Giving Forward

Hard to believe but it has been five years since we established "Fullfill the Potential". Who knew that the great recession would hit just as we started (remember it was June 2008)? I am the eternal optimist but fundraising for this project has been a HUGE struggle. But - no pain, no gain. And the one thing that I am sure we want to leave as a legacy for the next generation is the idea that - Once you set your mind to it, you can do it. And do it we did.

The numbers are not final yet, but we are closing in on $200,000 for our very special fund, and with just a few more contributions before our class reunion next week, we can make it! (Here is the website - select Class of 1978 FTP/Wallace Coulter Foundation Scholarship): http://www.smith.edu/giving/

Before you jump to click, here's what you should know. Your support for this project makes it possible to support Pooja from Tanzania, Sara from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Farzana from Bangladesh, Metasebia from Ethiopia. Their stories are in these pages and they are the hopes and dreams of the next generation. They are "Women of the World" ready to take on leadership positions and make change.

Read their stories and see their pictures on this site.

And know - know that you are giving forward in a way that is a unique as the school that you call your alma mater.

And now: Click. http://www.smith.edu/giving/

Fatima's story (Fatima Bassir, Smith 2015)

Dear Dr. De Groot,

I deeply appreciate the effort your graduation class is making with the *Fulfill the Potential* project. It is a privilege to be able to contribute to this project and I am more than happy to share my story if it will potentially help others begin their journey. My Smith education is most valuable to me and I would love to see other women from developing and/or post conflict countries receive this incomparable academic experience.

During Sierra Leone's civil war, my family and I resided in Nigeria. We only returned to the country in 2004 after the fighting had sufficiently died down, even though many still feared there would be another sudden outbreak of war. Luckily for us there was none. Thus I continued my secondary education in Freetown until 6th form, after which I applied for the United World College scholarship. On acceptance I left my family to complete my high school/college education in Norway.

Studying at the United World Colleges made Universities in the US much more accessible to me. We often had representatives from various US universities come to the college and give presentations about their schools.Like most people, I first heard about Smith from a friend who was applying here. Even though I was unable to visit the college before applying, I read a lot of positive things about Smith from college reviews written by students.This coupled with the fact that Smith is one of the only Liberal Arts colleges that offer a Bachelor of Science in Engineering made it the ideal college choice for me.

Fortunately, I was accepted to Smith college and offered a generous Financial Aid package. This made my college enrollment decision fairly simple and greatly eased my mother*s financial burden of having to concurrently pay university fees for three children. Most importantly it meant I could bypass my country's tertiary education system that has been continuously deteriorating since the civil war.

At Smith I have been welcomed into a society of ambitious and caring young women who have inspired and encouraged me through my first semester. Its amazing how despite everyone*s busy schedule people still takeout time to stop and chat with other students and learn more about what is happening in the lives of others. I am convinced that I made the right decision by coming here; at Smith I am not only receiving an exceptional education, but also making life long friendships.

Thank you for inviting me to be part of this project. Please let me know if there is anything else about me you would like me to share.

Fatima attended our class reunion - see pictures from that event here.

Regards,
Fatima Bassir
Smith College 2015

Dreaming Big in Northampton

Do you remember dreaming big in Northampton? When the world was a door and you were well-prepared to walk through it? If you can remember that, then read on…

Our 35^th reunion will be here before we know it!

And when we gather again back in Northampton for lots of fun, catching up and sharing of the dreams we’re dreaming now, we’ll also want be proud of the collective contributions we’ve made and what we’ve given back to Smith College.

We were dreaming big when we last met in 2008. At our 30^th Reunion, we voted to create a class project -- establishing a scholarship fund to support young women from developing and post-conflict countries who would like to attend Smith, but otherwise would not have the opportunity due to financial – or even cultural – roadblocks.

Our proposal to the Board of Trustees was quickly approved, and we got approval to move forward with the Smith College Class of ’78 “Fulfill the Potential” Scholarship Fund. You may have heard about it already – or you may be hearing about it for the first time thanks to our new, more complete e-mail list. Either way, please click here to read more about it, and please share the link with other classmates and potential supporters.

We can be proud of our class and our mission because we have succeeded in raising $50,000 to date!

Our challenge? A long way still to go. To establish the fund, we must continue to gather another $100,000 in contributions prior to our 35^th Reunion, or before June 30, 2013. If we don't make our goal by 2013, establishing a class fund will be much more difficult, requiring we raise an additional $100,000 in contributions for a total of $250,000..

Right now, there are already 50 young women on campus participating in our Scholarship Program. And they are dreaming big -- even though they come from cultures where women are not allowed to dream big. As a class, we contributed – and continue to contribute – to making their dreams come true, and changing the world forever.

Please read the spotlight article from Aigerem – a current program participant. Think about how a Smith education contributed to the size of your dreams, how much your contribution means to each of these young women –- to all Smith women everywhere -- and to the future of our global society.

If each one of us donates $250 before our next reunion, we'll make our goal. Will you join us today?

I tell you what: For each of the first 100 donations of $200 or more, I’ll add on another $50. And if all 400 of you donate even $50 or more, I promise to do my best to continue adding to donations right up until we meet our goal in June, 2013! Drop me a note at the email address below, to let me know you contributed and what amount.

And, if you’re making your donation online, don’t forget to select Class of 1978 “Fulfill the Potential Scholarship” on the tab labeled, "GIFT PURPOSE”. If you’re sending a check, please write the Scholarship name on the memo line.

If we reach our goal, our class will have a legacy, to which we can contribute as much as we want every year – and that will continue to help young women for decades to come

But … there is no time to waste. Let's keep dreaming big for the young women who will continue to follow us through Northampton. If we make our goal, we'll be feeling great and standing proud in 2013.

Thank you for your quick response to this appeal, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Annie De Groot '78
Class of 1978 Fundraising Officer

E-mail: dr.annie.degroot@gmail.com

Donate to Fulfill the Potential N

Carol Christ on Fulfilling the Potential

From CC's bio on the Smith College website:

In various forums, including the American Chemical Society, the Chautauqua Institute and the Council for the Advancement of Education, Christ has addressed such issues as women’s careers, civil discourse and the expectations and demands of accountability in the academy. Her op-ed articles have appeared in The Boston Globe, The Christian Science Monitor and The Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2004 Christ and Mount Holyoke College President Joanne Creighton co-hosted an international conference on issues and challenges in women’s education, which also examined women’s study of science.

The resulting organization, Women's Education Worldwide, comprises 50 colleges on five continents and is committed to developing collaborative strategies to increase access to high-quality education for girls and women. Under Christ's leadership, Smith has made significant commitments to international and intercultural studies and to global outreach and recruitment. Thirteen percent of the class entering in fall 2009 are citizens of countries other than the United States.