Pearls and Cashmere

Laura Palucki Blake, Class of 1994.

Psychology Major, Economics minor. Head resident. social chair. WOZQ DJ. Accepted to every college I applied to, chose Smith.  I showed up at Smith a white, middle class Midwesterner (so I took the ACT) from a large public high school.  I needed scholarships, grants, work study, summer jobs, and loans to pay for Smith. I felt like I was the only perfectly ordinary girl dropped into a world full of amazing and special women.

It is because of the women I met while at Smith—White and Black and Latina and mixed race and lesbian and straight and bi and rich and poor and Jewish and debutante and Republican and feminist and “other”—who were also smart and passionate and warm and funny and proud and ambitious and powerful and honest and hopeful and daring and awesome that I am who I am today.  Those affiliated with Smith (my friends, faculty, staff, colleagues, and peers) push me, support me, help me, and guide me to this day.

After I left Smith (it has never really left me), I completed my Ph.D in psychology. I now work in higher education, where I frequently find myself giving talks about what research tells us is the positive impact of diversity in undergraduate education, and how positive impact translates into skills valued in the workplace and beyond.  Specifically, contact with diversity in college contributes to skills like the ability to see the world from someone else’s perspective; tolerance with others whose beliefs are different than yours; an openness to having your views challenged; the ability to discuss and negotiate controversial issues; and the ability to work cooperatively with diverse people, among others. I know Smith helped me develop those skills and abilities, and I need and use them every day.

I wear pearls because I think they are pretty; and cashmere because it’s warm.

I attended Smith in 2003 and 2004, and I was supposed to graduate in 2007.  Because of a complicated genetic disease, I was unable to complete my degree; and thanks to extensive medical bills and my inability to hold down a full time job, I have been ‘poor’ ever since.

That said, I am grateful for the time I was able to spend at Smith; and am proud to say that I possess all of the truly great qualities that it bestows upon its alumni.  I am intelligent with a thirst for knowledge; and I am adamant about self-education and advocating, both for myself and for others.

While my circumstances may have prevented me from making a difference or achieving ‘success’ in any of the standardized ways, as a Smithie, I am resourceful and creative - and I have found means of contributing to the world by writing letters, volunteering, and using my own life lessons to help others.

One of the lessons that life has taught me is that our energy is a precious gift.  It is important to take a stand; and when someone speaks words of bigotry or hate, we must make it clear that, as a society, we will not abide by such cruelties.  At the same time, ‘building-up’ is much more productive than ‘tearing-down’; and after stating our case, I believe it is important to redirect our efforts back to what we believe is good and right.

Verbally tearing Ms. Spurzem’s argument to pieces can only go so far.  Working collectively, however, to continue President Christ’s legacy of creating a wonderfully diverse student body - now that is a fight worth pursing. 

Claire Marie Kerker from Moline, IL. Originally Class of 2012, but currently on conjoined medical and “make enough money to pay for tuition” leave. Prospective Medieval Studies major and Archaeology or Linguistics minor, though I’ve really just always wanted to be a writer. Second generation college student, I suppose. I was adopted by an orphaned mother who had married into a large Catholic family and already adopted one child, so I have no particular affinity to any culture or history, which I deeply regret every day when I interact with myriad individuals who embrace their own and show how much each has to offer. 

My family wanted me to attend the local community college because my grades got me in for free, or at least to stay in state. No one in Moline had even heard of Smith, and my school discouraged me from applying. I still managed to apply E.D. because I felt more at home and more accepted there during my one visit than I had anywhere else to date. I couldn’t imagine giving that up. Smith gave me hope for more reasons I’d ever want to bore you with by listing.

I’ve always been on financial aid with work study, and have worked upwards of 15 jobs since turning 15. We get by. My second semester of Junior year I paid for the stubborn decision of not facing what turned out to be a lifelong case of incredibly damaging OCD and other health problems that left me essentially paralyzed. I’ve been spending the past almost-a-year outside of Smith working toward being able to finish there at the top of my game, both physically and mentally. 

My pearls are all jumbled up. I have several Smith-related regrets, but none of them have to do with the wonderful individuals I’ve met who continue to enkindle my spirits with their ambitions and compassion. If being a Smithie means being an ally of everything you all have posted here, then I’m an ally for life— clothes, accessories, achievements, statistics, and upbringing be damned.

