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Sarita B. Smith Named Second Mile Award Winner

 


Savannah State University (SSU) has named honor graduate Sarita B. Smith the recipient of the President’s Second Mile Award. Anderson received the honor during the 202nd Commencement Ceremony held on May 5. 

Presented during each commencement ceremony to a deserving senior in recognition of stellar and meritorious achievement, the President’s Second Mile Award is the highest honor awarded to a student and is based upon character, values, leadership, and service to the university and the larger community.

Smith is a student that her professors describe as someone who “displays tremendous academic skill, but also posses the virtues of justice and compassion.” 

During her time at SSU, her deep passion for serving others, along with her exceptional leadership skills, compelled Ms. Smith to invest countless hours of her time volunteering around campus in the offices of Diversity and Inclusion, and Department of Housing and Student Life. Her on campus supervisors are quick to point out her that she is a “problem solver, and productive communicator with effective soft skills,” and that her compassion and desire to help others was paramount during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she virtually tutored hundreds of fellow Tigers to help keep others on campus motivated and learning.

Most recently Ms. Smith successfully completed an internship with the National Science Foundation Civic Yards Program as a youth facilitator for middle schoolers, teaching young people about environmental justice and how to be resilient after disasters in their communities, focusing on different avenues of advocacy. For the program Ms. Smith also analyzed data, wrote and annotated bibliographies, prepared audio transcripts, published research, and was described by the principal investigator of the project as “having a high work ethic, being very smart and driven,” and being caring and a team player.

Now that she has graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Savannah State University, Ms. Smith will be entering her Go Fellowship with AmeriCorps, working with minority students in the Washington D.C. area.

Ms. Smith plans to attend Columbia University in New York City, to pursue a Master’s degree in Human Rights Studies.


Location: Savannah State University

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