If At First You Don’t Succeed, Give, Give Again

For Albert Y. Kim, assistant professor of statistical and data sciences, holding himself accountable for classroom mistakes has made him, and his students, more charitable.

A mistake in the classroom—perhaps a broken line of code or delayed grades—has Professor Kim on his laptop, making a donation to Smith. This move, akin to dropping a quarter in a swear jar, brings external accountability to his classroom. “It’s something that students can relate to,” explains Kim. “We all have a good laugh. It brings levity to the situation.” 

Which fund he donates to is his choice, although he often follows his students’ suggestions. A gift to the Emergency Fund for Students of Color made a lasting impression on one student who was personally impacted by his choice. A visit to an off-campus medical center came with a copay she could not pay upfront. The Emergency Fund for Students of Color was there to assist her.

“By talking to us about where he was donating and why, he was standing up for students—and particularly students of color—in a direct, tangible way. Like, here’s my community, here are the people I care about, and I’m serious about it,” offers Emily Paule ’22, a government major. “It was a reminder to me to live my principles, to practice them loudly and often and intentionally.” 

“For what it’s worth, after hearing him talk about it in class, I made a donation to the Emergency Fund for Students of Color,” Paule continues. “I don’t know how much money he ended up donating over the course of the semester, but I think the message he sent to his students through this was equally meaningful.”

Kim and his students use these moments when he is scrolling through Smith’s fund options in the classroom to talk about how good design can influence behaviors and how poorly designed websites can create barriers to giving. Before Professor Kim landed in academia he worked for the AdWords division of Google, so he knows what a good interface looks like. “Smith has a very slick design,” notes Kim approvingly. 

To Donate

The Emergency Fund for Students of Color and The Smith Fund, which allows you to choose how to designate your gift, are essential funds that support our students. Your gift will truly make a difference.