Community beckoned Evelyn Smith into 野狼社区 University after scholarships opened the door.
鈥淲hen I was on (my campus) tour, my tour guide was waving at every third person we saw,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 swore they had planted those people there. But after my freshman year, I realized that seniors would come up to you and call you out by name. They would ask you how your class is going and say. 鈥楬ey Evelyn, how鈥檚 that biology class? I know you鈥檙e struggling with it. Let me know if you need notes.鈥� So community is the reason I stayed. And I think that鈥檚 what鈥檚 really important. Year after year, I get excited after the summer to come back and be with my community.鈥�
Smith, a political science, philosophy, and studio art senior, said she considered her first semester at OCU 鈥渞ough.鈥� She jumped in with both feet, joining the pom team, five clubs, and a dance showcase.
鈥淚t was the first time in my life that I got to choose," she said. "I had to learn how to say, 鈥榊es,鈥� to the right things.鈥�
She started looking into law school but needed more scholarships.
鈥淚 had to realize I was doing a lot of things and I wasn鈥檛 doing them well,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he true selfish thing is trying to be a part of everything instead of stepping back and choosing your heart work and the best version of yourself.鈥�
During Smith鈥檚 second semester, COVID hit. By her second and third year at OCU, though, she proved to herself that she was more than capable.
鈥淚 really love the small class sizes," she said. "It鈥檚 really helpful to develop community 鈥� you can鈥檛 just keep your head down.鈥�
Despite an adult diagnosis of ADHD, she started making almost all A鈥檚. She considers her greatest victory at OCU her academic growth.
鈥淪omething I really appreciate about the Department of Political Science is they challenge you to show up every day and be better than you were before," she said.
In October, Smith won the Miss OCU pageant, having already notched Miss Oklahoma鈥檚 Outstanding Teen and landed fourth runner-up in Miss Oklahoma. Pageants gave Smith and her three sisters a platform to practice the values their single mother had always encouraged.
鈥淚f your dreams don鈥檛 scare you, you鈥檙e not dreaming big enough,鈥� her mom taught. 鈥淓verything you need to succeed is already inside you.鈥�
Smith recently graduated, and plans to take a gap year, attend law school, and pursue a career in international law, perhaps in Italy. She sees herself as an advocate for civil rights.
After seeing one of her sisters navigate high college costs, starting her adult life financially stable was incredibly important to her. Smith feels thankful for the scholarships she has received and the donors behind them.
鈥�(Donors) have deeply impacted my story and many other students," she said. "I can鈥檛 wait to grow up and be the type of person that (they've) been for me and inspire other stories.鈥�
