Inspire, Fall/Winter 2010

campus news yellow jacket sports When DeMaurice (De) Smith ’85 graduated from Cedarville, he had no idea what the rest of his life would look like. Twenty-five years later, as the NFL Players Association’s executive director, Smith has no idea what the immediate future holds for his organization. But in both situations, Smith sees an important parallel: living by faith. “The beautiful thing about faith [is] you take that step without knowing where it’s going to end,” Smith said in his Alumni Week chapel remarks before homecoming. He was named the 2010 Alumnus of the Year. A former NCCAA All-American in track, Smith said he truly grew up during his time as a student. Through his time at Cedarville, Smith honed the skills and maturity that have catapulted him to such a vital position in the professional football world. Now that he finds himself leading one of the most influential groups in American sports during a crucial labor negotiation, his faith is more important than ever. “On faith, we will take steps forward because that’s how I was trained to be a leader by guys like Coach Elvin King ’64,” he said. “I know that our organization will be stronger, more vibrant, and more dedicated to the people it serves because I understand vision and leadership from men like Dr. Bill Brown.” Smith credits the University with developing his ability to think critically. “The training here — whether it was law, economics, American government, politics — revealed any number of intersection points that were important to understanding the business of football. My first foray in understanding all of those things took place on this ground.” Mark Womack ’83, Cedarville’s sports information director, is thankful for the way Smith represents his alma mater on such a visible stage. “To see where the Lord has put De is phenomenal,” he said. “Cedarville touts preparing students for whatever God’s going to put in front of them, and this is evidence of that.” Leading by Faith by Tim Cary ’04 for NFLPlayers.com 2010 Alumnus of the Year De Smith ’85 has come a long way since his college days running track. If you want to get an early start on college ... If you find online learning appealing ... If you want to save money on college costs ... then consider Cedarville’s dual enrollment program! What is dual enrollment? This program allows high school students the opportunity to enroll in online college courses. Highly qualified juniors and seniors who present a clear testimony of personal faith in Jesus Christ and who thrive in a challenging academic environment may apply. This fall, 71 juniors and seniors from around the globe studied along with Cedarville students in online courses, such as Politics and American Culture, Western Literature, and Introduction to Humanities. Dual enrollment not only allows students to work on their courses anywhere but provides them with quality academics taught from a biblical worldview. High school students can also take part in a popular summer program that provides an academic experience and the chance to enjoy residence life and a wide range of activities. Learn more today by visiting cedarville.edu/dualenrollment . 4 fall/winter 2010