Ronald Smith has Potential Energy

Ronald Smith grew up on Bentlou Street near Coppin State University where his mother had earned a Psychology degree. It would seem like a natural segue for Ronald to follow in his mother’s footsteps and attend Coppin. However, the choice was not so obvious to Ronald.

Smith had an identity crisis while attending Polytechnic Senior High School in West Baltimore. The school has a reputation for being an elite, college preparatory school; one of the best in Baltimore City. He was an average student, but he adopted a belief that the Poly reputation would take him far. “People would say, ‘You go to Poly. You must be smart,” Smith recalled. He soon came to realize that he could not rest on perceived laurels.

When the time came to apply to colleges, he realized that he would have to contend with highly qualified students from all across the country. “I guess I had a crisis in confidence,” Smith recalls. “I applied to several schools, including Coppin, but I had serious doubts about my future. I wrestled with the idea of going to work full-time and helping my mother raise my younger brother.” Smith never fully committed himself to the college selection process, and he finally decided not to go.

The summer of 2012 was a turning point. It was a conversation with his uncle while he was searching for a job that influenced him to focus on college, not work. “My uncle called me and asked about my college choice. When I told him that I wasn’t going to go to college he didn’t get mad, he just directed me to the Admissions Office at Coppin State. He told me to at least talk to them.” The advice led Smith to Coppin, where he was accepted after an interview and a review of his Poly transcript.

“I think that I just needed to know that I could do the work. When I was accepted, my confidence came back,” Smith relates. Choosing to major in Accounting, it wasn’t long before Smith started to take steps to improve his chances of finding a quality full-time job after graduation. “I took a job in Institutional Advancement in order to expand my network and to learn more about the corporate sector.”

In addition to working while he was in school, Smith knew that internships could lead to full-time job offers. In the summer after his freshman year, he had two internship offers through Youth Works, a program that provided work assignments for high school students transitioning to college. He accepted one working at a mid-size accounting firm and did two summer stints.

“My big opportunity came when I attended a Thurgood Marshall Leadership Institute in my junior year. I was selected for a ten-week internship at Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.” The Walmart internship was the first experience Smith had out of the state of Maryland. “I learned a lot about myself. I was on my own making my own decisions.” He was able to connect with other students from all over the country. “It was a bit of a culture shock - there weren’t many black professionals or black interns in the program.”

One of Smith’s goals while at Walmart was to be selected for the company’s Leadership Development Program. “I really put a lot into my pursuit of a position in the program and not being selected was a real disappointment. Even though I didn’t get selected the experience taught me a great deal. I think it made me even more dedicated to reach my goals.”

With renewed energy Smith committed himself to get the most out of his Coppin experience, seeking internships, professional association memberships and leadership programs that would give him the exposure he needed to be successful. “Before I came to Coppin, I didn’t even own a suit,” Ronald stated. He joined the Future Business Leaders organization, under Dr. Victoria Miller, associate professor of Accounting at Coppin. “I learned how to network, how to tie a tie and, most importantly, how to assert myself.” His perseverance would serve him well.

Smith’s next opportunity came during the fall of 2015 while attending the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) conference and career expo in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “I decided to attend at the last minute. I remember getting on the bus already dressed in a suit while other students, who planned to change upon arrival, were dressed in sweats and jeans.”

While at Coppin, Smith had sharpened his networking skills. He impressed the recruiter from Excelon and was invited to interview the next morning for their Leadership Development Program. “I pulled an all-nighter the night before preparing for the interview. I was exhausted when I finally got to the interview but something clicked and I knew I had done well.” After interviewing for 30 minutes, the recruiter invited him into the program.

Smith currently serves as an Associate Financial Analyst for Excelon in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. “I’m one of 25 participants in the program. I know that my internships, both at Walmart and at Exelon led to my getting my full-time job with Exelon. I would encourage every Coppin student to pursue internship opportunities – they pay off in the long run.”

As Smith carefully curates his career, his short-term goals include getting his MBA and his CPA. He fondly remembers his interactions with members of Coppin’s School of Business faculty. “The guidance and mentorship I received from Ms. Clarice Tate, Dr. Ron Williams and Dr. Victoria Miller were very instrumental in my development and success.”