Esther Ishimwe ’22
Meet the Majors
Other clubs, sports, activities you’d like to mention:
Co-chair of International Students Organization, Pan African Students Association, Library Assistant at the Mortimer Rare Books Collections
Describe your major completely incorrectly.
I make stuff from recycled materials, arrange them, photograph them, then destroy them.
What’s one piece of advice you’d like to share about your time at Smith?
The friendships you create with other Smithies, professors and staff will enrich your life and encourage you to become a better version of yourself. Savor in every moment, the joyful and the stressful because they shape you for the better.
Approval is subjective. The most important thing is to have faith in your craft and strive to improve your skills.
Describe one moment with friends or classmates that particularly sticks with you.
My first introduction to Smith was in the International Students Pre-Orientation. It is in the Cutter-Ziskind dining hall where I met my first friends, who I still see today. It is where we had our karaoke session to end the program on our last day, and we somehow knew all the lyrics and dances to all the songs. For a moment, before we were swamped in assignments, we felt free and ready for a new chapter in our lives.
What has been your favorite spot on campus to brainstorm great ideas? What spot will you miss the most?
I will miss the Botanic Garden. Each day I visited, I learned interesting facts about plants from around the world. But most importantly, it was a quiet place that provided me with the creativity I needed for the projects I did for my studio classes.
What was the best advice about your major that you were ever given?
Approval is subjective. I have had projects that were criticized by some professors while they were approved by other professors. The most important thing is to have faith in your craft and strive to improve your skills.
What do you think has been the most “Smithie” thing you’ve done in life so far?
Holding meaningful conversations/debates at 2 a.m. with my friends for no reason at all.
