Rejections don’t go on your résumé, but they’re part of every successful career. In this empowering conversation led by Jessica Bacal, author of The Rejection That Changed My Life, three alums—Chelsea Kline AC ’07, Ally Einbinder ’10 and Ileana Jimenez ’97—discuss how they used rejection as a catalyst for professional growth. Bacal also works at Smith as director of reflective and integrative practices and director of The Narratives Project, which encourages students to explore their passions and articulate their values and goals through personal storytelling.

Maggie Olszewski ’23 recently had her first chapbook published—a collection of poems about loneliness and isolation, titled Laika, written when she was only 17 (she is now close to 21). An English literature and film double major, Olszewski talks about poetry, what it means to her, and how it helped her come to terms with the confusion and anxiety she was experiencing as a teenager.

In an interview on NPR's TED Radio Hour, professor Loretta Ross provides tools for how to "call people in" and takes listeners back to where she first learned her call-in skills—deprogramming people who had left hate groups. "When you ask people to give up hate, then you need to be there for them when they do," said Ross, citing the words of a former supervisor.

Featured on NEPM's Connecting Point, Smith senior laboratory instructor and author Meg Thacher provides some tips and tricks for amateur star gazers and explains what can be found in the winter sky. Her children’s book, Sky Gazing, offers young readers a tour of our solar system and teaches sky gazers how to find planets and constellations in both hemispheres.

As we reach mid-December, The Smith Fund is urging the Smith community to continue raising donations for scholarship aid. The Smith Fund is the central force that sustains Smith, and it helps ensure that students can turn their ideas into meaningful action. All donations will go directly toward keeping a Smith education accessible and affordable.

Students recently voted in favor of paying a higher Student Activity Fee to benefit the Common Goods Resource Center, which provides low-income students with dignified access to materials and funding resources. Director of Student Engagement Tamra Bates says the high level of support, over 93% of votes, “reflects students’ desire to support one another.”

Beginning January 6, the alumnae book club will be reading Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig. Based on true events, it is a captivating tale of Smith alums who risked their lives during World War I in Grécourt, France, to bring aid to French villagers. Registration is required, but the book club is free, and you can participate when it is convenient for you. Willig, along with historian Jennifer Hall-Witt and New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean ’00, will be giving a live talk on February 23, 2022.

This year's Christmas Vespers—led by the Rev. Matilda Rose Cantwell, director of religious and spiritual life—was held in person and streamed live on December 5. The performance included readings by members of the faculty, staff and senior class, and a music portion featuring the Smith College Chorus, Glee Club, Chamber Singers, Handbell Choir and Orchestra.

Smith NewsTracker

Selected items from the news media featuring Smith College people and programs

Colleges rethink loans as debate over debt cancellation rages on

Prof. James Lowenthal: Erosion—threats to the night sky

Hannah Beck: ’23: Civil rights groups urge Senate to delay recess until voting rights legislation is passed

Prof. Andrew Zimbalist: Can NBC sidestep the Peng Shuai scandal and deliver credible coverage of the Beijing Winter Olympics?

Prof. Carrie Baker: How abortion care on campus can help students

The Five College hub: Connecting libraries across campuses

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