day Carnival on Wednesday, Feb. 20, the night before Rally
Day, from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Campus Center. Fun
activities and great food await!
Seniors wearing funky
hats and graduation gowns for the first time. Among
the most cherished traditions, seniors (sorry non-seniors,
not yet) don some of the craziest, loudest, most colorful
hats they can dream up during the Rally Day ceremony, while
parading for the first time in the gowns they will wear
on commencement day.
The Smith College Medal. A
vaunted tradition, the Smith College Medal annually honors
outstanding Smith alumnae who “exemplify in their lives
and work the true purpose of a liberal arts education.” Cheer
on your
fellow Smithies.
Faculty and Gavel Awards. Smith
students nominate and recognize one tenured and one non-tenured
faculty member with the annual Faculty Teaching Award, and
honor two Smith staff members with the Gavel Award.
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