Maggie Olszewski ’23

Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina

What other clubs, sports, other activities are you normally involved in?
I worked as an intern at The Boutelle-Day Poetry Center for the past three semesters.

Where have your studies taken you so far?
As an English major and poetry concentrator, many of my goals career-wise revolve around potentially working for publishers, journals, or presses. At Smith, I have been able to gain experience by working with the Boutelle-Day Poetry Center, and through that job have met so many amazing people in the poetry world. Also through that job I found out about my current summer internship with the Beloit Poetry Journal. That practical experience and the connections I’ve been able to make have been so wonderful and have helped me further consider what I’d like to do when I graduate. Outside of that, it has just been fantastic to be able to explore academically––as much as Smith allows. The open curriculum has allowed me to take a wide variety of classes and consider other programs on top of my current one, something very exciting for me as I have many interests and Smith has afforded me the opportunity to pursue multiple of those interests.

Why did you decide to come to Smith?
I decided on Smith because I’d heard such amazing things about its community. Everyone seemed so supportive and welcoming and gracious, and the second I stepped on campus and was able to talk to current students I couldn’t wait to experience that firsthand for four years.

If you were convincing someone else to also come to Smith, what would you say?
When I was going through the confusing and often overwhelming college application process myself, I came upon this online forum where a recent Smith grad talked about what Smith did for her. I don’t remember her words exactly, but I remember she said something along the lines of: The opportunities you’re afforded at Smith last a lifetime. If I were trying to convince someone to come to Smith, I think I’d highlight that same idea––Smith has been a wealth of opportunity for me in more ways than one. I have been able to grow as a person, as a friend, and as a student, working for organizations I never would’ve known about otherwise and meeting the most amazing people I never would’ve met elsewhere.

How have you changed since you first arrived?
Since I first arrived, I’ve become more confident, more aware. I’ve made friends who mean the world to me, and who have taught me how to, as cheesy as it sounds, believe in myself and try hard for things I might otherwise have written off as impossible or out of reach. Smith has given me so much in only seven months and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Smithie Snapshots is a new profile series highlighting members of the Smith community, located all over the world.