Smith College School for Social Work

10/08/2026

Over the weekend, SSW community gathered together across the U.S., and locally in Easthampton for lively conversation and connection over coffee.

In attendance: at least one M.S.W. student, several alumni (including Senior Director of Practicum Learning Katya Cerar, Ph.D. '13), along with Interim Dean Peggy O'Neill, and Director of Development Dawn Faucher.

A big thank you to the alumni hosts Lisa Jaffe, M.S.W. '15 and Leah Cantler, M.S.W. '11!

If you have photos you'd like to share from a recent or upcoming alumni event, please tag us.

10/07/2026

We’re excited to bring the Smith College School for Social Work community together in Atlanta this October for two opportunities to connect, reconnect, and build community.

The New England CSWE Reception is for alumni and friends of SSW attending the conference. Come connect with social work colleagues on Friday, October 23, 7 - 9 p.m. at Skyline North at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. No RSVP needed!

Enjoy coffee and conversations with Interim Dean Peggy O'Neill and Director of Alumni Engagement Katie Potocnik Medina along with alumni in the Atlanta area on Saturday, October 24, 9:30 - 11 a.m. Find us at Aviator Coffee Company downtown. Please RSVP here: https://buff.ly/ox74nPW

We look forward to connecting with SSW alumni, colleagues, and friends in Atlanta.

10/05/2026

And…we’re back on the road! Liv Morales, assistant director of admission, is excited to be kicking off the admission season by connecting with other Latinx professionals and showing off our nationally-recognized clinical social work degree programs.

10/02/2026

Fun news from Alex Kim, M.S.W. '12: he will appear on Jeopardy next week, on Tuesday October 6. Social workers can do anything!

10/01/2026

Congratulations to ej seibert!

Appointing a licensed clinical social worker and higher education professional with their career-long focus on accessibility and equity will have a lasting impact on the Smith community.

"...seibert has built a career focused on supporting individuals and communities, developing effective programs and services, and helping organizations navigate complex issues involving access, equity, and well-being.

'I am grateful to be in a community committed to asking the questions and exploring what it means to continuously transform,' seibert said. 'I cannot wait to see what we will do together.'"

is proud to announce ej seibert ’08 as Vice President for Equity and Inclusion! A Smith alum, licensed clinical social worker, and experienced higher-education administrator, seibert brings a deep commitment to building a just, supportive, accessible, and welcoming campus community.

➡ Tap the link to read more about their appointment and vision for Smith: smith.edu/news-events/news/smith-college-names-ej-seibert-08-vice-president-equity-and-inclusion

09/29/2026

This fall, Smith College School for Social Work community is coming together nationwide!

We’re excited to connect SSW alumni and students through informal gatherings centered on conversation, community, and the relationships that make the SSW network so meaningful.

Gatherings are happening in: the Bay Area, CA; Boston, MA; Durham, NC; Easthampton, MA; Lafayette, CO; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, ME; and Portland, OR.

They’re an opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni, meet students, share experiences, build professional connections, and strengthen the SSW community wherever we live and work. A special thank you to all of the alumni hosts for making these gatherings possible and helping bring the SSW community together beyond Northampton.

If you’re an SSW alum or student in one of these areas, we’d love to see you! Please go here for more information: https://buff.ly/tRnOIMY

09/21/2026

Jamie Daniels, M.S.W. '14, Ph.D. '23 wrote a guest column in the Hampshire Gazette focused on the possibilities of the executive order Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed in New York City to create the new Office of Worker Power. She shares some of her research and explores the ways her work and changes like this order can inform other local governments to take similar measures to protect all workers.

"The new program will not change labor law, which is governed by state and federal regulations. But policies that address social determinants of health always arrive as incremental shifts. Reaching workers before exploitation becomes routine, rather than after, is a meaningful structural move that has the potential to change lives.

My research is unambiguous: for Black women, union representation eased chronic anxiety, restored sleep, and returned a measure of dignity, control, and well-being that precarious, unprotected work strips away. What protects Black women protects the workforce of an entire city."

Read it here:
https://buff.ly/YHJMB2b

09/10/2026

Watch Assistant Director Liv Morales (our token Floridian) brave the Boston winter while on the road earlier this year for Smith SSW. They’re getting ready to hit the road again to recruit our next cohort of talented students. Please stop by the recruitment table if you find them at an event to learn more about our nationally-ranked programs.

Admissions events at Smith and where you can find around the U.S. in comments.

08/28/2026

A few more amazing moments to share from Commencement 2026. It feels like just yesterday, but we are missing the graduates already.

Photos by Shana Sureck Photography and Tracey Eller.