Smith Reunion 2022

Alums rejoice during their special celebration during Reunion II weekend.

By Nicole Pellaton and Mary Giles

Joy was the reigning emotion on Smith’s campus when alums from classes ending in 2 and 7 gathered over two weekends in May. It shone in the smiles of the class of 1957 as they paraded in identical broad-brimmed yellow hats, in the effervescent class of 1997 celebrating its 25th, in the five stalwart members of the class of 1947 (the most senior to attend) reuniting for their 75th, and everywhere you looked.

Even the weather was near-perfect with beautiful, clear skies. (A few raindrops threatened  Commencement, but Smithie willpower prevailed and the ceremony was held outside!) For the first time since 2019, hundreds of Smith alums gathered on campus to celebrate each other and Smith. And they did it with gusto.

In addition to the beloved traditions—the Alum Parade, Ivy Day, Illumination Night, Commencement, class programs and meals—the biggest hit, by all accounts, was the new Neilson Library. On both weekends, alums enjoyed guided tours of the stunning new building designed by Maya Lin. Other popular Reunion programming included presentations on topics relating to Smith today, such as “Becoming Carbon Neutral: Smith's Geothermal Energy Project,” “The Smith Student Experience” and “The Growing Value of College Botanical Gardens.”

In her Ivy Day address, President Kathleen McCartney summarized the mood and highlighted the potency of the shared Smith connection: “I have missed the beauty of this day—the sight of hundreds of Smithies marching as one in a powerful expression of solidarity, connection and love.” She continued, “Your education and the experiences you had here prepared you for anything. That confidence is empowering. … I know you are using your education for good in the world. As graduates of this remarkable college, you know this better than anyone—the bonds among Smithies only grow stronger with time, whether it is two years or 75 years. Throughout your life, in times of uncertainty, you can count on your Smith friends to lift you up. Smithies help Smithies. It’s what you do. As one alum recently told me, ‘My Smith friendships are my superpower.’”

Class of 2020 Celebration

To honor the class of 2020—who missed out on the end of their senior year and traditional in-person Commencement activities due to the pandemic—Smith hosted a special program during the second weekend of Reunion. Three hundred and sixteen jubilant classmates—almost half the class—returned for this unique celebration. Highlights included a touching candlelight celebration at Paradise Pond preceding Illumination Night, and the chance to march as a class in the Alum Parade, carrying red roses, celebrate Ivy Day and process across the outdoor stage.

You can view more pictures and videos from Smith Reunion 2022. 

Meet Some of Smith’s Volunteers

Smith thanks all of the 1,363 alums who traveled to campus for Reunion, and particularly those who volunteered their time and effort to make Smith Reunion 2022 such a wonderful success. Here are a few of their stories:

As the class of 1962 geared up for its 60th Reunion, class president Joan Schuman, of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, was determined to make the milestone event a huge success. A generous and long-standing supporter of The Smith Fund, the botanic garden, SCMA and The Boutelle-Day Poetry Center, Joan is also devoted to her class. A former class president and 50th Reunion chair, she recognized the tremendous potential of a collective Class of 1962 Scholarship Fund. After helping find a lead donor, Joan donated to the fund and encouraged her classmates to show their commitment to Smith. The results speak for themselves: The class of 1962 had one of the highest participation rates of reuning classes and donated over $10 million. The Class of 1962 Scholarship Fund is the first class fund to reach the $1.5 million mark, thanks to the generosity of many members.

A member of the Class of 2002, Rubaiyat Hossain returned to celebrate Reunion from Dhaka, Bangladesh, where she recently stepped up to lead the Smith College Club of Bangladesh, an organization of approximately 20 alums and growing. A screenwriter and director, Rubaiyat has released three films, including her most recent, Made in Bangladesh. Her favorite thing about Reunion this year: “Seeing classmates carry the Smith legacy of equality and courage.”

For Martha Phelps ’87, of Seattle, Washington, Reunion 2022 came with an extra-special bonus: Not only was she able to celebrate her 35th Reunion with classmates and friends, Martha, a loyal Smith Fund donor and club volunteer, got to see her daughter, Anne Lepow ’22, graduate with a degree in mathematics and geosciences, for which Anne won the Mineralogical Society of America Undergraduate Award at graduation. Martha helped mark her Reunion with a gift to the Class of ’87 Endowed Scholarship Fund.

As the chair of The Grécourt Society⁠—Smith’s planned giving program to recognize alums who include the college in their estate plans—Kate Mulhern Johnson ’72, of Cooperstown, New York, wore several hats during Reunion. The tireless volunteer and Planned Giving Chair for the Class of 1972 celebrated her own 50th Reunion, helped host The Grécourt Society reception both Reunion weekends and made sure her mother, Barbara Harrison Mulhern ’47, also of Cooperstown, was able to attend her 75th Reunion. In her roles, Kate has helped raise significant funds for the college and made a planned gift in honor of her 50th Reunion.

Jane Lofgren Pearsall ’57, of Naples, Florida—Class of 1957 president, co-special gifts chair and trustee emerita—has held many class officer positions over the years. Maybe it’s because she has made so many connections with classmates through her volunteer work that she was so very delighted to celebrate her 65th Reunion in person with lifelong friends. “It was worth the trip to Smith just to see friends. At my age you value every contact,” she said.

Ever since the pandemic hit in March 2020 and students were sent home, Smith has waited for the right moment to invite the class of 2020 back for in-person celebrations. Enter Shailee Shah ’20, of New York, who together with four classmates organized a unique program during the second weekend of Reunion, one that allowed the class to reconnect with each other and with campus, and experience those meaningful Smith moments. As the class gathered for a special candlelight ceremony at Paradise Pond, Shailee spoke to her classmates, urging them to “relentlessly support each other” and to “always remember that the Smith community is here to cheer you on.”

Class Awards Highlights

Highest Participation:                      
Class of 1972, with 49%

Largest Class Gift:                
Class of 1967, with a gift of $15,281,149       

Highest Attendance: 
Class of 1972 (Reunion I)
Class of 1992 (Reunion II)

Most Smith Stars (alums who have given for at least five consecutive years):
Class of 1972

Most Members in the Friends of Athletics, Botanical Gardens, Libraries and SCMA:
Class of 1987