My dear community,
After much reflection, I am writing to let you know that the 2025-26 academic year will be my final year. 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.
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.
We then faced the intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced SSW to move online for two summers. As challenging as this shift was, we learned to collaborate effectively in virtual spaces—a transformation that ultimately paved the way for offering online elective courses during the regular academic year.
During this time, we also experienced a significant transition as many faculty and staff retired, making space for fresh perspectives while honoring the legacy of those who came before.
Together, we have accomplished so much. We have updated our curriculum to ensure we are delivering the exceptional clinical education our students and alumni have come to expect while meeting the ever-changing social and political landscape.
Importantly, we have established a new set of Core Principles to guide our work and bolstered these principles with our Community Agreement. 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.
I'll be here for some time yet, and we have important work to continue. I'm looking forward to another vibrant Smith summer and all the teaching, learning, and community-building it brings.
The college will launch a search for my replacement in the coming months, and I look forward to working alongside each of you to ensure an easy and planful transition.
Sincerely,
Marianne RM Yoshioka, M.S.W., MBA, Ph.D., LCSW
Dean and Elizabeth Marting Treuhaft Professor
Smith College School for Social Work
