Smith named September Student of the Month


Whether in the classroom or on the softball diamond, Cowley College sophomore Sarah Smith always seems to shine. Smith was recently recognized for all she does around campus by being named the September Student of the Month.

Smith, daughter of Robert and Sandra Smith, and Melody Johnson of Perry, Okla., is a pre-pharmacy major from Perry, Okla. Grandparents are Chuck and Lorene Smith and Ben and Lavona Niles of Perry, Okla.
She has a sister, Taylor 17.

Smith said she was honored to be mentioned with the other candidates for the award.

“It means a lot to me because I know how hard all of them work,” Smith said.

Smith is actively involved as a student-athlete at Cowley. She is a stellar member of the Lady Tiger softball team, and is involved in Phi Theta Kappa, Mu Alpha Theta, Mu Alpha Sigma Chi, the Cowley Republicans, and is a Cowley tutor.

Along with her 21 hours of schoolwork she is enrolled in, she currently works 10-20 hours a week at Ike’s Donut Shop in Arkansas City and plans to volunteer at the Cowley County Humane Society.

“I like being busy,” Smith said. “I really have no free time and I like it that way.”

Smith heard about Cowley from her Perry High School softball coach and decided to look into it. Once she made a visit to the school and had an opportunity to speak with Lady Tiger softball coach Ed Hargrove, she decided Cowley was the right place for her.

“It’s only an hour away from home and they were known to have a good softball team,” Smith said. “I also like the personal relationships between the teachers and students.”

In high school she had a 4.0 GPA and was the Northern Oklahoma Softball Conference Player of the Year as a junior.

As a freshman second baseman for the Lady Tiger softball team, she batted .406 with five home runs and 38 runs batted in. Her efforts earned her first-team all-conference honors and second-team all-region recognition.

She helped Cowley capture its fifth straight Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division title as the team finished with a record of 42-10 overall and 17-1 in the Jayhawk East.

“My ultimate goal is to make it to nationals,” Smith said. “I also would like to hit .425 this year, decrease my errors, and make All-American.”

Hargrove feels fortunate to have been able to get Smith to come to Cowley.

“If you wanted to recruit the perfect all around person it would be Sarah Smith,” Hargrove said.
Smith is keeping her options open on where she will attend school after Cowley, but she is sure it will involve playing softball. A couple of schools she is interested in is Southwestern Oklahoma State University and East Texas Baptist University.

She would like to get a bachelor of nutrition or exercise science degree.

She became interested in pharmaceutical work when she was in high school. The summer after her freshman year, Smith and her mother, Sandra, went on a medical mission trip to Mexico. While there, Smith helped distribute medication to individuals.

“I like that kind of work because you are still helping people without having to do surgery,” Smith said.
She also gets satisfaction working with students as a Cowley tutor.

“I had no idea how good it would make me feel,” Smith said. “My days are really busy, but it is rewarding work so I enjoy it.”

Smith considers her father, Robert, to be one of the major influences in her life.

“I don’t know where I would be without him, he taught me my morals and values,” Smith said.
When she has a break from school and work, Smith enjoys hiking, camping, and fishing. She also loves to play sports or anything that involves competition.

Overall, Smith is glad she made the decision to come to Cowley.