By Rev. Dr. Jerrod M. Smith
ARIANNA SMITH
Our youngest daughter, Arianna, just graduated from the United States Naval Academy, with a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. What a wonderful blessing to our hearts. I can recall her first steps when she was 8 months old, as well as recall her running at 8 and a half months. Both her mother and I struggled to catch up with her, even then. Arianna has always been on the fast track in pursuing goals and learning. She began reading at the age of 2-years-old. She showed gifts of learning early in life, and my wife and I decided to home school her.
Pursuing, and overtaking, believing and trusting in her strength coming from God is what helped Arianna make it through the years of accomplishing her goal of attending and completing her studies at the United States Naval Academy. Please, understand the road was not easy. Arianna had many obstacles before she was admitted to attend the Academy, and even more when she arrived at the Academy. She initially went to the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island for one year. There she graduated with honors, and was asked by her professors to tutor other students. When she arrived at the Academy as a Midshipman, she also tutored students in English. That is another story in itself. Arianna started her Naval Academy career majoring in English. After the first semester, she changed her mind and transferred from English to Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Transferring from English to a STEMS major is not often done. It, generally, would be the other way around. However, her test scores and testing out of some of the first-year classes was used to justify the approval to change from being an English major into a STEM major. Not only did I see Arianna pursue her studies to reach her goals, she also pursued and persevered regarding the grueling physical requirements of the first year as a Plebe (freshman), as well as the years to follow as an upperclassman.
It was also a blessing for Arianna to have the Late Congressman Aston Donald McEachin, who fought a good fight of faith, provide her with the nomination to attend the United States Naval Academy. I recall the meeting, as Congressman McEachin stood towering over Arianna, and as I took the picture, stood there with great joy in my heart.
Arianna’s pursuit of fencing came about when she was watching the United States Fencing Team in the Olympics. She saw it, and immediately said, that is what I want to do. My wife Aretha went to work finding the Richmond Fencing Club, and Arianna started classes in the summer. Her Richmond Fencing Club coach Michael Owens said this about Arianna: “Arianna is an amazing young lady, and a fine role model. It’s wonderful to see her doing such great things.” Her USNA Coach, Captain Emil Petruncio, said watching her fence in the semifinals before she won the gold medal in the Conference final, “Arianna is so patient” and she waits for the right moment to pursue. As the president/captain of the entire United States Fencing Team, Arianna became the 2022-23 épée fencing champion gold medal winner, and led her team to the 2022-23 Championship of the Baltimore-Washington Collegiate Fencing Conference. Conference teams include: University of Maryland, Temple University, the University of Delaware, Drexel University, University of Maryland BC, Georgetown University, George Mason University, George Washington University, James Madison University, St. John’s College, St. Mary’s College, Bryn Mawr College, Millersville University, and Swarthmore College.
Aretha and Jerrod Smith with Arianna on graduation day
Arianna’s Grandmother, Joyce Mae Rice was a Lt. Colonel in the Army, who was also short in stature with a big heart just like Arianna, inspired Arianna to pursue her USNA career. Arianna’s grandfathers Paul Rice, George Smith, and other military family members also inspired her to continue on. Aretha and I prayed with multitudes of others for her always. We thank them for their prayers.
It is with great pleasure and a blessed heart that I write this article to introduce Ensign Arianna O. Smith, as an Engineering Duty Officer of the United States Navy, and a graduate of the class of 2023 from the United States Naval Academy.
