Graduating with two undergraduate degrees, Smiley plans to become researcher, entrepreneur, venture capitalist

By Stephanie Lindsey/GSU Media Bureau

After hundreds of classes, papers, midterms and finals, Prentiss Smiley will cross the stage at Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center with 349 of his peers participating in commencement at Grambling State University on Friday (Dec. 15).

However, as the top fall graduate, Smiley will have the distinct honor of addressing his peers when he delivers his valedictorian speech.

Even though he was a double major in the fields of computer information systems and history, Smiley did not let that stop him from achieving great success in and out of the classroom.

He received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Carter G. Woodson Award, Thurgood Marshall-Wells Fargo Scholar, Earl Lester Cole Honors College inductee and Louisiana Economic Development Scholar, to name a few. He also was a Student Government Association senator.

Even with such a busy schedule, Smiley was able to maintain a GPA of 3.91. “I did not focus on the GPA, I focused on the individual classes,” he said. “I worked extremely hard in every class and completed my work diligently.”

“I chose Grambling because I am a third-generation Gramblinite and my grandfather played baseball at Grambling. My grandmother’s mom, dad, aunts, and uncles all attended Grambling State University. Therefore, the decision was easy,” said Smiley, whose mother named determined that he would carry her maiden name because he is the only grandson of the late Charlie James and Etta Hunter Smiley.

His mother is GSU Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Ellen Smiley, and his father is Rory Bedford, GSU’s director of continuing education and service learning and professor of sociology, psychology and philosophy. Smiley hails from Homer, Louisiana.

Of course, being the son of two GSU employees has had an impact on Smiley. “It is a great feeling knowing that my mother serves as provost,” he said. “I am proud of all of her success and accomplishments. She really is a source of empowerment and inspiration in my life and the best part about having her on campus is that I can simply walk over and converse with her.”

When asked what he was most proud of in regard to his time at Grambling, Smiley said, “I am most proud of working and getting passed a self- assessed (student) fee for the Earl Lester Cole Honors College.”

Graduation does not mean Smiley is going to quit working hard. The ambitious valedictorian has big plans:

“My future plans include: earning a PhD, becoming a researcher, author, public speaker, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist.” Smiley said.

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