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Megan Smith, a member of the Class of 2006 and the daughter of PC alumnus Alan Smith ‘77, shares many things with her father. In addition to a fiercely competitive athletic streak (both served as CPTs of their respective athletic teams, soccer and football), both are passionate about and grateful for education or, more particularly, their education.
“Megan and Alan bleed blue,” and are proud of their Blue Hose roots. Alan has continued to serve his alma mater in recent years as the executive director of the Scotsman Club, raising resources for scholarships for student-athletes. Megan is making her mark in graduate school, with an endless world of possibilities ahead of her.
Recently Megan, a graduate student in the highly competitive sports administration program at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, sat down and wrote the following thoughts about her PC experiences.
Always a Blue Hose
“I am a current graduate student in the sports administration program at UNC Chapel Hill. And yes, I have had the pleasure of being around such individuals as Roy Williams, Anson Dorance, and Mia Hamm. What is interesting to me, however, is that, together, the two experiences of being a student-athlete at Presbyterian College and working within the athletic department as a graduate student at UNC Chapel Hill have put into perspective what I want out of life.
I went through the struggles every graduating high school senior experiences when trying to decide upon a college – asking myself, where do I want to spend the next four years of my life? What school is going to give me my future dream job, whatever that is? Which school will start those friendships I see that my parents have, that will last me a lifetime?
As a student-athlete, I also knew that I had to find a school where I could succeed in the classroom as well as on the soccer field.
As hard as it may be to believe, it took me until my senior year at Presbyterian College to realize that I had, without a doubt, decided upon the right school four years earlier. That moment is what I want to talk about – Senior Night in Martin Stadium.
My senior season on the soccer team was a disappointing year in terms of performance, but not in terms of character building. Our Senior Night, I asked Coach (Brian Purcell) if I could lead the team in prayer prior to kickoff. I took this opportunity to reflect upon my four years at Presbyterian College. I, first and foremost, thanked God for blessing me and my teammates with the ability to worship Him on the soccer field in our own special way.
I thanked the PC community for being so supportive throughout our time at PC – providing not only the education I received but also the faculty and the resources for that education. I thanked my teammates and coaches for inspiring me to become not only a better soccer player, but also a better person. And, finally, I thanked my family and friends for seeing me through my accomplishments and struggles.
That night we won. What stands out in my mind, though, is not the victory but the people in the stands who have had and continue to have such an influence on my life. As I looked out over the crowd, I could see them all – my mom, dad, brothers Will and Jackson, fellow students, sorority sisters, faculty members I would see in class the next day, and alumni from long ago wrapped up against the chill in PC blankets. That picture of the happiness on their faces for me and my teammates is still what I see and what I feel when I close my eyes and look back. I know that, years from now, I will pull this wonderful memory out again and again to share with others, and that PC people will know what I mean.
The enthusiasm at a women’s soccer game or a basketball game at UNC is addicting and contagious. But I had another blessing in my career – the opportunity to play in front of a crowd who knows me not only as a soccer player, but student, a roommate, a community member, a sorority sister, a friend, a sister, a daughter, and most importantly, a person. I am a strong believer in the saying that if you surround yourself with good people, good things will come your way. For me, Presbyterian College represents this saying and I will always be thankful for the people who surrounded me with so much.
So far I have enjoyed every moment of my experience here at UNC. It is fairly easy to become distracted by the glitz and glamour of big time college athletics, particularly where I am now. However, I can honestly say I would not be where I am right now, pursuing my dreams, if it wasn’t for my experience at Presbyterian College.
PC led me to this path. I hope to share some of what was given to me by making a positive impact on the lives of future student-athletes just as so many others had a positive impact on mine. I want to give back because that is the least I can do after such a fulfilling and enriching experience at Presbyterian College.
There are times I crave to be on the campus of PC – to tailgate for a football game, to attend a history class, to enjoy a meal at GDH with friends, to participate in an afternoon soccer practice, to enjoy the spring weather behind the townhouses, or to simply look out at my window and see Neville Hall. However, time moves on and I am where I am supposed to be for now.
That said, I carry PC with me everywhere I go. Forever and always, with thankfulness, I will be a Blue Hose!”
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