Smith sets sights on medical school with Rural Physicians program
If there is one thing that cannot be said about Alisa Smith, it is that she is an underachiever.
The biology major from Horn Lake came to The W on a Presidential Scholarship. Once on campus, she took the metaphorical bull by the horns and made the most of her time.
“It is safe to say that I have had a fulfilling W career and have tried to make as much of an impact as possible,” Smith said. “My time at the University has been full of so many different experiences. I’ve done a lot, been in a lot of student organizations and I made a lot of memories.”
She joined the Ina E. Gordy Honors College in the spring of her sophomore year. She was also a member of the Rogue Social Club, Black List Honorary Social Club, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., I.D.E.A.L. Women, the Student Alumni Association, Interclub Executive Board, the Young Black Leadership Association (YBLA), the National Panhellenic Council (NPHC) and the Student Government Association.
Smith fell in love with The W because of its smaller campus and its nursing program.
She added, “The W had the number one nursing program In the state, which is really the main reason why I chose it.”
She also found a support system in the faculty and staff at The W.
“The professors at The W are amazing and they all have helped me so much,” Smith said. “They have shown me grace and guided me in my toughest times. They have spoken words of encouragement to me when I needed them the most, and they have also held me accountable and shown me that I have so much more to learn. They incite my love of learning and foster my curiosity and intelligence. My professors have greatly impacted me, and I will miss them so much when I graduate. The staff at The W are amazing, too! I have worked closely with staff at Student Life, Housing, Alumni and Development, and Information Technology, and I will miss them just as much.”
Smith’s time at The W also fostered her love of helping others– a love that is evident by her desire to pursue a career as a rural physician.
Smith has been accepted into the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program (MRPSP) which is an early assurance and scholarship program for medical school that also seeks to make students the best medical school applicants possible.
“It means so much to me to be in the rural physician scholarship program,” she said. “I really want to be a rural physician and serve those underpopulated areas and build a community. That’s a big priority for me. Also, I really appreciate the fact that they support you and your goals, no matter where those goals take you.”
Smith will have a seat at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine for 2026, pending her MCAT scores and a gap year to save up money for the program. Upon her admission to medical school, she will also be up for consideration for a $485,000 scholarship through the MRPSP.
Smith isn’t waiting until she is a doctor to help others though. She has spent countless hours volunteering at numerous organizations and during her time at The W.
Some of these organizations and events include: The W’s Child and Parent Development Center, Habitat for Humanity in Columbus, Safe Haven women’s shelter, food drives for the Owl’s food pantry, clothing drives, school supply drives, toy drives and drives for the women’s shelter, the Lowndes County Humane Society, filling a blessing box in Columbus every month, packing Childhood Hunger Initiative Power Packs (CHIPP) to give out to school-age children who struggle with food insecurity and a Youth Led Institute where they host kids every month and have them lead activities to develop their leadership skills.
Now that her time at The W is coming to an end, Smith is nostalgic, but also looking forward to what the future holds for her.
“Graduating is kind of bittersweet,” she said. “You’re ready to graduate, but you’re not ready at the same time. I really have enjoyed my time at The W and I feel like the professors have given me all the resources and the materials I need to succeed.”