Renovated in 1999 and opened in March 2000, the Smith Alumni House serves as headquarters for the Alumni Relations Office with space for Alumni Board meetings and receptions. The house displays memorabilia and provides guest rooms for visiting alumni.
The house is named after Arthur L. Smith ‘38 and Carra Jones Smith ‘42, who provided the lead gift for the renovation.
The porch is named in memory of Julie Hazel Norman, an active alumnus of the College. The back and front walkways feature bricks with names of alumni on them.
Originally built in 1886, the house was leased to Alma College in 1887. The Board of Trustees purchased the property from August Bruske, Alma’s second president, in 1917. It was used as the president’s house until 1927, when it came to be known as the Kirk House after English Professor Florence Kirk, who lived there.
The house was known as the Kirk International Center from 1982 to 1999.
