Greenville College Annual Report 2004-05

Campus Profile

Journey of One Voice

Growing up in State College, Pennsylvania, Stephanie Smith never imagined the road that lay before her at
Greenville. In high school she developed
a passion for performing music so when
the time came for her to choose a college, she looked no further than Greenville’s Contemporary Christian Music program. To this day Smith understands the importance of her decision. “God knew where I was supposed to be and I just believe that this is the right place,” said Smith.

She enrolled in the fall of 2002 and
by the next spring, she was singing for a
crowd of 5,000 on the main stage of Agape Music Festival. For Smith, this was only the beginning of her transitional college journey.

During January of 2004, she decided to take her education to a global level by traveling to Guatemala with an interterm class. The following fall she spent an entire semester in Mozambique through the Greenville in Africa program. “I had no idea what an impact my semester abroad [in Africa] would have on me. I am still learning from my experiences,” said Smith.

Smith returned from Africa prepared to finish her junior year at Greenville and was again presented with an opportunity to play at the Agape Music Festival. After winning the annual Agape battle of the bands event (with an ensemble she constructed in only two weeks) Smith found herself performing on main stage. This time she did more than just amaze a few thousand people in the audience, she gained the attention of a record producer and a major record label. This led to a professional relationship that developed further as Smith traveled to Nashville, TN for the summer of 2005.

In Nashville, Smith connected with record producers and GC alumni in the
area. Smith admits that the music industry in Nashville can be rather daunting, but the support she received from alumni made the process seamless. “My experiences in Nashville would not have been the same
without the alumni who were incredibly generous and believed in me from the start,” said Smith.

Now a senior seeking to graduate in the spring of ’06, Smith plans to return to Nashville in January to further develop the relationship with her record label. Even with a bright future ahead Smith admits that leaving Greenville may be difficult.“Although I am excited to make my way south - back to Nashville - Greenville has been a place of community and growth for me, so it will be extremely difficult to leave. I am thankful for the relationships I have built here, and I am looking forward to see what the Lord has in store,” said Smith.

Last updated: December 5, 2005