Smith in the World: President McCartney Travels to Asia

Smith’s presence in Asia will be stronger than usual this month, as President Kathleen McCartney travels to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kyoto and Seoul for a series of events with alumnae and others interested in Smith.    

During her two-week trip, McCartney will meet with business and education leaders and media—as well as alumnae, parents and prospective students—for conversations about women’s education, leadership, American liberal arts colleges, and the benefits of study in the U.S., among other topics. She also will host events related to the college’s Women for the World campaign.   

McCartney’s itinerary includes presentations at The Women’s Foundation in Hong Kong and at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (where Smith has a joint executive education program in women’s leadership), a dinner at the U.S. Consul General’s home in Hong Kong, meetings with foundations and prospective donors, and constituent events in Tokyo, Kyoto and Seoul.

McCartney has traveled to Asia before, but this is her first trip there as Smith College’s president.

“From its early days, Smith has embraced a commitment to international education,” McCartney noted, “and our links to Asia are particularly strong. “I look forward to meeting with the many people who care about Smith, and to talking about the college, and other vital issues, with leaders from a range of fields. These connections will help extend our commitment to women’s education worldwide.”

Media are expected to attend several of McCartney’s public events.

This trip builds on the success of similar visits that President Emerita Carol Christ made in 2010 and 2012. Those trips helped establish important connections that McCartney will extend in this visit.

Smith has a long history related to education in Asia. At the start of the 20th century, Smith partnered in the development of Ginling College for women in Nanjing, China; alumnae raised substantial monies for Ginling and Smith faculty regularly participated in academic exchanges. In the 1960s, Smith was one of the first liberal arts colleges to teach Chinese language courses.

Today, Smith’s faculty includes Asia specialists across the curriculum, in art, government, history, literature, philosophy, religion and more.