Student Work

Senior Spring

Brearley students embrace the intellectual vibrancy that runs through the School, beginning in kindergarten and continuing through Upper School. They dive deeply into academic and artistic pursuits, co-curricular and extracurricular activities that excite them. This exploration culminates in a student’s senior spring, when she indulges her curiosity about the world in a unique way. Her program, which may comprise mini-courses taught by our outstanding faculty, an internship, or a research or volunteer project, often reveals the breadth and depth of what she knows and her appetite for continued discovery. Ultimately, senior spring gives our graduating class an experience of both impacting and being impacted by individuals, organizations and institutions.

Rachel Smith ‘22 used her senior spring to explore areas she knew she already was passionate about and into new ventures as well. She interned at Columbia Law School’s Admissions Office where she gave tours, welcomed newly admitted students and worked in an office for the first time. She also served as an assistant director to Class V’s production of the Shakespeare play As You Like It. She also worked on a Shakespeare-themed blog she had created called The Green-Eyed Blogger. She taught herself Italian, perfected her needlepointing skills, and in her spare time narrated two audiobooks. In the end, she reported, “I had a blast blending my academic and creative sides and leaning into new things that furthered long-standing passions.”