Smith College School for Social Work 2005. Feminist. Performance artist. Queer. Healer. Proud to have attended the best social work school in the country and one of the best anti-racist institutions in the world.

Smithies - there are so many amazing women among us and we often don’t connect with each other as often as we might like.  Take THIS MOMENT as an opportunity to broaden your Smith-zone.  If you’d like to be more involved join your local Smith club, host an event, and tell your story to alums from classes across the decades. Help the Alumnae Association shine some light on all of the fabulous Smithies who are exceptional, global, and individual Alumni Association of Smith College

I am so glad this horrid letter is reminding me of how awesome Smith women— of all races, of all backgrounds, of all orientations— are!  Whether our houses and grounds are as decadent as our Smith residences were, whether we still drink tea every Friday or not, and whether we have ever worn a gown other than the one we wore for graduation… I know we’re all out there kicking ass, changing the world for the better.  Love to all the Smith sisters!

-Jen. ‘98

(note to mods, please use this submission)

Rebecca Bernstein Miller ‘02, Gillette House

This is a picture from my wedding; I’m not in cashmere but I am wearing pearls *g* Everyone in this picture is a Smith alumna, and in fact, everyone but me was a SSFFS president (I happened to be treasurer and librarian). We’re classes from ‘95 to ‘03, possibly earlier, and we lived all over campus. 

I can’t speak for everyone in this picture but for me? Smith was the best experience of my life. To leave my small-minded community behind and come to a place that *valued* me for my intelligence, for being different, for everything I valued about myself—I loved my Smith years, and I’m proud to be a Smith alum.

Ms. Spurzem, I may not be a “wealthy, upper-class white woman from prep school”. In fact, I’m a middle-class white Jewish woman from public school. But I’m proud of being a Smithie, proud of my years on campus. You do not speak for me or any Smithies I know.

Rebecca Lee, Class of 2015, Jordan House. I am Taiwanese American and I identify as queer, pansexual, or bisexual. I am a middle class feminist born and raised in Southern California.

I chose Smith for its open curriculum and accepting community, but it is so much more than that. I am thankful every day that I decided to come to this wonderful college. I have grown so much in only six months, both intellectually and emotionally, and cannot wait to see who I will become after four years here. I turned down UCLA, UC Berkeley, UCSD, UC Davis, Bryn Mawr, and Mount Holyoke to come here, and I’ve got to say, it’s been the best decision of my life.

I don’t own any pearls or cashmere, nor do I feel that they are necessary additions to my wardrobe. I plan to major in the Study of Women and Gender and to complete the Poetry Concentration. As a queer person of color, I love how accepting the Smith community is, and I am proud to contribute to the diversity here. However, I believe that as a school founded to empower those marginalized by society, Smith still has a long way to go. I am prepared to fight for an equal society and will not rest until social justice is achieved.

You are wrong, Ms. Spurzem, in assuming that Smithies fit into your four tiny boxes, and you are wrong to imply that increased diversity is a detriment to Smith’s image. You managed to offend almost everyone in the Smith community, and I hope that the dialogue coming out of this experience will continue long after your name is forgotten. We need to have these discussions about race, class, gender, and sexuality, and your ideas may have been silly, but at least now, people are talking.

Mixed-race 1986 alumna, Northampton resident, passionate supporter of Smith College and the women who attend our alma mater today—-smart, gorgeous, successful, and always defining leadership for the next generations of Smith women to come. Straight and married to a third generation Vassar graduate, ALLY (husband is the son of a pearls and cashmere wearing Seven Sisters alumna who gave me real pearls—-worn next to my skin here in this photo). I am sitting beside my 101 year-old grandmother—-native of Springfield, MA. Her son, my father, was the first generation of the family to go to college. I am a first generation college graduate on my mother’s side——a Swiss-German native, she lived in bomb shelters during WWII and going to college wasn’t ever going to be in her vocabulary, much less her future. So Smith gave me an indelible experience and opened pathways for the past and future generations of my family. I also worked at Smith from 1999 until 2005 and know full well that admission would not be assured for me now as the women there today are brilliant, confident, engaging, and focused on the real issues that shape our world—-not on biting pearls to check their authenticity or buying up cashmere at every turn. As I sat in the Quad at our 25th reunion last year and heard the president announce a $16 million gift all for scholarship/financial aid from a 1960s alumna, I was once again reminded of the powerful philanthropy that lives across the generations and IS ABSOLUTELY still a part of Smith’s history today. Sophia Smith said she wanted a school that provided an education as “coming times demand”  Seems to me that the women at Smith today fulfill this vision and will continue to do so tomorrow. I am grateful.

