Notable Alumnae of Smith College: Shaping the World

Smith College, a private liberal arts women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts, has a rich history of educating influential women. Chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith and opened in 1875, Smith is a member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges and the Five College Consortium. With its open curriculum and commitment to women's education, Smith has fostered a unique environment for its students to thrive and become leaders in various fields. This article explores the lives and achievements of some of Smith College's most notable alumnae, who have made significant contributions to society in politics, arts, literature, and beyond.

A Legacy of Academic Excellence and Empowerment

Smith College has consistently been a pioneer in women's education. It was the first women's college in the United States to grant its own undergraduate degrees in engineering. The college's commitment to sustainability is reflected in its grade of A− on the "College Sustainability Report Card 2010" administered by the Sustainable Endowments Institute. Smith offers various programs to support its students, including the Ada Comstock Scholars Program for students of nontraditional college age and the Phoebe Reese Lewis Leadership Program. These programs, along with the college's rigorous academic environment, have prepared Smith alumnae to excel in their chosen fields.

Arts and Literature: Voices That Resonate

Smith College has a long tradition of nurturing talented writers and artists. Several alumnae have achieved prominence in these fields, leaving a lasting impact on culture and society.

Sylvia Plath: Confessional Poet

Sylvia Plath, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in literary studies from Smith College, was an American poet and author. She is credited with advancing the genre of confessional poetry and is best known for The Colossus and Other Poems (1960), Ariel (1965), and The Bell Jar, a semi-autobiographical novel published shortly before her suicide in 1963. Plath was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in Poetry posthumously in 1982 for The Collected Poems, making her the fourth to receive this honor posthumously.

Gloria Steinem: Feminist Icon

Gloria Steinem, a graduate of the class of 1956, is an American journalist and social-political activist. She emerged as a nationally recognized leader of second-wave feminism in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Steinem is the founder of Ms. magazine and has been a tireless advocate for women's rights and gender equality.

Margaret Mitchell: Author of Gone with the Wind

Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell was an American novelist and journalist. Mitchell wrote only one novel that was published during her lifetime, the American Civil War-era novel Gone with the Wind, for which she won the National Book Award for Fiction for Most Distinguished Novel of 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937.

Hanya Yanagihara: Acclaimed Novelist

Hanya Yanagihara is an American novelist, editor, and travel writer of Hawaiian ancestry. She is best known for her bestselling novel A Little Life, which was shortlisted for the 2015 Booker Prize, and for being the editor-in-chief of T Magazine.

Ruth Ozeki: Novelist, Filmmaker, and Zen Buddhist Priest

Ruth Ozeki, class of 1980, is a novelist, filmmaker, and Zen Buddhist priest. Her unique perspective and storytelling have garnered critical acclaim.

Joan Mitchell: Abstract Expressionist Painter

Joan Mitchell, who studied English in 1943, was an American artist who worked primarily in painting and printmaking. She was an active participant in the New York School of artists in the 1950s and is associated with the American abstract expressionist movement.

Politics and Public Service: Leaders and Changemakers

Smith College alumnae have also made significant contributions to politics and public service, shaping policy and advocating for positive change.

Barbara Bush: First Lady of the United States

Barbara Bush was First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, as the wife of the 41st president of the United States, George H. W. Bush. Previously, she had been Second Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Bush was generally popular as First Lady, recognized for her apolitical grandmotherly image.

Nancy Reagan: First Lady and Actress

Nancy Reagan was an American film actress who was the first lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989, as the second wife of President Ronald Reagan.

Tammy Baldwin: United States Senator

Tammy Baldwin graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and political science in 1984. She is an American politician and lawyer serving since 2013 as the junior United States senator from Wisconsin. A member of the Democratic Party, she has also served as the Secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus since 2017 and is the dean of the United States congressional delegation from Wisconsin.

Wendy Sherman: Diplomat

Wendy Ruth Sherman is an American diplomat who served as the United States deputy secretary of state from April 2021 to July 2023.

Emily Webster Murphy: Government Official

Emily Webster Murphy is an American attorney and former government official who served as the administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) from 2017 to 2021.

Other Notable Alumnae

Besides the above-mentioned women, many other Smith College alumnae have achieved prominence in their respective fields. These include:

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: American writer, book editor, and socialite who served as the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963.
Julia Child: American chef, author, and television personality.
Piper Kerman: American author of Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison.
Sara Haines: American television host and journalist.
Yolanda King: American activist and campaigner for African-American rights.
Betty Friedan: American feminist writer and activist.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh: American writer and aviator.
Bonnie Franklin: American actress.
Patricia Wettig: American actress and playwright.
Toks Olagundoye: Nigerian actress.
Mimi Kennedy: American actress, author, and activist.
Shelley Hack: American actress, model, producer, and political activist.
Chien-Shiung Wu: Chinese-American particle and experimental physicist.
Joanna Barnes: American actress and writer.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy: Canadian-Pakistani journalist, filmmaker, and political activist.
Maya Deren: Ukrainian-born American experimental filmmaker.
Desiree Akhavan: American filmmaker, writer, and actress.
Jean Harris: Headmistress of The Madeira School.
Sally Quinn: American author and journalist.
Jaya Jaitly: Indian politician, activist, and author.
Catharine MacKinnon: American feminist legal scholar, activist, and author.

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