Read Smith’s UPDATED plans as of August 5, 2020,
for an entirely remote fall 2020 semester.
Sustainable Smith
In 1886, Florence Merriam Bailey, a student concerned about the plight of birds, started the Smith College Audubon Society and began weaving the fabric of sustainability at Smith that can now be found across all aspects of the college—in academics, operations, research and student life. Smith prepares women through active learning and societal engagement to foster and lead sustainable, just communities and to make significant and lasting contributions to address the critical issues of the times. Like Florence, students are frequently at the heart of sustainability issues on campus. You’ll find their stories throughout these pages.
Call for Submissions: Elsewhere—An Arts Afield Community Art Project
Arts Afield invites all members of the Smith community (students, alumnae, staff and faculty) to submit place-based creative work for Elsewhere, an online exhibition launching on January 4. Find more details in this document and email artsafield@smith.edu with any questions.
Sustainability News
Natalie Baillargeon '21 and Storm Lewis '21 receive Honorable Mention for prestigous 2020 Udall Foundation Scholarship
Two Smith College students, Natalie Baillargeon '21 and Storm Lewis '21, were named Honorable Mention recipients for the 2020 Udall Foundation Scholarship.
Larissa Holland ’20: ‘I’m One Person ... There’s a Lot I Can Do’
Larissa Holland ’20 always had a passion for the environment. In her four years at Smith, she developed the confidence and critical skills to turn her natural enthusiasm into a career fighting for climate justice.
Look Up from Your Carbon Footprint
Individual efforts matter, but to move the needle we need to change systems and policies.
Farm-to-Smith Eating
Smith is on the leading edge of sustainability initiatives in college and university dining.
Goal: Net Zero
From solar power to ground-source heat exchange technology, Smith is forging a path to carbon neutrality.
Smith Cycle - Giving Purpose to Discarded Move Out Items
After seeing the waste produced by students moving out at the end of the year, Emmy Longnecker ’20J, a chemistry major and environmental science and policy minor, was determined to solve the problem. She worked with staff and faculty in CEEDS to create a two-semester special studies to understand the issue and develop a solution. As a result she has created Smith Cycle—the college’s first student-designed, comprehensive move-out waste reduction program.
Studying Climate Change
In the first semester of Smith's themed Year on Climate Change, relevant course offerings range from contemporary poetry to green energy policy, giving students of all academic backgrounds a chance to engage in learning about climate change and environmental sustainability.
Immigration and the Food Justice Connection
Gabriella Della Croce ’11 and Andrea Schmid ’17 both work at the Pioneer Valley Workers Center, a collective that helps better the lives of immigrant workers in western Massachusetts.
Experimenting with Geothermal Energy
The drilling of a geothermal test borehole began on campus near the Field House in September. This launched a unique and fascinating learning opportunity for faculty and students across campus and the first phase of a pilot project to establish a potential ground source geothermal heat exchange system for the Field House.
Exploring Natural Dye-Making Plants on Campus
A summer project by Hannah Asofksy ’21 is the foundation for a new exhibit on dyes on view at the Lyman Plant House. “The Art and Science of Dyeing” explores the world of natural dyes and connects visitors with dye-making plants in the Happy Chace ’28 Garden and the Learning Garden behind Northrop-Gillett.
Students in Sustainability
Contact
Wright Hall 005
Smith College
Northampton, MA 01063