In a letter to the community on April 3, 2025, Dean Marianne Yoshioka, M.S.W., MBA, Ph.D., announced her intention to retire from Smith College School for Social work in June 2026.
"It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve as dean of this incredible School for more than a decade and an honor to get to know and work with so many of you," said Yoshioka. "When I arrived at Smith in 2014, both the world and the School were very different. In 2015, students across the country were protesting the injustices of the world, and the ways they show up on campuses, particularly racism, transphobia, and systemic inequities—and Smith SSW was no exception. This pivotal moment compelled us to critically examine our own practices, policies, and culture to truly understand what it means to build a community where every member can bring their whole self."
During her tenure the School has weathered numerous storms including a pandemic, faculty and staff changes, and increasing pressure from both internal and external forces to deeply examine the School's anti-racism commitment.
"Importantly, we have established a new set of Core Principles to guide our work and bolstered these principles with our Community Agreement," said Yoshioka in reference to the principles which replaced the School's long held anti-racism commitment.
"I am particularly proud of the ways we have shown our commitment to building a loving, accountable community, developing new and meaningful traditions to engage our community. We have welcomed new faculty and staff to SSW who have shaped and advanced our work in deeply important ways. And we have continued all of this work even as we faced the greatest public health challenge of our lifetimes, proving that even in times of crisis, our School will not only persevere but continue to grow and thrive."
Yoshioka will steward the School through the next eighteen months as a search for her replacement is underway.
"We have important work to continue," said Yoshioka. "I'm looking forward to another vibrant Smith summer and all the teaching, learning, and community-building it brings."
Look for more about Dean Yoshioka in the next edition of InDepth, publishing in fall 2025.