Smith 1987 (early decision, Biochemistry major, Junior year abroad Hamburg), Roland Park Country School 1983, MD/PhD:  Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, board member of Smith College Club DC

ASIAN-American, heterosexual

(lost my Mikimoto pearls at Smith, sorry)

At first I was going to write a letter deconstructing your letter and talking about how incredibly violent it is, the way that words hit bodies, and how unsafe it makes me feel that I can self-select a place to attend college (where I feel safer than anywhere in the world I have ever been) and one rich white woman can attack my entire worth and purpose so easily just because she wants to. Then I decided that I refuse to devote my time or my mind to some old white woman’s violence against me. I do that too much in the world. So instead I’ve been spending my time having tons of working-class, first-generation American, woman of color, lesbian SEX. It’s rewarding as shit. Your words are not welcome here.

Sorry; my pearls and cashmere are at home. I graduated from Smith in ‘77 and went on to a career as a professor and, now, an academic administrator. Because of my career choice, I’ve paid a lot of attention to Smith, and most of the things I’m proudest about have to do with Smith’s commitment to diversity of many kinds, whether in federally protected categories or not. 

I am a happily partnered lesbian. I graduated from a public high school and my family was and is middle class. Without the support of another family member who helped pay my tuition, I don’t know if I could  have attended Smith, which was my first and only (and early decision) choice. My professors, my friends, the campus and, above all, the education I got as an undergraduate made it possible for me to get my Ivy PhD and to pursue my career. It goes without saying that I love Smith, I repudiate completely the remarks that so offended us all, and I urge Smith to continue on a path of fiscal stability, welcome to all women, and excellence.

Dear Mrs. Spurzem,

I am a 2010 alumna of Smith College, and I prefer a compass and fleece to pearls and cashmere. I studied Biology and split my free time between Tyler House, Smith Outdoors, and the Glee Club. I am queer. Now, I am an advocate for healthy, safe, and accessible food in San Francisco.

I come from an upper-middle class family, but due to the costs of support for other family members, my family and I chose my college based on my financial aid package. I spent last week taking my younger brother on his college visits, and though the campuses conjured fond memories of my time in college, none could hold a candle to Smith. If I could choose again unrestricted, I would opt for Smith in a heartbeat.

In “reduc[ing our] standards for grades and scores,” Smith has been able to tighten standards for other aspects of the applicant—including her commitment to intellectual inquiry, involvement in her community, and her self-determination—which can’t be quantified. I’m sorry if this upsets the unfair advantage that wealthier, whiter, and more boring applicants hold, but it makes Smith an achieveable dream for any deserving student, regardless of her parent’s ability to buy SAT scores and private tutors.

Smith is only a safety school to those narrow-minded students and families who look merely at the hollow descriptors of test scores and GPA and mistake them for the soul of the institution. I have educated and accomplished parents, but I was never “programmed” to do anything beyond follow my own passions. I’m so glad that I didn’t go to school with a bunch of pre-programmed automotons, as are apparently found matriculating from your area to the Ivy Leauges.

As clearly demonstrated by the tremendous outpouring of support and solidarity by all generations of the Smith community, the college is so much more than the sum of its parts or the average of its test scores. Smith is anything but average. To merely focus on the percentages of certain narrowly defined types of students belies the true diversity of Smithies, comprised not of statistics but of stories. Those stories, told on “Pearls and Cashmere,” speak to the indescribeable synergy and vibrant learning environment that are perennially manifest at Smith.

You lament our diminshed selectivity compared to Wellesley, yet how wonderful it is that Smith is able to admit an even larger number of bright, passionate, and creative women than our sister schools. We can proudly offer Smith’s unique and spectacular environment to as many students as possible. Many of these students would not have been able to attend without the generous aid from grateful alumnae who “pay it forward.”

Despite the looming threat of Smith’s sinking rank on increasingly obsolete college lists, people to whom I reveal my alma mater are most often very impressed. When I say that I graduated with honors, the most frequent verbatim response is “Wow, that’s really an accomplishment. You should be proud of yourself.” And I am.

Sincerely,

Miranda Clare Mickiewicz ‘10