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  Smith Ranks First in Long-Term Study Abroad
  The Institute of International Education's (IIE) Open Doors 2007: Report on International Educational Exchange has ranked Smith first among baccalaureate colleges in the number of students who study abroad for a full academic or calendar year. Such long-term programs constitute less than 10 percent of study abroad. Smith is unique in sending 150 students abroad for a full academic year in 2005-06. Open Doors is a comprehensive information resource on the more than half million international students in the United States and on more than 200,000 U.S. students who travel and study abroad as part of their academic experience. Rankings appear at http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/?p=113300, and the full report and a PDF of fast facts is available at http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/.
 
  Glenn Ellis Named Professor of the Year
  At a ceremony in the nation's capital on November 15, Smith faculty member Glenn Ellis was recognized for his extraordinary dedication to undergraduate teaching. The U.S. Professors of the Year program, which is sponsored by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, salutes a select few of the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country--those who positively influence the lives and careers of students. Ellis is a past recipient of Smith College's prestigious Kathleen Compton Sherrerd '54 and John J. F. Sherrerd Prizes for Distinguished Teaching. For a profile of Ellis and commentary on aspects of his teaching, visit http://www.smith.edu/news/2007-08/glennellis.php.
 
  Alumnae Poets Usher in Center's 10th Year
  Three alumnae poets helped Smith's Poetry Center celebrate its tenth anniversary by reading from their work on November 13. The event, which was free and open to the public, featured Gail Beckwith Mazur '59, who has published five volumes of poetry, including They Can't Take That Away from Me, a finalist in 2001 for the National Book Award; Eve Grubin '92, the author of Morning Prayer and individual poems in that have appeared in The American Poetry Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, and Pleiades; and Gina Franco '97, whose first collection is titled The Keepsake Storm. For information about the Poetry Center, visit http://www.smith.edu/poetrycenter/.
 
  Longtime Smith Volunteer Honored
  Janice Carlson Oresman '55, a longtime volunteer for Smith, was awarded the prestigious John M. Greene Award at a surprise celebration on October 18. The award honors people from the Smith community whose service to the college has gone “beyond the call of duty.” In Oresman's case, that has meant nearly fifty years of volunteer service to the college that has included stints as a trustee, president of her class, member of the search committee that brought President Carol Christ to Smith, and active member of the Smith Club of New York City. In her citation, Mary Patterson McPherson '57, chair of Smith's board of trustees, said, “Virtually no corner of our campus [has remained] untouched by your energy and commitment.” 
 
  Julia Child Day with The Kitchen Sisters
  November 15 was Julia Child Day, in honor of Julia McWilliams Child '34. The day's events centered on the delights and importance of food in our lives. There were special menus for each Smith house, as well as other campus dining sites, and The Kitchen Sisters were featured speakers. Their popular NPR broadcast, “Hidden Kitchens,” features stories about the ways people build community by preparing and sharing food in small spaces, and often in unusual locations, throughout the country. To sample the menus, click “Julia Child Day” at http://www.smith.edu/diningservices/menus.php.
 
  Media Site Sells for $23 million
  More than a decade ago, Laurel Touby '85 looked around the media landscape and noticed that something was missing--specifically, opportunities for publishing professionals to network, share ideas, and learn from each other. Her idea to host networking events for writers and editors around Manhattan soon blossomed into a full-service Web site, mediabistro.com, that has become the place to go to find job leads as well as industry news and educational opportunities. The site has become so lucrative, in fact, that last summer Touby sold it to Jupitermedia Corporation for $23 million. Despite the sale, Touby will stay on as senior vice president. For more, visit http://www.mediabistro.com.
 
  Ford Hall Ceremony Marks New Beginnings for Sciences and Engineering
  Construction on Ford Hall, the new center for the sciences and engineering, is now under way. A special groundbreaking ceremony to mark progress on this major facility was held during recent trustee meetings on campus. Images from the groundbreaking are at http://www.smith.edu/future/NewsEvents08/GroundbreakingOct07/. Construction updates and background information on the facility, as well as live images of the construction site, are on the Web cam page at http://www.smith.edu/fordhall/construction/webcam.php.
 
  LGBT Alumnae Forming Affinity Group
  At Reunion in 2007, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) alumnae, those with LGBT children, and other alumnae allies from the classes of '05, '97, '82, and '57 held a gathering to share their stories. It was such a positive experience that participants wanted to form an ongoing group, with the goal of becoming an Alumnae Association affinity group. The idea is to create a broad-based group that would link members across generations to engage in conversations that affect the LGBT community personally and professionally and to renew connections to Smith through online discussions as well as events at college reunions. Does this interest you? Would you help in putting together such a group? What are your ideas about it? Let us know by contacting brooketrent@optonline.net. We want to hear from you.
 
