One of Smith College’s most famous graduates is now getting a building named after her.
The college announced on Thursday that it has named the Smith College Campus Center after Julia Child (class of 1934), the culinary icon who introduced French cuisine to the American public through numerous television programs and her cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” The center is now named the Julia McWilliams Child ‘34 Campus Center.
The trustees of Smith College voted unanimously to name the college’s Campus Center, a 60,000-square-foot building located along Elm Street, which includes a café and a bookstore, after Child. The construction of the building was partially funded by proceeds from the 2002 sale of Child’s home in Cambridge, which she donated to the college.
“Smith College is honored to recognize not only Julia’s generosity and lasting impact on the college, but also her impact on American culture and beyond as a teacher, author and television personality,” said President Kathleen McCartney in a press release statement. “Throughout her life, she brought people together, so it seems appropriate to name the Campus Center for her as an ongoing celebration of her life’s work.”
The naming of the center also coincides with the campus’ celebration of Julia Child day, an event held every year on the Thursday before Thanksgiving since 2004. The dining halls of the center’s café commemorated the event by serving many of her signature French dishes such as coq au vin, fruit crêpes and French onion soup.
Child’s legacy also includes the 2009 biopic “Julie & Julia” where she was played by actress Meryl Streep. A 2021 documentary about her life was distributed by Sony Pictures Classic.
In 1995, Child founded the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts. Eric Spivey, the chairman of the foundation, also gave a statement about the renaming of the center.
“A gathering space at the college which meant so much to Julia is such a fitting tribute to all that Julia represented and the mission she tasked the Foundation with fulfilling: promoting the joys of cooking, eating and drinking well, notably in good company and as a community,” said Spivey. “We think Julia would be delighted and humbled by the honor.”
