Shelley Hacks formative years are just what you thought they'd be:
Modeling remained a sideline however, as Shelley concentrated on her studies. Shelley said, “The Ford Agency would send out a little card that said, ‘Shelley Hack will be back June 1.’”
In high school, her favorites were:
Subject: French Actors: Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and Natalie Wood Movie: Goldfinger Singers: Johnny Mathis, Dionne Warwick and The Supremes TV show: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Outfit: Levi's Place: Bermuda College: Yale Sport: skiing Pastime: socializing
She graduated from the private Greenwich Academy in 1965 and went on to Smith College. "When they say 'upper crust' it sounds so silly - most of the girls there were on scholarship," said Shelley.
In 1968, upon reaching her junior year at Smith, she decided to take a year off and study archaeology at the University of Sydney in Australia ("Smithies go to bed at 10 P.M.," she jested.) But she wanted her trip to be credited as part of her college curriculum. Her parents gave her permission to go, but the college dean went, "What?" Shelley recalled, "I told him I wanted to get away for a year on my own bat and Smith College had a fit." The dean never heard of Sydney University and, at first, wanted her to leave and not give the remainder of her tuition back. But she was able to justify her decision, and, in the end, the school gave her credit for the course.
Her "year off" included a trip around the world. "I spent a month getting to Australia and two months coming back," she said. "My mother worried that I'd end up in some flea-bag hotel in Bangkok," she added.
After a year, Shelley, who is fluent in French and Danish, returned to Smith and graduated in 1970 with a degree in History. Six months later, the dean of Smith College wrote to Shelley for advice on programs similar to hers for girls who wanted to attend Sydney University. And later still, Smith College proudly informed her that they had hired a president from Sydney University.
