<p>I am coming up to NoHo for "Simply Smith" day this Saturday (I'm a junior), and was wondering what I could do to make the most of my visit... are there any outstanding professors I should talk to (I'm interested in music, especially vocal and composition, history, international relations, and English lit)/ classes that I should sit in on/ places on campus that I should see while I'm there? Any input would be greatly appreciated :)</p>
<p>Mini could probably give you pointers on the vocal music prof. I'll try to get the name of the history prof that knocked my D's socks off in the "Recreating History" class.</p>
<p>For places: the Campus Center, the Art Museum, downtown NoHo (including Herrell's Ice Cream and some of the shops), walk around the west end of Paradise Pond as far as you can comfortably go....</p>
<p>I suspect Admissions will give you a schedule of classes so that you can sit in on subjects of interest to you.</p>
<p>If you have time and a car, going to Mount Holyoke--the mountain, not the college--and going to the house at the top and walking around and looking out over the whole valley is kinda breathtaking...absolutely gorgeous in the Fall. It's about a 20-minute or so drive from Smith.</p>
<p>Check out some of the various houses from various areas: Quad, Green Street, Lower Elm, Upper Elm.</p>
<p>The head of vocal music and chair of the 5-College Opera Consortium (and my d.'s initial advisor before she declared her major) is Jane Bryden, a well-known singer who has sung with the international director Peter Sellars in several Handel premieres. (They will be doing two operas next year - my d. is the STRIDE research assistant attached.) The composition prof (and my d's advisor) is Donald Wheelock, winner of an ASCAP composition award this year. They both are terrific. </p>
<p>There are so many stars in the English department it is hard to know where to begin. One that I recommend meeting, not because of his teaching but because of his commitments, is my college classmate Eric Reeves (who mostly teaches Milton and the 17th century). On the side, Eric has become one of the world's leading advocates for intervention in the Darfur (Sudan) genocide, and so has expanded his reach radically into international relations.</p>
<p>I'd invite you to meet my d., but she will be in Philadelphia on Saturday, at a benefit piano performance being done by my younger one. We will be there on Sunday for an evening performance of student compositions (don't know if you'll be around that long.)</p>
<p>The greenhouses are pretty impressive, and I expect the daffodils are in full bloom right now. You could catch them on the way over to the pond. </p>
<p>Just walking around the campus is helpful: listening in on conversations, looking at sidewalk messages. Don't be afraid to stop people and ask questions. They've all been in the same boat as prospectives. </p>
<p>Too bad you couldn't be going there today! The weather is absolutely gorgeous -- warm and sunny and headed up to the 80's! Unfortunately the weather forecast for Saturday is calling for rain and temps in the 50s so you might want to pack an umbrella and a warm jacket.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Hm I'm trying to think of history or gov classes tomorrow... so many of good classes are scheduled for MW or TTH. I know there is an Italian Renassiance class tomorrow morning at 9 AM. The "outstanding" prof for history is on sabbatical now <em>ugh</em> I think there's one international relations tomorrow afternoon at 1:10- International Organizations. </p>
<p>TheDad- the prof that your daughter might've had that's a history prof is Daniel Gardiner (focuses on Asian history) and if you're thinking the guy's from gov, it's Pat Colby. Both are pretty great :)</p>
<p>If you have any more questions or want someone to show you around, PM me :) I'm a first year.</p>
<p>Daniel Gardiner, yep, that's the guy. D was so enthusiastic that I wanted to take a class with him. As it is, when she was home she dropped off some of the reading from that class and I've gone through a fair amount of the stuff on the Ming Dynasty and the Wan-li Rebellion.</p>
<p>Pat Colby's name sounds familiar too.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help! Ticklemepink, how has your first year at Smith been overall? What does Smith offer in terms of study abroad?</p>
<p>Not TMP but, my God, Smith's study abroad options are dazzling.</p>
<p>They run four programs of their own--Italy is one of them--but they have students going everywhere from Budapest to Peru and Australia. I just about jumped out of my seat listening to a girl who spent time (year? semester?) with the Royal Shakespeare Company...and she wasn't even a Theater major. Smith also has a very strong Semester in D.C. program.</p>
<p>Study abroad.</p>
<p>Save up money for your airfare- Smith USED to pay for it, not it won't due to budget cuts.</p>
<p>But yes, the Smith programs are incredible. They really do make it easy for you to complete your German/French/Italian/Gov major abroad. The programs are very, very small. </p>
<p>Smith does have a huge list of approved programs abroad in other places in the world, including Israel (with some paperwork that involves getting out of liability).</p>
<p>Also, it has associated programs in Cobordas, Spain and Associated Kyoto Program (Really amazing program that provides $1000 stipend/month).</p>
<p>I'll PM you on my experience :)</p>
<p>Thank you all for your help... just got back from Smith and really loved it. One question that they didn't mention in the info session: what exactly are the STRIDE scholarships?</p>
<p>STRIDEs are merit scholarships are given out to 5-10% of each entering class. They entitle you to a $2500 scholarship each year, as well as a paid research position with a professor for your first two years. It's a really nice program, but if you don't get it, it's no big deal...there are other opportunities to work with professors for money or credit.</p>
<p>what type of research opportunities are available for non-stride students? Are they very difficult to obtain?</p>