One long-standing Smith tradition for Ada Comstock scholars — the Ada Monologues —hasn’t occurred since 2019 – until now. The Ada Monologues brought audience members from many different Smith communities together to listen to the life stories of Smith students who had arrived at college “later” than most: the Ada Comstock Scholars. The night was always a special one that many current students, alumni, family, friends, faculty and staff looked forward to. An audience member from 2019, Mike Kessler said “The room was full of people deeply engaged and moved … It would be a tragedy to lose this uniquely Smith event.”
The Ada Comstock class at Smith is a program for non-traditional college students. This includes students starting college after age 24, and students who are parents or have served in the military, regardless of age. A key part of this program is it provides full funding to these students who face significant barriers to accessing higher education.
Making this year’s celebration exceedingly special is the missed moment for the 2020 event to coincide with the Ada Comstock program’s 45th anniversary. The program is named for Ada Louise Comstock, who graduated from Smith in 1897 and also served as college dean. Recognizing the need for undergraduate degree opportunities for this demographic after denying admission to brilliant women in the 1960s, the first cohort of 33 Adas walked across the same campus we do now in 1975.
Before long, the Ada class grew exponentially — 334 Adas in 1986 and 385 in 1988. During a time when increasing numbers of college students qualify as nontraditional, and record undergraduate enrollment at Smith, the college admits less Adas each year. Smith now offers on campus housing to about 30 Adas in three designated houses. However, enrollment in the program dropped significantly from 220 in 2000 to less than 100 this year, with fewer than 60 expected next fall.
Since Adas have less time at Smith (2-3 years max), this means less time for information, and specifically, traditions, to be passed along. In addition, the decreasing enrollment of Adas makes building community within Ada Comstock Scholars and sustaining traditions (specifically the Ada Monologues) even more important this year. Previously, the Ada Monologues have been a chance for these members of the campus community to gain visibility and have their voices heard. “It’s a way for Adas to tell their stories and give context and about why they’re here and who they are [….] and it’s important to revive traditions that are historic to Adas because it helps to build community and share with traditional students what Adas bring to the community, said Aundrea Marschoun AC ’24.
This tradition has been meaningful to Adas as well as other Smith community members, “I remember clearly all the feelings conveyed in those personal and intimate experiences…” said Veronica Kessler ’22. “Their courage to open up was astonishing. Without knowing much about each person standing there, I had an immediate connection and a source of inspiration and motivation I will never forget.”
The monologues have served as a way to bridge the gap between traditional and non-traditional students, in the hope that the community will better understand who Adas are and why they are such an integral part of Smith and its community. Caitlin Senni AC ’23 said that hopefully the event will connect current Adas and make them feel less alone while hearing stories of others who have also faced turmoil before arriving at Smith. Savana Paciulli, Current Ada Coordinator, stated, “My goal in the Ada monologues is to foster community within the Adas. I also want to show the traditional students why we are here. Not only are we a valuable resource to them, we are powers of example containing lifetimes of knowledge … we just don’t have a piece of paper to prove it yet.”
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the monologues took a break. Each year the Ada class tried to bring them back; Zoom options were discussed in 2021, and some attempts were made in 2022 by SGA members, but the residual results of the pandemic meant the tradition was slowly becoming lost. For many in the class, this year’s Ada Monologues revival feels particularly important, in part due to the abrupt closure of schools in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to strict time limits in terms of semesters at Smith, the current Ada cohort is composed of those who have never participated in the monologues. This means the graduating Ada classes of ’20, ’21 and ’22 missed out on this tradition in their final years at Smith — and 2023 graduates faced the same reality. Recently admitted Adas have expressed that arriving at Smith they knew very little about the tradition, if at all. “I hadn’t heard about the tradition coming in, and I didn’t hear about it until this year,” said Marschoun.
In order to bring the monologues back in the best way possible, renowned Smith alumna Trenda Loftin, who was suggested by Ada Dean Marge Litchford, has been brought in to assist with the planning of the event in order to be a professional aid to help those performing express themselves fully. Loftin earned her degree in Political and Social Theatre and works to integrate understandings of social issues and performance techniques. Loftin is currently a governing member of Real Live Theatre Company, based in Sunderland, MA. Although Trenda was not an Ada, they have helped create a safe and affirming space for monologue participants. Having a professional work on the monologues production has been a huge help “Trenda respects the fact we are adults,” said Emy Collins AC who will be sharing a monologue in the show.
Adas performing monologues this year range in age from their 30s to their 50s and are sharing life stories which cover topics from motherhood, grief, addiction, immigration, sexual identity, poverty, “failures”, successes and ways they have found joy, passion and love. The monologues will also focus on the current experience of being an Ada and highlight the challenges this institution poses for non-traditional students. Amelia deGuzman AC said “ “I signed up to do this because I wanted my voice — and all Ada voices — to be heard.”
The monologues will run two nights in a row, April 21 and April 22 at 7:00 p.m. at Graham Hall.. The proceeds from the event go to the Ada class, who use their funds to support their students in need and foster community for future Adas.
Tickets for the event are available to Smith community members for $5 and the general public for $7 and can be purchased via The Social Network.
