Alumnus of the Year- Emmett Smith, '76

Emmett Smith is a native of Norfolk, Virginia and is a proud member of Virginia State University’s class of 1976, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic Technology. His wife - Melody Davis Smith, sister- Barbara S. Stevens and mother - Emma Eaton Smith are also proud graduates of Virginia State.

In his professional capacity, he has been an Engineering Specialist and executive at DuPont for over 31 years and is currently working on special assignment, as the company’s corporate leverage six sigma Business Analyst. Throughout his career at DuPont, he has used his influence and tremendous fund-raising expertise to help Virginia State and area students become more technologically efficient.

Over the years, he has provided his personal imprint on the University’s Engineering and Technical academic efforts by working closely with University officials and students. In 1991, while serving on the board at the North Richmond Y.M.C.A., Emmett personally lead the effort to install the first Computer Enrichment Center and program at Virginia State University, by getting $50,000 grant from DuPont. He is also the brainchild of the University’s Pre-College Math and Science summer program, which has been a great benefit for over 400 area high school students. With Emmett's influence, DuPont in partnering with Virginia State has received two National Science Foundation grants totaling 8.2 million dollars to fund this excellent program, and over $200,000 has been contributed to the 2007 summer program. In 2000, Emmett was presented the “Golden Torch Award” by the National Society of Black Engineers for this program which he helped to develop into one of the top 100 best minority programs in the country.

The University’s new Engineering School has also benefited from Emmett's work as a capital campaign committee member. Emmett also served as chairman of the Virginia State University Industry Cluster for six years, which encouraged 31 companies, agencies, and businesses to hire the students at VSU. Many of the students of the Engineering and Technology Department have gotten to know Emmett, because of the DuPont internship program he started in 1997. Over 38 students have gained internship experience through this program, and eleven of them have gone on to become full-time managers, computer engineering specialist, and accountants at this company’s Richmond location.

He and his wife have two children, Jenell and Kenton and reside in Richmond, Virginia. Emmett is a proud and active member of the Virginia State University Alumni Association- Richmond Chapter and has proven to be an outstanding and loyal son to the “Orange and Blue.”