Daphne Lamothe

Daphne Lamothe is Smith’s chief academic officer, responsible for curriculum and for faculty teaching and research support. She plays a pivotal role in achieving Smith’s institutional goals through stewardship of the college’s academic mission. Academic and co-curricular units within the provost’s portfolio include all academic departments as well as the libraries; the museum of art; the botanic garden; Institutional Research; the Jill Ker Conway Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center; the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design, and Sustainability; the Office of the Registrar; and the Office for the Arts. Lamothe also chairs the Committee on Academic Priorities and oversees the long-term composition of the faculty. She has been at Smith since 2004 and has served as chair of the Department of Africana Studies, co-chair of the Admission Policy Study Group, and served on the Academic Priorities and Faculty Compensation and Development committees. In 2023, she received the Honored Professor Award for her achievements in teaching and scholarship and her contributions to the academic community. Lamothe holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Yale University and a doctorate in English from the University of California, Berkeley.