Born in Kenya but raised in Somalia and Luxembourg, the Winthrop House resident spoke six languages and was learning a seventh. Her desire to develop a greater understanding of humanity led her to study social anthropology.

She kept up a packed calendar of engagements, often scheduling lunch dates on the fly as she walked to the Yard. Her frequent trips exploring Boston took her to many restaurants and clubs.

Recognized for her sense of style, Smith looked equally at home in high fashion and in finds from the Salvation Army. Friends often complimented her on the Hanes t-shirts she decorated with feathers in her dorm room.

Thought to be the unifying force in her blocking group, Smith brought an intense personality to her many friendships and a charm that made people feel special in her company.

And when Smith laughed, friends said, she was never embarrassed to lose inhibitions.

“She would just guffaw. She was not ruled by social convention,” one friend said.

According to friends, Smith was not only beautiful but also had a talent for recognizing beauty in unlikely places.

Although Smith had not decided on a future career, her friends said she talked about working in high-end fashion or becoming a talk show host.

Friends said Smith’s ability to bring people together came from her diverse upbringing.

Born on Dec. 28, 1982, in Mombasa, Kenya, while her parents were on vacation there, Smith spent her first eight years in Somalia and then moved to Luxembourg, where she graduated from the European School of Luxembourg. Her family moved to France after she came to Harvard in the fall of 2000.

Smith traveled several times to Denmark and had talked about living there later in life.

She considered taking time off last year to travel and study in Europe.

Smith’s interest in anthropology followed in the footsteps of her father, Lars Christian Smith ’70, who also concentrated in anthropology at Harvard.

But her friends said her choice of academic pursuit was also motivated by “a desire to know humanity.”

At Harvard, Smith worked at the Graduate School of Design library and participated in other campus activities including the Bee (a female final club), and the Women in Business club.