Smith College. Alumnae Association
Biography
The year was 1881 and members of the class of 1880 had gathered on campus to celebrate their first-year reunion. As they watched the new group of graduates, the young alumnae were overcome with a sense of pride in Smith's educational legacy and immediately felt responsible for instilling those same feelings in future classes. Before the end of that reunion weekend, the idea had been hatched to found their own group-an association-that would continually revitalize the connection they felt to Smith and to each other. The class of 1880 invited the new graduates, as well as the class of 1879, to join them in their venture, and together they drew up a constitution that laid the groundwork for a world-class organization. Their purpose was simple:"To further the well-being of the college and its graduates by increasing the interest of members in the college and in each other."
Forty-seven alumnae first pledged to uphold that mission, and to this day the Alumnae Association of Smith College, which was officially incorporated in 1931, has never strayed from it. Originally conceived as a dues-paying organization, the association is now all-inclusive and boasts a worldwide membership of well over 40,000. It has grown and prospered into a vital organization that continually meets the needs of alumnae and the college community.
While remaining true to the time honored traditions that alumnae treasure, the Alumnae Association provides innovative programs and services which respond to the interests of our diverse alumnae population. Online publications, services, volunteer resources, and educational opportunities in addition to live programs that connect alumnae with current students, fellow graduates and faculty members, all provide avenues for alumnae to remain close to Smith in ways that are most meaningful to them.
Found in 11 Collections and/or Records:
Alumnae Association records
The Alumnae Association was founded in 1880 and officially incorporated in 1931. Its records consist of Director's files, Board of Director's minutes, Director of Clubs files, LGBTQ Alumnae Alliance records, honorary degree files, reunion files, Alumnae House files, Alumnae Fund files, and class letters.
Alumnae Groups records
The collection contains records of the Alumnae Association and Smith Clubs.
Capen, Jane (Photo album), 1934-1941
Photo album of Jane Capen, Class of 1938, containing photographs of her family, years at Smith, and travels after college.
Elizabeth Crocker Lawrence papers
Alumna. President of the Alumnae Association. Contains correspondence, diaries, journals, news clippings, photographs and publications documenting the life of Elizabeth Crocker Lawrence (Clarke), Class of 1883.
Elizabeth Kemper Adams Papers
Contains photographs, newspaper clippings, syllabi and published articles related to the professional life of Elizabeth Kemper Adams.
Katherine Thompson Cowen papers
Alumna. General Secretary of Alumnae Association. Contains a photograph album documenting the student life of Katherine Cowen as well as photographs, correspondence, news clippings, and a scrapbook relating to her professional life.
Reunion photo albums, 1958-1993
6 photo albums from the 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, and 1993 reunions
Reunion Themes and Parade Signs, 1960-2015
The Alumnae Association records contain a broad range of material, from departmental files like those from the Director, the Board, Alumnae Council and Alumnae Fund to material that relates to the alumnae themselves, such as the Centennial Archives files and reunion files. Of particular interest, for their culture-of-the-time revelatory nature, are the multiple decades of reunion class letters and correspondence from alumnae in the early part of the twentieth century.
Smith Alumnae Quarterly records
Smith Alumnae Quarterly is the alumnae magazine of Smith College. The collections contains files and records from the magazine's editors and staff relating to its creation and publication, the conception and writing of articles, and photographs and artwork.
Smith Club of Philadelphia records
The Smith Club of Philadelphia records contain minutes, membership directories, programs, financial records, and correspondence documenting the club's activities.
Wallis, Sarah (Sas) Stevens (Scrapbook), 1934-1938
The personal scrapbook of Sarah (Sas) Wallis Stevens, Class of 1938, containing photographs and clippings from her years at Smith.
- Smith College Special Collections
- Neilson Library, 7 Neilson Drive
- Northampton, Massachusetts, 01063
- specialcollections@smith.edu
- 413-585-2970
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