Front row: Elizabeth Boahen, Emely Tejada-Jaquez, Mariama Jaiteh, Alina Siminouk. Back row: Asha Reed-Jones, Tiffany Xiao, Denise McKahn (Smith College faculty mentor), Dana Ragoonanan, Leanna Troncoso, Gabrielle Valle.
Front row: Elizabeth Boahen, Emely Tejada-Jaquez, Mariama Jaiteh, Alina Siminouk. Back row: Asha Reed-Jones, Tiffany Xiao, Denise McKahn (Smith College faculty mentor), Dana Ragoonanan, Leanna Troncoso, Gabrielle Valle.

Smith College Posse Wins Innovation Challenge Grants

Spring 2018 | New York

In 2017, the sophomore class of STEM Posse Scholars at Smith College won two Innovation Challenge grants to implement projects to promote inclusion and strengthen the Smith community. The Scholars were awarded a total of $6,000 to pilot their two proposals: “Supporting Equal Access to Educational Tools” and “Friendship Bench and Friendship Circle.”

“We wanted to do something that would contribute to the campus,” says Smith Scholar Asha Reed-Jones, who worked on the project. “We want to address some of the challenges we and others were facing.”

“Supporting Equal Access to Educational Tools” aims to improve access to digital resources. The group saw a shift in academic experience—from students working together in computer labs or around a single desktop, to most students owning laptops and working independently.

Their idea combats the divisions in campus communities and breaks down systemic inequities that may unfold in the classroom and residential houses, depending on which students have their own computers. To put the project in motion, the Smith STEM Posse is working with Information Technology Services and Residential Life staff to identify best practices and the ways they can improve access to digital resources.

“We wanted to do something that would contribute to the campus.”

The second challenge Posse Scholars identified was the threat of feeling lonely and isolated, especially as a first-year student.

“As Posse Scholars we are lucky enough to know each other and have visited the campus before coming to school,” says Scholar Dana Ragoonanan. “Not everyone has that opportunity.”

The first component of the project will pilot the creation of a “Friendship Bench” in one residential house. It’s designed as a welcoming place students can visit to ask peers a question or just chat. The “Friendship Circle” will expand the idea to the whole campus through a badge system that shows students others who are willing to talk.

Posse Scholars are working with key stakeholders on campus to streamline the process of making the ideas a reality. They plan on piloting “Friendship Bench” and “Friendship Circle” next fall.

Asha, for one, says that she is grateful to be able to tackle these issues with her Posse.

“I am so appreciative of Smith for giving us this platform to voice our concerns,” she says. “The school is willing to put up not just monetary resources but also time to help students achieve these goals.”