Tim Smith

The combination of influences that led Tim Smith to becoming a Lutheran pastor is rather unique.

First, his grandfather was a Lutheran pastor, although Smith doesn't remember much about his ministry. He recalls his grandfather more for their times together fishing and sharing stories.

As a Morehead, Smith's summer internships in public safety, government, and business simply helped him realize what he did not want to do with his life.

And then there was Roy Williams and Dean Smith. As a solid basketball player, Tim Smith dreamt of walking onto the varsity team when he got to Carolina. The two coaches helped him realize that basketball wasn't his calling. In fact, Coach Smith even suggested to the college freshman that he look into the ministry.

But it wasn't until after a Morehead internship visiting missionaries in Africa that Smith began to hear a calling. Initially, he thought it was to medical school, but realized that so many of his peers were becoming doctors that "the medical field was going to do fine without me."

He figured he'd make a bigger impact through the church, and thus decided to draw upon his spiritual identity and attend seminary. Today, Smith is senior pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Boone. Under his direction, the church has grown financially, in members and — he hopes — spiritually.

And while being a Morehead may not mean much to fellow clergy, Smith feels it can have an impression on the university community in which he works.

"I find myself having regular and intense conversations with people who have dismissed faith perspectives for any number of reasons," he said. "But if they find out that I was a Morehead Scholar and I'm also a pastor, they are often willing to seek me out and say 'how can this be?'

"There is a cultural assumption that is especially prevalent around academic institutions that being 'enlightened' and being 'religious' are mutually exclusive. In that regard, the Morehead has opened up extraordinary opportunities."