In her student Ivy Day speech, Shaharzad Akbar ’09 reflects on the road from her home in Afghanistan to Smith.

Stephanie Cutter ’90, a key adviser of President Barack Obama’s and counselor to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, will play a key role in pushing Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court.

Smith’s financial future has been the focus of many discussions on campus this year. On June 24 at noon Eastern Time, President Carol Christ will host a live Webinar exclusively for alumnae, during which she will outline the key components of her plan for securing Smith’s financial future. To participate, you must register in advance. Click here for more information.

Watch this year’s Alumnae College luncheon speaker, Tori Murden McClure ’85, the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic and author of A Pearl in the Storm.

Cybill Shepherd stars as a middle-age woman who enrolls at Smith as an Ada Comstock Scholar in Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith. Written by Susan Rice ’63, the film premieres Saturday, August 1, on the Hallmark Channel. Click here to read more.

Watch highlights from both Reunion weekends!

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education awarded the Smith Alumnae Quarterly a 2009 Circle of Excellence Awards Bronze Medal in the College and University General Interest Magazine category.

An article appearing on The Glass Hammer, “Addressing the Elephant in the Boardroom: Domestic Violence in the Workplace,” features Brooke McMurray ’71, who says, “Today some companies still say that addressing domestic violence is none of their business. I say not only is it their business, it’s good business.”

At Ivy Day in May, Shaharzad Akbar ’09 spoke movingly about how alumnae gifts to Smith made it possible for her to travel from her home in Afghanistan to attend Smith for a better education. This year, Smith needs to raise $11 million for student scholarships and financial aid. Now is the time to give, before the end of the fiscal year on June 30. Your participation matters. Make your donation securely online by clicking here or call 800-241-2056, option 1.

New York Times reporter Warren St. John’s new book, Outcasts United, tells the story of Luma Mufleh ’97 and her soccer team, The Fugees, made up of marginalized refugees and new immigrants. It’s being hailed by reviewers as “fascinating” and “truly unforgettable.”

Hilary Fink ’87, daughter of Lawrence Fink, professor emeritus of education and child study, is seeking reminiscences from his former colleagues and students as a surprise for his 80th birthday! Please send remarks directly to her at hilary.fink@gmail.com

Summer 2009 reading for all entering students is The Green Collar Economy, by acclaimed activist and political adviser Van Jones.