“The promise of education is not just the creation of knowledge, but the model of how to share it for our mutual liberation and the collective good.”—Sarah Willie-LeBreton
Smith Selects Sarah Willie-LeBreton As 12th President

The Smith College Board of Trustees has announced that Sarah Willie-LeBreton has been named the 12th president of Smith College. Currently serving as provost and dean of the faculty of Swarthmore College—where she has taught since 1997—Willie-LeBreton has long been a champion of the liberal arts, working to strengthen inclusivity and addressing social inequality in various communities. Succeeding current president Kathleen McCartney, Willie-LeBreton will assume office on July 1, 2023. Read the full press release.
A Letter to the Smith Community
In a letter to the Smith community, the board of trustees introduced Sarah Willie-LeBreton as the college’s 12th president. Appointed after a comprehensive international search, Willie-LeBreton’s extensive experience as a sociologist, as a community-builder and as a leader made her the clear choice to guide Smith in achieving its goals for—and addressing the challenges of—the future.
Smith Community Embraces Sarah Willie-LeBreton
Students, faculty and staff embraced—literally—Sarah Willie-LeBreton as newly appointed 12th president of Smith College, showering her with warm words of welcome, lots of congratulatory hugs, and high praise for the skills and experiences—both personal and professional—she brings to her role. In her first address to the campus in John M. Greene Hall, Willie-LeBreton, who grew up in a family of educators, honored what she called the “transformational power of education” and the role Smithies have long played in pushing our world forward. “One can simply not repeat enough, students who study at Smith change the world,” she said. “I am honored to play a role in continuing this work.”
In the News
- Smith College Selects Sarah Willie-LeBreton To Be Its New President | Forbes
- Smith College Names Sarah Willie-LeBreton Its New President | MassLive
- Smith College Taps Scholar of Social Inequality as 12th President | The Boston Globe
- Sarah Willie-LeBreton Announced as Smith’s 12th President | The Sophian
- New President Seizes the Moment, Finds Her ‘Best Life’ at Smith College | University Business
- Smith College Names Its Next President | Daily Hampshire Gazette
- Smith College Names New President | WWLP
- Smith College Names Sarah Willie-LeBreton As Its 12th President | New England Public Media
- Dr. Sarah Willie-LeBreton Appointed President of Smith College | Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
- Sarah Willie-LeBreton Will Be the Next President of Smith College in Massachusetts | The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education