  Stories from Alumnae Authors
  Curious how author Jane Yolen '60 has managed to write more than 250 children's books, or how author Ruth Ozeki '80 develops her characters? Check out the Alumnae Association's audio interviews with alumnae authors, “An Author's Voice.” Featured are interviews with Yolen; Ozeki, author of My Year of Meats; Robin Hathaway '56, who created the Dr. Fenimore mystery series; romance novelist Judith Arnold (Barbara Keiler '74); science fiction author Andrea Hairston '74, a professor of theatre at Smith; writer Marissa Walsh '94; fiction writer Martha Southgate '82, and Jennifer O'Connell '90, author of Bachelorette #1 and Dress Rehearsal, among other novels. To start listening, go to http://alumnae.smith.edu and look under the “Audio Transcripts” section. Files are available for download in MP3 format.
 
  A New Lifelong Learning Community
  Hampshire College is creating a new community adjacent to its campus for adults who wish to live in an intellectually oriented community in the Five College area. Homeowners at Veridian Village at Hampshire College will have access to Hampshire facilities, programs, and classes. Smith alumnae are encouraged to find out more at www.VeridianVillage.com.
 
  *************AASC Programs and Services ***************

Start Planning Your 2008 Travel Adventure
Spaces are still available on these Smith Travel trips:

VIETNAM, with optional extensions to Laos and Cambodia, January 15-24, 2008
Travel with Sabina Knight, associate professor and chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures. With one foot firmly planted in the ideology of Ho Chi Minh and the other taking a giant step toward the global free-market economy, Vietnam today is a fascinating study in contradictions. Don't miss this in-depth look at the history and culture of this fascinating part of the world.

TRADITIONAL AND MODERN WOMEN IN TANZANIA, January 18-30, 2008  Join Leslie King, associate professor of sociology, and gain an intimate understanding of the daily lives of women in Tanzania. You will meet Maasai women in the villages of the Great Rift Valley region; drive to the seldom-visited Mbulu area where you will visit Tanzania's subsistence farmers; view the Olduvai Gorge, where some of the earliest remains of our species were discovered; and experience the vast Serengeti Plains, which contain some of the highest concentrations of animals in the world.

TREASURES AND TRADITIONS OF SOUTH INDIA, February 18-March 1, 2008
Explore the history and culture of South India with Andy Rotman, assistant professor of religion and Ph.D. in South Asian languages and civilizations. This in-depth cultural experience will start in Chennai and will include a visit to DakshinaChitra, a center for preserving and protecting the living traditions of India, founded by Deborah Thiagarajan '65, as well as a visit to a traditional bharatanatyam dance school and a behind-the-scenes look at a Bollywood film studio. Rotman, who has spent six years in South Asia, specializes in the cultural history of Indian Buddhism.

For full itineraries and prices on the above trips, contact Smith Travel at 800-225-2029 or e-mail alumtrav@smith.edu. For a full listing of trips for 2008 and slideshows of past trips, visit http://alumnae.smith.edu/travel. Smith Travel's 2008 catalog is now available.

Be a Mentor; Find a Mentor
A recent study by careerwomen.com showed that 62 percent of women say mentors have played a key role in their career success. As an alumna of Smith College, you have access to a built-in network of smart, successful women eager to share their advice and expertise. Tapping into that network is even easier now through the Alumnae Association of Smith College's Web site, http://alumnae.smith.edu. There, you can sign up to mentor Smith students and fellow alumnae or find another alumna who is willing to share her expertise to help you reach your professional goals. To get started, take a few minutes to go through a brief tutorial at http://alumnae.smith.edu/mentor. 

Keep In Touch
The Alumnae Association's Online Directory has been expanded and improved to make it easier and more fun to connect with your Smith friends. You can now take advantage of a host of new features. Share your good times and memorable moments by creating your own personal photo album, update your information, and indicate whether you'd like to be a mentor to a Smith student or an alumna, and create friends lists to make it easy to stay in touch with the people who made your Smith years so memorable. To get started, visit http://alumnae.smith.edu, and log in under “Alumnae Directory and E-mail.”

Life insurance
Looking for a dependable life, liability, or temporary health insurance? The Alumnae Association's insurance program offers reasonable and critical protection for alumnae. Details are available at http://alumnae.smith.edu (click "History and Mission" and then "Benefits and Services"). Or for more information, call the AASC's broker, Meyer and Associates, at 800-635-7801. Identify yourself as a Smith alumna.

The Alumnae Association of Smith College promotes association programs and services only.

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For a compendium of the latest news about Smith, press releases, calendar of events, stories, and media coverage, visit Grécourt Gate, the college's news and events Web site, at http://www.smith.edu/news/
Other useful links:
Smith College Home: http://www.smith.edu
Alumnae Association of Smith College: http://alumnae.smith.edu
Smith Alumnae Quarterly: http://www.saqonline.smith.edu
Shaping the Future of Smith: http://www.smith.edu/future/shaping/
Supporting Smith: http://www.smith.edu/future