- My name is Carolina Dellepiane.
I am originally from Argentina.
I'm in Smith College studying psychology
and minoring in public policy.
- My name is Cecilia Van Dreische
and I'm a double mathematics and biology major.
- I'm Jessica Nelson.
I'm from Houston, Texas.
I am
a psychology major,
sociology minor
and I'm concentrating in community engagement
and social change.
- My name is Ketty Munyenyembe.
I'm an international Ada Comstock Scholar.
My major at Smith College is biological sciences.
- Before coming to Smith I had a somewhat successful career
in marketing in New York City.
I always felt that I was very unfulfilled in my career.
Three years ago I signed up for community college.
It brought me back to a sense of happiness and fulfillment.
And when I was at community college,
I heard of the Ada program.
When I was looking at other colleges,
I was really looking for a place that would support me
in my role as a mother,
but also, a college that could help me find balance
in my family life and my life as a student,
and my professional life.
- [Cecilia] As I was looking at schools,
I was really excited and interested in finding
a program that would be really academically challenging.
I think I actually wrote in my application essay,
I would like to have my academic butt kicked
and so, that was part of why I wanted to come to Smith
is that I was really excited about the academics here.
- I came directly to Smith from the Marine Corp.
A program called Service to School,
helped me connect with Smith College.
They told me about a program called
the Ada Comstock Scholar program,
which was specifically for non-traditional students.
Going back to school at 29
was a little bit daunting.
Talking to the professors here,
they seemed actually invested in their student.
It felt like a place where they wanted me to succeed.
So, that's what set Smith apart from the other campuses
that I had been interested in, previously.
- So, being an Ada,
I think is the most fun in the classroom.
Many of my professors have told me
that Adas are their favorite students.
They appreciate the life experiences and the knowledge
that we bring into the classroom.
- I expected the classroom experience,
but, I didn't expect everything that comes with it.
I expected to learn from the books,
but, I didn't expect to learn from these young minds.
- [Ketty] In the beginning, it's really hard.
Academics can be hard,
but once you get through the beginning it gets easier.
When you understand how the system works
and what our professors expect from you,
and then you realize that I have learned so much.
- At Smith, I've had opportunities
that I didn't think would be available
to me as a non-traditional student.
I got to study abroad in Panama over a January term,
which was just really cool and not something
that I thought would be able to happen
when I first arrived here.
And it was just one of those cool things
that I feel like happens pretty regularly
to students at Smith,
where you apply to something and you get it
and you have an amazing experience and Smith provides that.
- The support at Smith College is incredibly amazing.
- From the Health Center, the Counseling Center,
to the Lazarus Center,
where they can help you build your resume
or try to find career opportunities.
- The other form of support that has been really important
and incredibly valuable has been in my academic advisors.
Helpful in figuring out not just what classes
to take next semester,
but helpful in some of the big picture life questions also,
that I've come to them to ask.
- You are headed to the school
that's
gonna commit itself
to bring out the best out of you.
The school that's gonna look at you
as a person that is destined for success.
The school that's gonna look at your failures
as stepping stones and tell you that you can do it
and it's okay to struggle.
- You're gonna be reminded of the potential that you have.
Every single day you're going to discover your strength.
You're going to be challenged in a good way,
so definitely apply.
- Get involved.
Academics is incredibly important,
but when you leave Smith it's not the academics
that you're gonna remember,
but it's gonna be everything surrounding that
and it's gonna be the people that you meet
and the experiences that you live here with.
- [Cecilia] Being successful at Smith is not a matter
of what gray matter you have in your brain, right now,
it's a matter of working hard
and having a good attitude about working hard.
And I think if you're looking at Smith,
you probably already have that.
(upbeat music)