Smoot: mentoring, connections are keys to success
By Bill Morrison
Staff Reporter

Reaching out and making connections was the main focus of Samantha Smoot’s keynote address to attendants of the Women’s Community Dinner Tuesday night.

More than 100 people gathered in the Dee J. Kelly Alumni and Visitors and Center to hear Smoot, a grass roots political activist and executive director of the Texas Freedom Network, speak about how someone can make a difference.

The “Hats of to Women Organizers” dinner started off with attendants decorating plastic hats with paper maché, flowers, ribbons and more.

Once everyone donned their personalized hats, Marcy Paul, director of the Women’s Resource Center and Vannessa Nickson, manager of community involvement for Nokia, announced the Nokia Research Awards. The awards were presented for the third year to three winners: Polly Wright, a senior English and radio-TV-film major; Sarah Lock, a graduate student; and Dawn Elliott, economics professor.

Wright said she was relieved to win.

“I’ve been so nervous about this, but I’m very grateful that Nokia has chosen to support women and their research,” Wright said.

Mandi McReynolds, a senior religion major, said she decided to attend when she heard about the hats, food and great speaker. McReynolds said Smoot offered a glimpse into grass roots organizations.

“Grass roots is the best way to make social change,” McReynolds said.

Marchelle Jordan, a senior anthropology and sociology major, said she came because it was an opportunity to learn about women’s achievements and how they can be empowering.

Smoot said many women leaders were great because of the connections they made.

“Women took their passion to other people, connect with them, bring them on board, turn around one person, one mind at a time and build something that would make their country, their neighborhood, their state a better place,” Smoot said.

Smoot challenged those in attendance to do two things: be mentored and mentor someone. She said regardless of the amount of time you have, continuing to learn and teach through mentoring is important. The connections made are what betters a community, Smoot said.

“It’s the connections that we make, sustain and build with each other that sustain our ability to continue to believe that we can make our world a better place,” Smoot said.

w.c.morrison@tcu.edu