

The address at the 2009 Commencement ceremonies was given by Bryn Athyn College alumna Becca S. Smith, research associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC.
Ms. Smith graduated as valedictorian from Bryn Athyn College in 2003 with a degree in English and French. As a student, she participated actively in the life of the College, serving on Student Government and as a Resident Assistant in Grant Hall, the women's dormitory.
After graduating from Bryn Athyn, Ms. Smith went on to earn her MA in International Affairs from George Washington University. She has worked in microeconomics and foreign affairs, including a tenure at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France.
Ms. Smith now works in Washington, DC, leading staff support for studies on U.S. Department of Defense organizational reform and the U.S. Military.
She lives in Mitchellville, Maryland with her husband and their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter. The family is expecting a second child this summer.