<p>In today's Sunday Globe there is a story about Smith English professor Eric Reeves and the work he is doing to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur in the Sudan. An incredible story:</p>
<p>Very inspiring - thanks for the post.</p>
<p>LuckyDad, does the fact that you are still reading Smith posts mean that your daughter has decided to go to Smith?</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback re the Globe article. I thought I might send out alerts whenever I see Smith in the local news for the benefit of those who live beyond the range of The Boston Globe. Smith's involvement with other big engineering schools to stop cyber attacks is on another post. And then immediately thereafter, there were stories in the Globe about (1) religious choices being made by college students today (mostly featuring Smith students), and (2) professors doing work on (I think) Sylvia Plath.</p>
<p>Quite the range of activity.</p>
<p>She's close to choosing Smith. Basically she's "trying on" schools by imagining she's selected a school, told friends, teachers, etc. and seeing how she feels about it. This weekend it was Grinnell; right now it's Smith. At least she's got it down to two (I hope)! I'm sure she'll settle on something soon, and the tide seems to be moving in Smith's direction.</p>
<p>Oh, LD...fingers crossed for your D & Smith. Both are good schools.
But, assuming choice of major isn't relevant, I think Smith offers so much more as a total experience.</p>
<p>Smith it is! Letters go out tomorrow.</p>
<p>HUZZAH! HUZZAH!! HUZZAH!!!</p>
<p>Congrats to your D, LuckyDad.</p>
<p>Thanks! Also appreciate the input on the orchestra and STRIDE programs.</p>
<p>LuckyDad, welcome to Smith's only fraternity...the fraternity of Smith Dads. (Which letters, I dunno...it's Greek to me.) Is your D a STRIDE? If so, when she gets her list of STRIDE research options, feel free to PM or e-mail me...my D found it helpful to inquire among current students about the reps of various profs.</p>
<p>Eric was a classmate of mine at Williams. If you've spent most of your adult life spending time with Milton, I guess after all you just HAVE to do something else! I hope my d. gets to know him.</p>
<p>I was up there last week. My younger d. gave a benefit piano recital for the African Great Lakes Initiative (<a href="http://www.AGLIonline.org%5B/url%5D">www.AGLIonline.org</a>) in Philadelphia, and my Smith d. flew down for the event. Then we drove back up, as there was a performance of student composers on Sunday evening, with music played (mostly) by the faculty. The place was packed! and we experienced her "Bartokian moment".</p>
<p>It is so, so beautiful there, and I pinch myself everytime we visit - d. is getting a GREAT education. (and just finished a term paper on "Aquinas and Beauty" for medieval philosophy.) Smith came up with extra bucks to send her back to India this summer (to build houses for/with flood/tsunami victims, and learn Tamil, and with two side trips to Cambodia and Bangkok). She has music everyday of the week, one day or another, has continued to become a very accomplished writer, has made a bunch of good friends, and is fast becoming a world citizen. What better could I ask for?</p>
<p>Yes, D is STRIDE, and thanks for the offer of professor advice.</p>
<p>STRIDE offer was a very significfant factor in that it helped her to rationalize turning down Carleton (which she really didn't like anyway - but, hey, it is rated highly) and in turning down Grinnell (which she really did like and offered her a lot of $). Without the STRIDE it would have been harder for her to rationalize turning either of these fine institutions down. Basically STRIDE (and many other smaller items) trumped Carleton's rating and Grinnell's frinedliness and $.
So, direct evidence that STRIDE is an effective recruiting tool!</p>
<p>Well, a year into it and I can say STRIDE can be all it's billed as and more. D has a seven-week research job at Smith this summer, funded by the National Science Foundation. Application? Her STRIDE prof told her about it and said, "If you want it, it's yours." </p>
<p>Note: I'm pretty sure she's not the only one on this project but it was nice that the prof already knew her first hand. Somebody in the administration, when out here for an event, said something to the effect of, "We expect a lot out of our STRIDE's." Which made me wonder if they're silently being tracked for whatever reasons. Hmm. Sorry...I have a suspicious mind...have read too much LeCarre in my lifetime.</p>
<p>Otoh, D says that some STRIDE's are treated by their profs as "slave labor" and don't do very much that's interesting.</p>
<p>Finally, fwiw, I wouldn't worry about the ratings of Carleton vs. Smith vs. Grinnell. (Not that I think US News ratings are good for much but emergency toilet paper but peer ratings of 4.4, 4.3, and 4.2 for this year...and they vary.)</p>