{"id":4455,"date":"2017-05-11T07:44:23","date_gmt":"2017-05-11T07:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455"},"modified":"2017-05-12T13:28:14","modified_gmt":"2017-05-12T13:28:14","slug":"just-incredible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455","title":{"rendered":"Just incredible"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"\"><a href=\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2017\/05\/Justin-Smith-SGA-12-of-14-e1494355776681.jpg\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2017\/05\/Justin-Smith-SGA-12-of-14.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4459\" src=\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2017\/05\/Justin-Smith-SGA-12-of-14.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2017\/05\/Justin-Smith-SGA-12-of-14.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2017\/05\/Justin-Smith-SGA-12-of-14-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2017\/05\/Justin-Smith-SGA-12-of-14-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2017\/05\/Justin-Smith-SGA-12-of-14-1024x683.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Radio show, biochemistry class, prepare for SGA Senate meeting, lunch meeting with SGA president, thermodynamics class, lead Senate meeting, complete homework. It\u2019s just a typical day in the life of Justin Smith.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Smith, a junior in chemical engineering and newly elected SGA vice president, could use another hour, or 12, in the day. Between a rigorous curriculum and serving as one of the top student government officers on campus, Smith has the art of juggling down to an engineering science.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe first week after I was elected vice president, balancing my schedule was bad,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThat weekend, I sat down with my planner and calendar and organized my schedule using both tools. Since then, the planner and calendar have been the reason for my sanity.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-container\" style=\"margin-bottom:15px;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7LluBDPl96U\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>His meticulous organizational methods aren\u2019t the only reason Smith has resonated so well with students and faculty. From an early age, he always pushed himself to meet and overcome challenges, which propelled him to come to Auburn. Along with an interest in the medical field and chemistry, he decided chemical engineering may be a good fit, in part because of its rigorous nature.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI always knew chemical engineering was a difficult program, but because it had that reputation, I was drawn to it,\u201d Smith said.<br \/>\nSince school always came effortlessly to Smith, he expected he could handle the course load on his own. Not long after enrolling, however, Smith learned his first of many valuable lessons since attending Auburn: he needed help. His mother told him about the College of Engineering\u2019s Alabama Power Academic Excellence Program, founded to enhance the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in the college. Smith walked through the door one day and hasn\u2019t looked back since.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI went to the AEP office as a freshman, and found a group of students who would keep checks on what I was doing in class, and I\u2019ve grown up with them,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>The academic support he received enabled him to succeed in the classroom and gave him the confidence he needed. Smith has now become one of AEP\u2019s most active students and advocates. He\u2019s been so involved that he earned a program scholarship. The student has now become the teacher.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a role reversal now. I\u2019m actually tutoring students in introductory classes like physics, and when you\u2019re the teacher it makes you have to know the subject matter so much better,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>Once he had the academic tools he needed, Smith decided to get involved outside of the classroom. He always had an interest in public policy and decided to apply that passion for politics by running for SGA senator during his sophomore year. He won the office and what was once a hobby has now turned into a possible career opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTruthfully, I could honestly see myself combining my engineering knowledge, skills and degree with my interest in politics,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI could see myself working for the Department of Energy or the EPA and really bring those two passions together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But first things first, and that\u2019s making a lasting impact and change on The Plains.<\/p>\n<p>Even though Smith only had one year of SGA experience under his belt, soon there were whispers about taking the next step and running for an executive office. Those whispers became louder and harder for Smith to ignore. Finally, after a late night at the Office of Student Involvement, two of Smith\u2019s closest friends convinced him to take the risk and run for SGA vice president.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince I had only served a year as a senator, I didn\u2019t think I was good enough to run for vice president,\u201d Smith said. \u201cBut being the engineer I am, I thought about it, researched it and reached out to other SGA officers to discuss what it was like to be an officer. Then I made the decision to go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Smith had to work quickly, beginning in November 2016, to assemble his campaign team, which consisted of 700 students across campus. His dedication again came into play with the numerous campaign meetings he held with his team over the holiday break, and his relentless drive to meet at least 30 new people every day leading up to the Feb. 7 election. And yet again, his work ethic paid off \u2013 Smith won the vice presidential office, against two other candidates, with 48 percent of the vote.