Celebrating Smith’s 150th

In September of 1875, Smith College opened its doors to 14 students and six faculty members. Ever since then, we’ve been pushing the world forward in profound ways. Smith—and Smithies—have been a force for change, transforming our society, our history, and the lives and leadership of women. Smith’s impact on the greater good has been undeniable.

Throughout 2025, we’ll celebrate Smith as a college of and for the world. Check back here often for new content, event listings, and timeline updates.

A Look Back at 150 Years

150 Years, 150 Stories

Smith College has an inspiring and complex story. Over the course of the year, we will collect 150 (or more!) stories of the people, places, ideas, and initiatives—some new, some taken from our archives—that provide a rich, nuanced portrait of Smith’s place in the world, its influence on culture, and the powerful ways it has evolved and responded to the big issues of the day. Check back here for regular updates, and feel free to share your own personal stories of how Smith shaped you.

The Life and Times of Founder Sophia Smith

Although given only a meager education herself, Sophia Smith understood that the education of women was key to a better world.

Q&A: Expanding Sophia Smith’s Dream

Smith College President Sarah Willie-LeBreton reflects on Smith’s enduring legacy and why its mission is more relevant than ever.

Sarah Willie-LeBreton smiling outdoors and sitting on a bench, cropped and close up.

1909: Debating Women's Right to Vote

In this essay for the first issue of the Smith Alumnae Quarterly, Ada Comstock, class of 1897, explains why she’s on the fence when it comes to women’s suffrage.

1914: Student Ways and Means at Smith

English department lecturer Mary Lewis, class of 1894, addresses the question, “Is it true that Smith is a college for rich girls?” Her answer is a definitive “no.”

1909: President Marion Le Roy Burton

In this Quarterly profile, Burton, who began his presidential duties in 1910, is described as a “man so eminently fitted for the position [of president] at this period in [Smith’s] growth.”

Archival black and white of Marion Le Roy Burton sitting in a chair

1942: When Smith Went to War

Students and alums made significant contributions during World War II, with the campus becoming a major training ground for women naval officers.

A male soldier salutes female soldiers as they march across the lawn carrying an American flag and a Smith College flag

1963: If One Generation Can Ever Tell Another

Betty Goldstein Friedan ’42 writes about the survey she conducted at her 15th Reunion that became the basis for her groundbreaking book The Feminine Mystique.

Smith Allowed Me To Dream Bigger

Inspired by a book from her public library, Christy Hardin Smith ’91 found a whole new world at Smith.

Write a little love story to Smith

To help us celebrate the college’s 150th anniversary, send us a love story to Smith. It can be about a favorite place on campus, an influential professor or staff member, an enduring memory or friendship—something that captures the essence of what makes Smith special. We’ll post responses to this page and possibly use some of the stories in an upcoming issue of the Smith Quarterly.

Submit Your Story

Game Changer

Smith has always been a place for "Game Changers"—people who challenge the status quo and make a real difference in the world. Their stories show how one person can spark big change.

Explore more profiles of some of Smith’s Game Changers.

Deborah Archer ’93

In 2021, Deborah Archer made history as the first Black woman to be named president of the American Civil Liberties Union. A renowned civil rights lawyer, teacher, and scholar, Archer was the first in her family to attend college. She chose Smith at the urging of a family friend who had graduated from Smith and told Archer that it was a “magical” place. When she received the Smith College Medal at Rally Day in 2022, Archer said, “I would not be the person I am without Smith. I came knowing that the world needed to change. But it was at Smith that I came to believe that I could change it.” Early in her career, she was a lawyer at the ACLU and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where she took on cases related to voting rights, employment discrimination, and school segregation. In addition to her position with the ACLU, Archer serves as associate dean of experiential education and clinical programs and co-faculty director of the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at New York University School of Law. She is also a member of Smith College’s board of trustees.

A Year of Celebration

We’ll be celebrating all year long. Check out some of the highlights of the sesquicentennial year. View the full events calendar.

Founder’s Day

March 8

Honoring Sophia Smith on the day she signed her will

Meridians 25th Anniversary

October 24

With keynote conversations with President Sarah Willie-LeBreton and former president Ruth Simmons

Smith Arts Day

April 19

The second annual event

Come Home to Smith Day

November 1

Celebrating Collaborations

April 25

Highlighting student and faculty research projects

Have a story, content idea, or addition to the timeline? Email smith150@smith.edu.