In Memoriam: Lia Smith ’26
In Memoriam: Lia Smith ’26
Lia Smith, 21, a member of the Middlebury College Class of 2026, died unexpectedly in Cornwall, Vermont on October 18.
Born in Berkeley, California, Lia grew up in Woodside and graduated from Sacred Heart Preparatory School.
Over the course of her high school career, she received a variety of awards and honors, including the Rotary Club of Menlo Park Academic Achievement Award in 2022, a Sacred Heart Blue-Ribbon Award in 2022, and the Sean McLarry Fine Arts Scholarship Award in 2021. She served as a teacher’s assistant at the Peninsula Bridge, where she received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award in 2022. She competed in, placed, or won numerous diving competitions at the local, state, regional, and national levels.
Lia arrived at Middlebury College in the fall of 2022 and began working toward a double major in computer science and statistics.
“Lia was an integral part of our computer science community from the moment she arrived at Middlebury,” said Amy Briggs, professor and chair of the computer science department. “Her fellow students could rely on her to ask the questions in class that no one else dared to ask, and her instructors could rely on her to challenge us—always gently—while still laughing the loudest at any attempted jokes. She was boundlessly curious, fearless, and unfailingly kind.”
Alex Lyford, associate professor of statistics, who had Lia as a student, noted her keen interest in gaming. The two often discussed their overlapping tastes in games. “She would recommend games she thought I might enjoy—which very often I did,” said Lyford. “She was also an exceptional student who fearlessly participated in class and engaged with the material both inside and outside the classroom. Her relentless enthusiasm in class will be dearly missed.”
Lia’s many diverse interests outside of academics included participating in the College’s Bridge, Chess, and Japanese clubs. She was also active at the College’s Prism Center and a strong advocate for transgender rights.
A recruited member of the Middlebury women’s swimming and diving team, Lia worked closely with Head Diving Coach Bradley Schott.
“Lia was a brilliant, dedicated and compassionate young woman,” said Schott. “She had a remarkable sense of humor and her laughter always captivated the people around her. Working with Lia was one of the greatest gifts of my coaching career. Her love for her teammates and for the freedom of flight off the diving boards was profound. Lia was light in all of our lives.”
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Lia’s memory to the Prism Center for Queer and Trans Life at Middlebury College. Notes of sympathy to the family may be sent care of Student Affairs at Middlebury College. The campus community will gather to remember and celebrate Lia’s life on Monday, November 10, at 4:30 p.m. in Wilson Hall.