By Chamberlain Zulauf
Always wearing a bright smile, Jackson Smith is the perfect candidate for the Valentine’s Day issue. Jackson is from Crozet Virginia, “But nobody knows where that is, so Charlottesville”. Jackson is definitely the outdoors type, “though I never joined OA, I probably should have”.
In particular, his main two outdoor hobbies are hunting and fishing- but Jackson hikes and goes camping too.
“I found my love for the outdoors from my parents and where I grew up. I grew up in the middle of nowhere and I really enjoyed being out there. It’s a great place to be by yourself and reflect. So, unless I’m outside with friends- which is a great thing to do- I mainly do things outside for that. If I happen to catch something or see something that’s just an added bonus’, said Jackson.
You can catch Jackson inside too, like in class where he Majors in physics. On top of that he also serves as the secretary for the Student Firearms Association. Jackson is also quite the gym rat spending a lot of quality hours in Belk.
“You have to spend your time somewhere. You have to grow somehow, in the brain and body,” said Jackson.
Just this past week Jackson accepted an entry level mechanical engineer job at Salas O’Brian.
“My boss went to Roanoke so that’s how I got a foot in the door
Jackson could be spotted all over campus and if he is then one thing is for certain, he is in a great mood. Whatever group of people he’s interacting with he’s sure to bring their spirits up.
“I just try to always be happy to help because you never know what someone could be going through. They could be having the worst day of their life and you would never know. So, if I can crack a joke and make someone laugh for just a second then I’ll do that. Kindness never hurts,” said Jackson.
Something people might not know about Jackson, though, is that he is into graphic design,
“I make art but I don’t show it to anybody. I took graphic design for all four years of high school and loved it. I almost majored in it when I got to Roanoke even.
In his past 4 years at ‘Noke, Jackson has changed a lot,
“My morals and values have definitely changed. I’ve taken a more worldly view and recognize other people’s points and positions. It’s important to be willing to accept that and be less closed minded. We can equate that to our liberal arts education.”
“My friend the other day, he was like ‘we have five days till graduation’ and I was like ‘no we don’t’. It just clicked and it really hurt because that means I’ll be leaving all this. So, enjoy your time here while you can. I feel like my favorite memory here was move-in day, really. It was just such a hectic day and the beginning of something really awesome”, said Jackson.
