Message From the Class President
Happy and Hopeful 2021—1973 Smith College classmates. Yesterday was one of the best days of my life! I was able to schedule an appointment at my doctor’s office to get my first COVID vaccination. The feeling I had ranks right up there with the excitement I felt as a child in anticipation of Christmas, and the relief I felt when at age 26 I had a breast biopsy which, fortunately, was benign. By the time you read this, I hope that most of our class has had at least one COVID vaccination.
Fifty-two years ago, when we were anxiously awaiting to hear whether we had been accepted into Smith, we could not possibly fathom that we would live through a devastating global pandemic like COVID-19. April 15, 1969, most of us received the happy news that we had been accepted into Smith. Although some of us had already learned that we had been accepted Early Decision.
One thing I think many of us aspired to as we began our freshman year at Smith was making a difference in our world and achieving whatever we were determined to do. I think that most of us would agree that Smith encouraged & bolstered our confidence, our thinking skills as well as our written and verbal communication. Smith also fostered a sense of the importance of community and collaboration that we, as women, could succeed in any field.
In two years, we will celebrate all the lifelong connections, dreams and potential that Smith College helped us make and realize at our 50th reunion of graduation from Smith College. Our super dedicated reunion chairs, Margie Hunt and Jess Tava, and their reunion committee are already hard at work envisioning and planning our 50th reunion. Cheryl Cipro & Barbara Simanek are leading the fundraising aspects of our reunion. So, a big thank you to them for all they are doing to make our 50th reunion an exciting, not to be missed, “time of your life” celebration.
Peggy Smith
Class of ’73 President
Reunion Update
Your 50th Reunion team has been slowly gathering steam despite the interruptions of the pandemic. Smith will officially start the countdown clock for us in September when we will receive reunion training (either on campus or virtual). At that point, we will begin turning up the heat to cook up the best party ever to celebrate our 50th.
Here is our first big ask: Looking for volunteers to join the 50th Reunion Class Book Committee. This is no small task, but the product is one that many look forward to. Responding to the results of our Survey Monkey Four Quick Questions about the format of the Class Book, we hope to offer a digital version with access for all and a printed version. If you have already volunteered, thank you and we do have your name. If your ears perk up at the thought of working on this committee, send us an email (addresses below) and let us know. We have lots of research, information, and examples of previous 50thReunion Class Books to get the committee started.
As thoughts of reunion begin percolating in the back of your mind and as you start writing things on your calendars, be sure to save-the-date. Although we don’t have confirmation yet for which weekend we will be scheduled, we do know that it will be May 2023.
In the meantime, stay in touch! Visit our Smith College Class of 1973 Facebook page. Keep zooming with your classmates and housemates. Wear your Smith sweatshirts. Partake of the wealth of interesting webinars and virtual programs coming from the Alumnae Office as well as from beloved Smith institutions such as the Botanical Garden (Spring Bulb Show), Neilson Library (now open for business!), the Smith College Art Museum (virtual exhibits), and the Boutelle-Day Poetry Center at Smith College (inspiring poetry readings!).
Margie Hunt
Jess Tava
50th Reunion Co-Chairs
Call for Class Notes
We love reading your news! Send your class notes for the SAQ to our class secretaries, Lolly Mixter. You can also use the Smith Alumnae Quarterly Class Notesform. Online submissions go directly to class secretaries. Be sure to join our Smith Class of 1973 page on Facebook. The group’s name is Smith College Class of 1973.
In Memoriam
As we begin to prepare for the Memorial Service at our 50th reunion, volunteers will be needed to work on various aspects of the service, including:
• music selections,
• printed bulletin design and content,
• research to compile the personal profiles for the “In Her Own Words” booklet/digital picture frame, and
• identification of classmates to make personal remarks about those we are remembering.
Some of the work, like the research, could begin now, but the fall of 2022 is when the Memorial Service committee will really need to get started. If you are at all interested, contact Memorial Chair, Mary Hinkel. Our 45th reunion service was a wonderful way to remember and celebrate our classmates who have died. We would love your help as we continue the tradition.
Mary Hinkel
50th Reunion Memorial Chair
Class Spotlight
The following post is reprinted with permission from our classmate Jane Beckwith who first posted this on our class Facebook group page on Feb. 12, 2021.
“I’ve just documented a bequest to Smith through my estate that I’ve planned for many years but that also gives our class a big boost toward our total 50th reunion gift.
I wasn’t aware of this program related to our class reunion gift. Guided by very accommodating and efficient folks at Smith, all I had to do was complete a few sections of my will. With those simple steps, Smith determined that the language I provided would qualify to “book” or credit our class with 50% of the current value of my total bequest.
I post this here in case others were not aware of this opportunity and would like to do as I did. (If of interest, the first step is to contact Sam Samuels, Director of Gift Planning.
It’s a great way to support Smith in the future and also contribute in a major way toward our class’s Reunion gift total.”
Thank you, Jane for your inspirational gift to the class of ‘73s 50th reunion.
Fundraising Update
With three months left in the Fund year, we are close to our goal of raising $200,000 for the Smith Fund. To date, we have given almost $167,000, leaving $33,000 left to reach our goal. 78 classmates are needed to make our participation goal of 40%. Many thanks to all who have made their commitment to Smith this year.
Now is the time to start forming our Class Fund Committee for our 50th Reunion. Having a dedicated team of volunteers to engage classmates will ensure that we match and surpass our successful 45th Reunion. Please email me if you would like to help.
Class of 1973 Giving Statistics (as of 3.8.21)
Total Commitment: $213,466
Smith Fund: $167,677
Smith Fund goal: $200,000
Donors: 161
Participation: 27%
Donors needs to reach 40%: 78
Cheryl Cipro
Fund Team Coordinator
Planned Giving Update
Making a planned giving bequest (any type of bequest that will occur at death) is a tax-efficient way of making a gift to Smith. With the added bonus that any reduction in the amount passing to your family is minimalized. Half of the amount of the bequest counts as a 50th reunion gift. Already, eight of our class of ‘73 have completed the documents to make bequests to Smith College. These generous bequests currently total $1,321,675 and will count to our class’s five-year comprehensive giving for our 50th reunion.
Sam Samuels, Director of Planned Giving at Smith, gives some really informative webinars that discuss some of the most tax-efficient methods of making these kinds of gifts. If you missed the webinar this week about life income gifts or charitable gift annuities, you can view it here (passcode SgK*6frW). It is a great way to secure a stream of income during your life and then have Smith receive the gift after you pass away. Here is the link to Sam’s webinar about Bequests from February (passcode kXpfc=16)—another planned gift that counts towards reunion.
If you have questions, contact Sam or me, Barbara Robbins Simanek, our 50th reunion planned giving chair.
Barbara Robbins Simanek
Planned Giving Reunion Chair