Students served by the Smith Society arrive on campus without the benefit of traditional support systems afforded most of their peers. The Society helps bridge that by creating a place where they feel welcome, unjudged, and supported.
Dare to have a dream, dare to see a college education as a pathway to that dream, and come into our community and let us help you figure you out how to go after that dream.
—Bill Dickinson, Smith Society founder
A place to belong
Students tell us over and over how important the sense of belonging they found in the Smith Society has been to their success as students and in life beyond. Opportunities include being paired with a mentor, attending social gatherings and weekly lunches, volunteering with others, and accessing adult guidance in academic and career decisions.
Our students often faced multiple traumas growing up—neglect, abuse, abandonment, homelessness. They may be current or former foster youth, wards of the court, runaways, orphans, children of incarcerated parents, or children of parents with severe mental illness.
While some Smith students enter as freshmen, the majority enter UC Santa Cruz as transfer students after earning credits in community colleges. Because they have needed to work to support themselves—and frequently their young children or siblings—many have accumulated college credits at a slower pace than full-time students.
They arrive on campus with life experiences that have matured them beyond what most of their classmates can imagine. But many have gaps in their experience that can make adjusting to campus culture and expectations challenging.
The support the Smith Society offers is as varied as our students’ needs—from help finding housing or a computer, connecting with campus resources and navigating red tape, to finding friends to share stories with over lunch.
New beginnings
The Smith Society is extraordinarily proud of its students for their resilience and determination as they transition to new futures.
Many gain the skills they need to launch successful careers with their undergraduate degrees. Others go on to attend prestigious graduate schools and pursue advanced-degree careers.
Most importantly, they are able to engage with life guided by the confidence and hope that springs from education and the support of caring adults.
How to connect
Prospective Smith Society students are identified through the university financial aid application process and receive a letter inviting them to join. If they chose to connect, they participate as much as they like in Smith Society programs and events.
If you are a current UCSC student who believes you are a match for the Smith Society, but have not been contacted, please email us at smithsociety@ucsc.edu and we will send you an application.