Daphne Lamothe

Dr. Daphne Lamothe, a literary and cultural studies scholar at Smith College who joined the faculty in 2004, has been appointed provost and dean of faculty. Her appointment was announced in April and she assumed the position July 1.

“Daphne’s intellectual acumen, curiosity, collaborative approach, reputation for fairness and her integrity will serve this community well,” said Smith College President Sarah Willie-LeBreton.

A professor of Africana studies, Lemothe’s areas of interest include African America, Afro-Caribbean and Black migration, and transnational literature. Her courses have covered the Harlem Renaissance, African American migration narratives, Black music and literature, Blackness and the city, and literature on the African Diaspora.

Prior to her time at Smith, Lamothe taught at Rutgers University. Originally from Queens, New York, Lamothe has a bachelor’s degree in English from Yale University and a Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Berkeley. She has authored many essays, articles and reviews and published in peer-reviewed books and journals.

She also has received fellowships and grants from institutions including Duke University and the Ford Foundation. In 2023, she was awarded Smith’s Honored Professor Award due to her achievements in teaching, scholarship and overall contributions to the academic community.