We Must Ensure Access to Smith

Recently, Smith announced the good news that thanks to the support of thousands of alums, faculty and staff, we raised more than $70 million for the Here for Every Voice financial aid fundraising initiative. Now, Smith is setting its sights on a new, ambitious goal to raise $200 million in endowed funds for financial aid, an effort that’s particularly personal for Smith President Kathleen McCartney.

Here, President McCartney shares why she is focused on this effort, and how ensuring access to education for qualified students also strengthens the future of Smith.

Why is access to a Smith education a top priority for your presidency?
I want to ensure that every qualified student from every walk of life can experience a Smith education, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. My dream is to eliminate financial considerations in our admission decisions and provide more equity in the student experience. To get there, we must raise $200 million in endowed scholarship funds for Smith to have the additional annual income to directly support our students.

Why is now the time?
Last September, an alum stepped forward with a transformational $50 million gift—with $40 million of that designated for financial aid. This remarkable gift has allowed us to dream big. We hope that other Smith alums will come together to raise an additional $160 million for this new phase of our Here for Every Voice campaign.

Why is Smith seeking endowed gifts?
Endowed gifts exist in perpetuity, extending and growing the impact of each gift. A gift you make today to the endowment will benefit students for generations to come. It is one of the most powerful ways to show your support for the students of today, tomorrow and the future.

Why do you care so deeply about this effort?
Ensuring access to a Smith education is personal to me. The financial aid I received in college set me on a path that led me to the Smith presidency. Education is a civil rights issue, in that access to quality higher education is not available to every student. Smith was founded with an access mission—offering women access to an education equal to what was previously available mainly to men. Today, our access mission concerns overcoming financial barriers for students we would very much like to welcome to Smith.

How does financial aid keep Smith viable?
Financial aid is the key to Smith’s success going forward. The competition for the best students will increase in the years ahead as the number of college-age students declines due to lower birth rates. It will take more financial aid to recruit the best students to Smith.

Beyond tuition, room and board, what other costs are important to cover for students?
We are deeply committed to supporting students while they are here. That means equalizing the student experience. We understand that college is not just about what takes place in the classroom, so we want to ensure in every way that all students have the resources they need to participate in the full Smith experience. For some students, that means taking an internship. For others, it is studying abroad for a semester or attending an academic conference. I want all students to have the same opportunities once they arrive on campus and to experience the same sense of belonging, because when they do, their confidence grows, they thrive, and they aspire to greater things.

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2021 Smith Alumnae Quarterly.

To learn more about supporting scholarship aid at Smith, please contact Betsy Carpenter ’93, associate vice president for development, at 413-585-2052 or ewcarpen@smith.edu.