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March 25, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SMITH TO JOIN FORCES WITH
GREENFIELD AND
HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Admission Agreement Will
Smooth The Transfer Path
For Women Seeking Four-Year Degrees
NORTHAMPTON, Mass.-Emphasizing its
commitment to advancing women's educational opportunities, Smith
College will sign agreements with two local community colleges,
facilitating students' transfers from the two-year, public institutions
to the four-year private college.
Smith's Acting President John Connolly will sign the collaborative
admission agreements with Greenfield Community College (GCC)
President Robert Pura and Holyoke Community College (HCC) Vice
President for Academic Affairs David Entin at a luncheon at Smith's
Alumnae House, 33 Elm St., at noon on Wednesday, April 3.
The gathering will include faculty and staff members from the
three colleges and will celebrate what each institution hopes
will be a productive and vibrant affiliation.
"Smith College was founded in the late 19th century to give
women access to an education equal to that available to men,"
noted Connolly.
"Today, we are proud to join as partners with these two
leading community colleges, each of which serves as a vital springboard
to a four-year degree for so many women in our region."
At 2 p.m., following the luncheon, some 60 current Smith students
who transferred to the college from GCC and HCC will join the
guests for a dessert reception. While some of these students
entered Smith as traditional-aged undergraduates, the majority
entered via the Ada Comstock Scholars Program, whereby women
beyond the traditional college age, whose educations had been
interrupted earlier in life, can apply to Smith in order to pursue
a bachelor's degree.
Senior Associate Director of Admission Debra Shaver, who serves
as the Smith liaison to GCC and HCC, noted that, while the agreements
won't guarantee admission, they will give important advice about
transfer procedures as well as a list of transferable course
credits that will help community college students interested
in Smith to plan their academic programs.
"Having a roadmap of courses to take and procedures to follow
can make all the difference, both pragmatically and in terms
of confidence, especially when you are returning to college as
an adult," Shaver said.
"We have seen women from GCC and HCC succeed marvelously
at Smith, and we want to see that trend continue and strengthen,"
she added.
The agreements are modeled on those Smith has established with
other community colleges, including Miami-Dade Community College
in Miami, Florida, and Santa Monica Community College in Santa
Monica, California.
Some 100 students transfer to Smith from community colleges every
year.
Greenfield Community College is the smallest of the 15 community
colleges in the Massachusetts higher education system and serves
approximately 3,000 students annually. GCC is recognized for
its tradition of caring and supportive faculty and staff and
for the development of every student who enters its doors. This
year marks 40 years of commitment to educational access, cultural
awareness, lifelong learning opportunities and workforce development.
Over the past 25 years, 173 students from GCC have transferred
to Smith College.
Founded in 1947, Holyoke Community College is now celebrating
its 55th year. The college serves 6,000 students annually in
its associate degree and certificate programs and provides a
variety of community services to the region as well as recreational
and cultural activities for students and community members alike.
Above all, the college's strongest assets continue to be an
innovative spirit, a sincere concern for students and a vigor
to strive for greater success. An estimated 240 students have
transferred from HCC to Smith College over the past 25 years.
Smith College is consistently ranked among the nation's foremost
liberal arts colleges. Enrolling 2,800 students from every state
and 55 other countries, Smith is the largest undergraduate women's
college in the country.
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