Volunteer Opportunities

Three alumnae at Reunion

Smith College alumnae, parents and friends serve as volunteers on behalf of the college in a range of roles. Volunteers are critical to Smith’s institutional strength and robust community and are involved with many aspects of giving to Smith, whether as Smith Fund annual giving volunteers, Committee on Regional Participation (CORP) volunteers, planned giving volunteers or parent volunteers.


Smith Fund Volunteers

Class-Based Positions

The Smith Fund counts on its corps of alumnae volunteers to raise unrestricted support for the college every year.

Fund Team Coordinator

The duties and responsibilities of the Fund Team Coordinator are:

  • Support the Smith Fund each year
  • Act as the main point of contact between the rest of the class fund team and your Smith Fund staff liaison
  • Help draft and sign Smith Fund-related communications and appeals to the class
  • Co-chair class fundraising calls with staff liaison
  • Mentor your class's fund and special gift agents, as applicable
  • Engage and solicit Smith Fund support from the other members of your fundraising team, and other assigned classmates, as applicable
  • Thank assigned classmates who make gifts
  • Attend training webinars and conferences, as applicable
  • Share college- and Smith Fund-related content on social media (such as in class groups on Facebook)
Class Fund Agent

The duties and responsibilities of the Class Fund Agent are:

  • Support the Smith Fund each year
  • Engage and solicit Smith Fund support from approximately 20 assigned classmates 
  • Thank assigned classmates who make gifts
  • Attend training webinars and conferences, as applicable
  • Share college- and Smith Fund-related content on social media (such as in class groups on Facebook)
  • Engage with other class volunteers, as applicable, via phone or email groups
Special Gift Agent

The duties and responsibilities of the Special Gift Agent are:

  • Support the Smith Fund each year with a gift at the Sophia Smith Leadership Society level ($1,875+)
  • Engage and solicit Smith Fund support from approximately 20 assigned classmates with the capacity to support the college at the Sophia Smith Leadership Society level ($1,875+)
  • Thank assigned classmates who make gifts
  • Attend training webinars and conferences, as applicable
  • Share college- and Smith Fund-related content on social media (such as in class groups on Facebook)
  • Engage with other class volunteers, as applicable, via phone or email groups
Memorial Chair

The duties and responsibilities of the Memorial Chair are:

  • Write thank you notes to acknowledge Smith Fund memorial gifts credited to the class
  • Write letters of condolence to families when informed of classmates' deaths
Class Ambassador

The duties and responsibilities of the Class Ambassador are:

  • Support the Smith Fund each year
  • Engage approximately 20 assigned classmates and encourage their support of the Smith Fund (though no specific “ask” is expected of those serving in this role)
  • Thank assigned classmates who make gifts
  • Attend training webinars and conferences, as applicable
  • Share college- and Smith Fund-related content on social media (such as in class groups on Facebook)
  • Engage with other class volunteers, as applicable, via phone or email groups
Class Steward

The duties and responsibilities of the Class Steward are:

  • Support the Smith Fund each year
  • Thank assigned classmates who make gifts
  • Attend training webinars and conferences, as applicable
Social Media Ambassador

The duties and responsibilities of the Social Media Ambassador are:

  • Support the Smith Fund each year
  • Share college-, class- and Smith Fund-related content on social media (such as in class groups on Facebook)
  • Attend training webinars and conferences, as applicable
  • Engage with other class volunteers, as applicable, via phone or email groups

Learn More

The Smith Fund
800-241-2056, menu option 1
thesmithfund@smith.edu

Resources

Tools for Smith Fund Volunteers  

Alumnae attend a conference at the Alumnae House


Committee on Regional Participation (CORP) Volunteers

The Committee on Regional Participation (CORP) is a dedicated committee of volunteers who provide critical support in engaging the college’s alumnae donor participation. CORP volunteers connect with alumnae and solicit support of the college on a regional basis. Some members (from less populated regions) focus on engagement and solicitation of volunteers in other groups, including Admission and Club Volunteers. Ideal candidates for the CORP:

  • Serve as role models through their own philanthropic commitment to Smith
  • Act as ambassadors by sharing information about priorities and initiatives at Smith
  • Work to engage alumnae
  • Keep informed of the activities of the college
  • Promote the importance of participation
  • Are comfortable soliciting philanthropic support from alumnae across all class/age groups

Learn More

We welcome inquiries from all interested alumnae. In particular, we are looking to grow our cohort of CORP members from the classes of 2000–2017.

Amy Altwarg
Associate Director of Development and Families Program
413-585-2664
aaltwarg@smith.edu

Photos being taken of a graduating senior with her parents


Parent Volunteers

Many Smith families volunteer with the college community to connect with other Smith families and to enhance their and their student’s Smith experience. We are partners in your student’s success, and encourage you to share your time and talents.

Welcome and connect with others
New families love hearing and learning from current Smith families. Parent volunteers make welcome phone calls and write welcome notes to incoming families.

Host events in your community
Many parents also volunteer to host events in their home for alumnae, parents and friends of the college. Events may feature a prominent administrator or faculty member or a notable Smithie.

Engage in peer-to-peer support
Work with the Smith Fund in generating much-needed annual gifts from parents and families. Philanthropic volunteers are asked to contact other Smith families at one or two points during the fiscal year to invite them to support Smith.

Partner with the Lazarus Center for Career Development
Parents who work with the Lazarus Center help build and expand Smith’s reputation in various markets, enhancing the overall value of a Smith education.

Learn More

Amy Altwarg
Associate Director of Development and Families Program
413-585-2664
aaltwarg@smith.edu


Planned Giving Volunteers

There are creative ways to support Smith College that allow you and your loved ones to all benefit at the same time. Such giving techniques are called "planned gifts," because with thoughtful planning, you create win-win solutions for you and Smith College.

Planned Giving Chairs are volunteers who support the Office of Planned Giving in the following ways:

  • Write personal acknowledgments when classmates make planned gifts and when the college receives bequests
  • Promote awareness of gift planning with Smith in mind
  • Submit a gift planning promo to your class’s newsletter
  • Share information about the The Grécourt Society (the membership organization for those who have included Smith in their estate planning) with classmates

Learn More

Office of Gift Planning
413-585-2051
gift_planning@smith.edu