‘Be Brave, Set High Goals, Break Barriers’

Historian

“Smith College has meant so much to me. Everything I have done, everything I have become, can be traced back to my experiences as a student here.

“I have three messages for current undergraduates: First, the skills you learn and the interests you cultivate can open opportunities, develop habits of mind, and suggest pathways that will make all the difference to who you will become.

“Second, take every opportunity to get to know your professors. Go to office hours. Invite them to dinner in your houses. Take advantage of chances to do research for and with them. Those interactions will enrich your lives immeasurably.

“And third, take every opportunity to get to know Smith alumnae. I have forged friendships with an amazing array of women—some 30 years older than I am—women who have modeled for me ways of living a productive and fulfilling life that I could not otherwise have imagined.”

Venture capitalist and entrepreneur

“Receiving a Smith Medal is a circle completed. Seeing those Smithies on the stage at Rally Day all those years ago was a role model to aspire to. I wondered: How did they do it? And thought, if only I could achieve something as notable and worthy of celebrating. Realizing that I am now joining them is extraordinary!

“In 1972, when we graduated, companies and graduate schools needed more women. I accepted a job at The Chase Manhattan Bank and was also accepted at Harvard Business School (HBS), matriculating there two years later. After HBS, a career in finance followed in New York, Hong Kong, and Tokyo; then, private equity investing; and, 26 years ago, venture capital, when we founded StarVest Partner—still one of the largest majority-women-owned venture capital firms, which means there are still too few.

“This is the time in your life to take a risk, try new things, explore new directions. Follow something you love, a path you believe in, something that fascinates you. Be brave, set high goals, break barriers, make a difference.”

Engineer

“Each of you sit here today as a participant in the 150 years of rich ‘Smithieness’ —the community of Smithies to your left and to your right—inclusive of faculty, staff, and folks.

The rigor and open curriculum of Smith empowered me to critically think and evaluate systems, to ask better questions, and to leverage this incredible education in service to as much good as possible. Healthcare—specifically for our most vulnerable among us, seniors—was a natural evolution to where I would aim to leave my footprints.

“Expose yourself to as many experiences as possible—get comfortable outside of your comfort zone and that foundation will serve you well in living to your highest calling in a values-guided way.

“You are the right person. The person to your left, to your right—those who came before and those who are following behind—are the right people. I am a living reflection of Smith’s concepts of knowledge, community, and generosity, and I am confident you are as well.”

Entrepreneur

“When I boarded my one-way flight from my small village in Kenya to study abroad, I could not have imagined that I would be standing here today accepting this medal of the highest honor. It’s beyond my wildest dreams, and I am grateful for my Smith community, who supported me and gave me the confidence to pursue my aspirations to their full potential.

“While at Smith, I pursued a degree in economics, studied abroad at the London School of Economics and went on to obtain an M.B.A. While working on Wall Street, I decided to leave behind my lucrative career to pursue entrepreneurship. I had grown up on my grandfather’s coffee farm in Kenya, where I observed that women performed 90% of the labor. I founded a coffee brand with a mission to empower women and give back to my community. My Smith education prepared me very well for this role.

“Fellow Smithies, I urge you to follow your dreams and fight for what you believe. Create a version of the world that you would like to live in today and gift to future generations.”