The Smith College Jandon Center for Community Engagement recently welcomed Xie Xianxiu AC ’18, a new Americorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). Xie will be working closely with the Jandon Center, Holyoke STEM Academy and community organizations on assisting and connecting with mentoring programs and organizations that support first-generation students and underrepresented groups in STEM.
THE SOPHIAN
This past Saturday, sandwiched in-between the NFL’s conference championship and the Super Bowl, a significant college game took place: the Senior Bowl. The Senior Bowl is a North vs. South all-star game for draft prospects. Compared to the NFL’s all-star game, the Pro Bowl, which took place the next day, the stakes are much higher. For these players, their football future is on the line, making it both tense and competitive. It’s one of the last opportunities for players to showcase their skills before the draft in April.
Patience Kayira ’20 | Editor-In Chief
In December, the college released an update to its Inclement Weather Policy: “As of this academic year, no classes will be held while the college’s administrative offices are closed.” This change was initiated by the Faculty Council, the Office of the Provost and Dean of Faculty.
Amanda Jiang ’20 | Jandon Center Student Fellow
The Smith College Jandon Center for Community Engagement recently welcomed Xie Xianxiu AC ’18, a new Americorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). Xie will be working closely with the Jandon Center, Holyoke STEM Academy and community organizations on assisting and connecting with mentoring programs and organizations that support first-generation students and underrepresented groups in STEM.
Simran Alter ’21 | Features Staff Writer
In 1934, Julia Child graduated from Smith with a bachelor’s degree in history. Child went on to study at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and is today recognized for bringing French cuisine to American culture through her cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” in addition to her television series “The French Chef,” which debuted in 1963.
Rosalie Toupin ’20 | Features Staff Writer
For the past month, I have been living and working in Madrid, Spain as an au pair. I live with a family of four in a small city about 30 minutes outside of downtown Madrid and serve as an English tutor and friend for the two 11- and 12-year-old girls. My days consist of hanging out with the family, playing a lot of card games with the girls, studying and taking Spanish classes in the village and exploring the endless wonders of Madrid. I’ll be here for three more weeks before I begin my 40 hours of travel to Auckland, New Zealand (which is conveniently located on the exact opposite side of the globe).
I didn’t plan on going to St. Petersburg during J-Term; I just happened to see a poster for it in Hatfield and realized it was a chance of a lifetime. I read “Petersburg” by Andrei Bely awhile ago, and it made me want to see St. Petersburg in person. I thought about making the trip myself, but I didn’t know how to plan it, and the visa is expensive.
We are living in a time when our civic duty is becoming more important. As American citizens, we each have the right to participate in our democracy. However, there are 5.78 million eligible voters who have Limited English Proficiency (LEP), showing that there is a need for increased access to voting materials in languages other than English. Under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, districts with 10,000 people (or 5% of the voting age population) who speak a single minority language are required to provide voting information in that language. This often leaves many people who live in less dense populations without accommodations. People who speak English as a second language live all over the U.S. and should have the means to read important information in their native language if they need, or choose, to. According to The Nation, more than 270,000 LEP voters live in 20 of the country’s most hotly contested congressional districts and have no voting accommodations. Expanding access to voting materials to non-native English speakers could swing 20 competitive congressional elections. The diversity of the American population should be reflected in our voting practices and policies if our nation wants to claim to be a true democracy.
Did you know? Comic by Flynn
As the spring semester starts and the temperature continues to drop, it’s tempting to never leave your dorm room. Take a break from studying and venture out to Smith’s Museum of Art, where several of this month’s exhibits will take your mind off of the freezing weather outside.