<p>I've been playing a bunch of catch-up while recovering from a semi-working vacation and it'll be next week before I'm hitting pitches with my usual swing & regularity.</p>
<p>However, I thought I'd drop a note about Smith alumni.</p>
<p>Among other things, we dropped D off for a five-month internship in D.C. </p>
<p>One Smithie family had us over for dinner and within 10 minutes D had an invitation for Thanksgiving. </p>
<p>Another Smithie alumna met us for another dinner. She has her own small law firm and did her own internship 30 years ago. She volunteered to take D under her wing in general, including the occasional dinner, but specifically to be a local resource for things like "where's the best place to buy a decent suit at a reasonable price."</p>
<p>And, oh yeah, the wife of a male [graduate program] Smithie fed our cat while we gone for 13 days...I suppose it doesn't count because we already knew them.</p>
<p>Smithies...they're there for you. And not just them, but sometimes their families.</p>
<p>As a new Smithie dad, it was exactly that that caught my eye while visiting. Whoever we spoke to, or whoever gave us our tours, always mentioned the Smith connection for life. That was a huge selling point for our D, and for us as well! What a comfortable feeling knowing that you will forever be part of the Smith family, and that "once a Smithie, always a Smithie." We have heard numerous stories like yours from many families that we've spoken to since our D's admission to Smith. What an experience, without a doubt a great school that supports its universal family while attending, and then afterwards.</p>
<p>absolutely agreed. a smith alum who i'd never met (she's several years older) gave me extensive advice about the grad school admissions process, and was very objective and helpful. as it turned out, i chose the same school she attends, and now we're roommates (along with a mt holyoke grad). it was really fun to write a joint note to Maureen Mahoney (dean of the college, to whom both of us were close during our time at smith) and let her know that we'd found each other...she was thrilled! </p>
<p>at ivy day this year, one of the alums carried a sign that said "my best friends are still my smith friends." when i decided to go to smith, i certainly hoped i'd make good friends...what i never even dreamed of was that i'd become close with 'smith friends' who i never even attended school with!</p>