The College Fix

Some students say it’s a symbol of ‘colonialist’ oppression and ‘Indigenous erasure’

Smith College is in the process of finding a new school mascot after some students deemed its Pioneer moniker to be offensive.

The private women’s college in Massachusetts plans to introduce the new mascot in the fall, according to The Sophian, Smith’s student newspaper.

Smith adopted the mascot in 1986 to honor “the pioneering spirit of women breaking through barriers and reforming the status quo,” WWLP News 22 reports.

However, some students now see it as a symbol of “colonialist” oppression and “Indigenous erasure.”

Student athlete Sofia Trotta said she and other student athletes spent two years lobbying for the change.

“I’m proud to have played a role in shaping this change and ensuring it reflects Smith’s history, the culture of the Pioneer Valley and the realities of Indigenous erasure,” Trotta told The Sophian. “I’m especially excited to see Smith adopt a mascot that can unite the entire campus — one that reflects our values and brings together students, athletes, alums and the broader community.”

According to student newspaper:

This decision is a result of the organizing work of a group of students on Smith’s Crew team: Caroline Durr ’24, Sofia Trotta (graduate student), Willa Goldman ’23 and Katherine Graham ’23. In Feb. 2023, they approached Athletic Director Kristin Hughes to share their concerns about the history and colonialist associations with the term “pioneer” and what implications that mascot has on Smith’s community. The conversation led the group to conduct an informal survey to gauge student-athletes’ feelings on the topic.

… the group organized a panel in April 2023 entitled Mascots and Indigenous Visibility in Sport and Language. The panel gave space for student-athletes and faculty to learn about the history of the Connecticut River Valley (Pioneer Valley), the significance of mascot imagery and a space to discuss potential steps Smith Athletics could take to be more representative of all students’ identities.

In March 2024, the group organized a campus-wide panel under the same title. This panel more directly addressed the intent as opposed to the impact of having the Pioneers as a mascot. One of the panelists, Karly Toledo ’21, shared her experience as an Indigenous student-athlete at Smith and explained her belief that having an inclusive mascot would help students with marginalized identities, like her, feel more welcome at Smith.

The change process officially began earlier this year when the college polled student athletes.

“In a recent survey, 82% of student-athletes reported feeling disconnected from the Pioneer moniker. The process for selecting a new moniker and mascot has begun and we want your ideas!” the college wrote in a March 12 Facebook post, announcing a second survey for students and alumni.

A committee made up of students, faculty, and administrators has been considering the survey responses. It plans to make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees for review at their April meeting, according to the report.

The term “pioneer” has fallen out of favor in much of higher academia.

Several years ago, the University of Denver began allowing students to opt out of having its “Pioneers” moniker on their student ID, The College Fix reported previously.

And in 2019, a group of students and faculty at the University of Oregon lobbied to have a 100-year-old statue of a pioneer removed from campus. Some labeled it a “monument to violent white supremacy,” The Fix reported at the time.

Arguments against pioneers are coming from professors, too. In a recent interview, a University of North Dakota history professor said she believes monuments depicting the pioneers “reinforce white supremacy.”

MORE: University Rejects Pioneer ‘Denver Boone’ Mascot As Too Offensive

IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: The Smith College Pioneer will be replaced with a new mascot in the fall. Smith College Athletics/Facebook

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