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Audacity, Agency, Authenticity.

A Culture of Care

Read Smith’s UPDATED plans as of November 23, 2020,
for the spring 2021 semester.

About the Center

Our Approach

We work with community partners to critically engage with theories, data and experiences to improve interdependent aspects of community health.

We initiate, encourage, support, test and reflect on collaborative strategies and projects.

 
 
Exterior photo of Wright Hall, Smith College

Named in memory of Jane Grossman Cecil ’50, the Jandon Center fosters opportunities for Smith students to engage actively with the community and practice responsible citizenship. Along with her husband and lifelong partner, Don, Jane was a leading philanthropist, co-founder of the Jandon Foundation (Jane + Don = Jandon), and a tireless advocate for education and champion of programs for meaningful change.

Jandon Center Team

DENYS CANDY
Director of the Jandon Center
413-585-3422

DEBORAH A. DAY
STEAM Outreach Coordinator
413-585-3932

MADELEINE DELVICARIO
Experiential Learning Coordinator
413-585-2758

ANDREA DUSTIN
Data Science Corps Coordinator
413-585-3186

BECCA JACOBSON
Community Engagement Organizer
413-585-3060

NANCY ZIGLER
Assistant Director of the Jandon Center
413-585-3253

Jandon Center Advisory Board

ELISABETH ARMSTRONG
Professor of the Study of Women & Gender; Chair of CESC Concentration

HANNAH GATES ’22
Education & Child Study Major; Kensington Young Scholars Mentorship Fellow

CLAIRE HIGGINS
Executive Director, Community Action Pioneer Valley

BEVERLY LIPSEY ’18
SC Community Engagement and Social Change alumna; Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, Malaysia /p>

DENISSE MANSO GONZALEZ ’22
Latin American Studies Major; Recruitment Outreach Intern

MAEVE MCCURDY ’21
Anthropology Major, Climate Change Concentrator; Jandon Center Fellow

ELVIS MENDEZ
Organizing Director, Neighbor to Neighbor MA

SHEENA NOMURA ’23
Community Engagement and Social Change Concentrator

VANESSA PABÓN-HERNANDEZ
Executive Producer, Presencia (WGNY/PBS)

FARAH SAMAWI ’19
Smith College Community Engagement and Social Change Alumna ’19; Research Coordinator, CHA Center for Mindfulness and Compassion

Jandon Affiliate Programs

The Jandon Center and its affiliate programs, such as the Urban Education Initiative, share a common mission. Affiliate programs are substantially directed by faculty or staff outside the Jandon Center. Our affiliate programs provide opportunities for Smith students to transfer what they are learning in the classroom to real-world experiences alongside mentors—many of whom are Smith alumnae—in schools and other educational settings.

ERIN DECOU 
Co-Coordinator Urban Education
413-585-2793  

VANESSA OTERO
Director Urban Education Initiative

The Jandon Center and affiliate programs share a common mission—involving students in experiential education opportunities connected to promoting social equity and addressing complex, urgent problems. There are opportunities for, and a mutual commitment of time focused on, shared learning and interdisciplinary dialogue on jointly chosen mission critical issues (examples include community engagement practices, achieving equity in multiple contexts and creating opportunity while addressing inequality in its numerous manifestations in local settings). The affiliate programs’ work is substantially directed by a faculty or staff member outside of the Jandon Center. The affiliate has dedicated funding from sources outside the college and is independently accountable to external funders. Jandon and affiliate program directors will seek opportunities for collaborative initiatives, such as Project SPARC (Springfield Participatory Action Crew)—a Jandon Center and Urban Education Initiative collaboration.

Making a Difference in the Community