Partnerships & Student Resources

Thriving in the Valley

Thriving in the Valley is a guide for Smith students, staff, and faculty of color to fully experience the Five College community in the Pioneer Valley.

Thriving in the Valley (PDF)

The Five Colleges

One of Smith’s greatest assets is its access to four nearby colleges. The Five College consortium increases your choices for scholarly and social activities. Four liberal arts colleges—Smith, Amherst, Hampshire and Mount Holyoke—along with the University of Massachusetts lie within a 12-mile radius. The 29,300 students attending the schools in the Five College area further expand opportunities for friendship and cultural diversity. Some 4,000 of these men and women are students of color, and each campus sponsors social and cultural events focusing on ethnic and racial topics and experiences. You can take courses at any campus, and through the Five Colleges you can also study ethnomusicology, international relations and much more, adding to the curriculum offered at Smith.

Smith’s cultural organizations regularly plan events with their counterparts at the nearby colleges. Fare-free buses connect you to sporting events, theater performances, concerts, film festivals and hundreds of other happenings.

Campus Resources

Center for the Environment, Ecological Design, and Sustainability

The Center for the Environment, Ecological Design, and Sustainability (CEEDS) can support any and all of your interests related to the environment and sustainability through academic work, independent research, internships, and student clubs. From incorporating indigenous perspectives into Smith's landscape master planning process to modeling energy systems that will help Smith achieve carbon neutrality, we've helped students be the change they want to see on campus and in our global community.

Disability Services

The Office of Disability Services (ODS) arranges accommodations for disabled community members and coordinates with various offices on campus to ensure that the needs of the disabled are met. The ODS is also responsible for providing educational forums to raise awareness of disability issues.

Equity and Inclusion

The Office for Equity and Inclusion supports the college’s belief that diversity in all aspects of the educational environment is necessary for achieving the highest level of academic excellence. Members of an educational community rich in varying perspectives, outlooks and values will be better prepared to deal with complexity and to participate productively in a pluralistic society.

International Study

The Office for International Study provides educational learning opportunities through study abroad experiences so that students may acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills that will prepare them for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world.

Jandon Center for Community Collaboration

The college has a long-standing commitment to sharing its resources with schools and communities, both locally and nationally. Year-round, in partnership with schools and communities nationwide, Smith students and faculty pursue research and share expertise.

Religious and Spiritual Life

Smith's office and program in religious life and community service extend the academic mission of the college outside the classroom to promote ethical inquiry, religious learning, spiritual growth and community engagement.

Resource Center for Sexuality & Gender

The Resource Center for Sexuality & Gender (RCSG) seeks to contribute to the understanding of the diverse meanings and expressions of sexuality and gender, and the intersection of sexuality, gender, class and race, as well as other identities.

Student Engagement

The Office of Student Engagement (OSE) is committed to helping students make intentional decisions about their involvement, both in and out of the classroom, for a more meaningful Smith experience.

Wurtele Center for Leadership

The Wurtele Center for Leadership strives to help students realize their leadership potential, as well as discover the leadership that exists in everyday life. Through a variety of workshops, intensives, speakers and trainings, the Wurtele Center ensures that all students at Smith have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and in doing so, realize that who they are is who they need to be.