<\/p>\n<p>His win was also historic for Auburn University. Smith is only the second African-American SGA vice president. The honor is one Smith does not take lightly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the current political climate, this is a great step in the right direction,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIt feels good to know that Auburn can elect a black vice president and a female president.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, he recognizes there are a lot of perceptions and assumptions people will make, and he wants to have an open dialogue with all students, faculty and administration. He hopes to set the precedent for future underrepresented students who aspire to serve in SGA, and be the example to prove anyone with enough perseverance can serve.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are many people who supported me throughout my campaign, and voted for me,\u201d Smith said. \u201cSo it\u2019s my responsibility to fulfill my job in the best way I can and represent everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As he adjusts to his new position, that perseverance will be needed. His role comes with a lot of responsibility that he is eager to take on. As vice president, Smith oversees SGA Senate meetings every Monday night, and maintains hours in the Office of Student Involvement, where students drop by and discuss their concerns.<\/p>\n<p>He is also looking to elevate Auburn University to a higher level with the help of the other SGA executive officers. After elections, Smith, Jacqueline Keck, president, and Frank McEwan, treasurer, met to discuss issues they can address in the coming year, with the help of Auburn officials.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we meet with the administration and talk about \u2018the big plan\u2019 we want to address five key areas \u2013 student success, campus dining options, student gameday experience, student engagement and student life,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>These areas are the most important to students and have the biggest impact on their everyday lives, according to Smith,<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy working openly and having candid conversations with administration, progress will be made toward improving those key areas, and in the end, have a positive effect on students\u2019 lives,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>It all comes back to representing all and not just one.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen passing legislation, we want to not just represent the best interest of the Senate, but the entire student body,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>Accomplishing these goals and seeing tangible results is the top priority for Smith. After all, the engineer in him wouldn\u2019t have it any other way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are a ton of tasks, big and small, that need to be done in SGA, and engineering has given me the problem-solving skills needed to get things done and accomplish our goals,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>As for the future, Smith looks forward to the day when he can say he\u2019s an Auburn Engineering alumnus and marry his two passions into a long and fruitful career.<\/p>\n<p>It remains uncertain whether Mr. Smith will go to Washington, but one\u2019s thing is certain \u2013 he\u2019s headed for greatness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Radio show, biochemistry class, prepare for SGA Senate meeting, lunch meeting with SGA president, thermodynamics class, lead Senate meeting, complete homework. It\u2019s just a typical day in the life of Justin Smith. Smith, a junior in chemical engineering and newly elected SGA vice president, could use another hour, or 12, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[934,935],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Just incredible &raquo; Auburn Engineer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Just incredible &raquo; Auburn Engineer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Radio show, biochemistry class, prepare for SGA Senate meeting, lunch meeting with SGA president, thermodynamics class, lead Senate meeting, complete homework. It\u2019s just a typical day in the life of Justin Smith. Smith, a junior in chemical engineering and newly elected SGA vice president, could use another hour, or 12, [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Auburn Engineer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-05-11T07:44:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2017-05-12T13:28:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/files\/2017\/05\/Justin-Smith-SGA-12-of-14.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Megan Burmester\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Megan Burmester\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455\",\"name\":\"Just incredible &raquo; Auburn Engineer\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-05-11T07:44:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2017-05-12T13:28:14+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#\/schema\/person\/a700ca5168254d796be11fe43699bcda\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Just incredible\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/\",\"name\":\"Auburn Engineer\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#\/schema\/person\/a700ca5168254d796be11fe43699bcda\",\"name\":\"Megan Burmester\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/77ade51fe2a726a69e5658fd234891dc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/77ade51fe2a726a69e5658fd234891dc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Megan Burmester\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?author=20\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Just incredible &raquo; Auburn Engineer","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ecm.eng.auburn.edu\/wp\/emag\/?p=4455","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Just incredible &raquo; Auburn Engineer","og_description":"Radio show, biochemistry class, prepare for SGA Senate meeting, lunch meeting with SGA president, thermodynamics class, lead Senate meeting, complete homework. 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