Blackburn Institute

A Quiet Fellow Reflects on Blackburn Experience

June 15, 2007

Like many student fellows, I entered the Blackburn Institute with great ambitions of who I was going to be—a great prosecutor—and what I was going to do. Life takes its own twists and turns, however, and I find myself preparing myself not to go to law school but to seminary, brushing up not on legal jargon but on Spanish, as foreign missions are my calling.

I confess that this dramatic shift in interests left me wondering what I could contribute or even learn from Blackburn. I grew increasingly quieter as I realized that I did not have much to offer on the state’s transportation or economic development. I realized, however, that while the group’s focus is and always should be changing Alabama, lessons learned from Blackburn have a universal appeal. Networking, sustained dialogue, and a contagious passion for improving the lives of other people are all tools we can carry with us anywhere.

Whether we’re helping our hometown, home state, or new home in a new country, we all share Dr. Blackburn’s goal, which – edited to respect my future profession – is “change the darn state!”

While we are at it, why not change the darn planet too?

Abby Smith
2004-2005 Fellow

Abby graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Psychology and Spanish and a minor in the Blount Undergraduate Initiative in May 2007. She is currently serving as an intern and starting a young adult ministry at Stonebridge Church of God in Findlay, OH. In the fall of 2007 she will attend the Anderson University School of Theology in Anderson, IN to pursue a Master of Arts in Intercultural Service.

Fellows Abby Smith (2004-2005) and her sister Emily Smith Llinas (2000-2001) enjoy a sunset in Venezuela. Emily recently published a book about her experiences in Venezuela entitled, Don’t Call Me Gringa.