Abigail Smith
Summa Cum LaudePolitics, Philosophy, and Economics
House
House of Corrie ten Boom
“Abby, I will always be envious that there were professors who had you in more classes than I did. I can’t count how many times I would come home and praise something you said or did to Megan. You have a sharp intellect, a clear head for leadership, an efficient mind for administration, and an inspiring sense of duty. Thank you for allowing me to teach you in several classes, and the Brands hope you will stay in touch with us in the future.”
— Dr. Steele Brand
Achievements
- The King’s College Founder’s Scholarship
- TKC Students for Life Founder and President (2017-2019)
- Faculty Assistant to Dr. David Corbin (2017-2018)
- Interregnum XVI Committee Chair (2019-2020)
- Administrator of Center for Hebraic Thought (2019-2020)
- Member of Special Committee of Spiritual Formation (2018)
- Assistant to Vice President of Institutional Research and Strategic Planning (2019)
- Nominee for The King’s College 2020 Harriet Tubman Award
- Nominee for The King’s College 2020 PPE Academic Excellence Award
- Nominee for The King’s College 2020 Student Service Award
- Nominee for The King’s College 2020 William Wilberforce Award
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Notes for Abigail
Abby, thank you for all your service to Dr. Kimberly Thornbury, and by extension, to all of us in the division. Your attentiveness to detail and desire to learn have been such a blessing to me. Congratulations on your graduation!
My CtB sister, what a blessing it’s been to know you these three years! You are so sharp and talented, truly beautiful inside and out. May the Lord continue to direct and empower you in the months and years to come!
Abby! I am so glad we got to work together over the last year for interregnum! You are absolutely brilliant, hardworking, and an amazing person. I’m really glad our paths crossed in your time here. Grateful to know you. Wishing you the best! Congrats!
What can I say . . .
[sobs quietly and walks away]
Abby, congratulations on this milestone accomplishment. You earned it, and you did a great job along the way. Well done. I’m cheering for you in all your fun upcoming plans!
Congratulations Abby! I’m blessed to have had you in both your freshman and senior year. You were a joy to have in class and a model student. You took your education seriously and got out of it all that it had to give. I look forward to seeing where the Lord leads you.
Congrats Abby! We are really going to miss having you around NYC. Keep Scogin in line. We’re praying for you and Brandon and all the Lord is doing (and will do) through you! Thanks for allowing us to share in your journey.
Abby! Congrats!
Great job handling a tricky Interregnum this year, and all you do for CHT. Your professionalism and great attitude will be remembered and missed. I hope we have the chance to work together again at some point in the future!
I don’t think I can rival Dr. Johnson’s comment, but I’ll try to hold up a bit better. You are a dear sister in Christ and I will sorely miss our deep conversations. 98% of the fun of visiting Dr. Johnson’s office was you (otherwise, why bother?). You truly were the perfect person to help establish CHT because you are brilliant, resourceful, and talented. What would Dr. Johnson do without you? What is King’s going to do without you? [sobs begin] You will be very missed, but I am ecstatic at what the Lord has in store for your future! Love you, girl, and I hope we stay in touch! Congrats–go CELEBRATE and get MARRIED!!
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33)
Abby, you are phenomenal. I don’t think you even realize how much you impacted the King’s community and how dearly you are loved and respected by staff and faculty. You will be missed but we’re excited to see what lies ahead!
The Passages Fellow, Interregnum Chairwoman, and quiz bowl teammate of my dreams! Keep being a powerhouse.
ABBY SMITH. You’re the reason I passed Intro to Politics. Possibly the reason I passed micro freshman year too! Class with you was seriously the biggest blessing (but not only because you were literally the best study partner in the entire world). You teach me new things in every conversation we have. I love you so very much and so thankful that we got to be roommates for one summer. <3 I will miss you but I know you are off to do HUGE things!
Abby,
I’m surprised and glad that you managed to find a job, because you’re overqualified for everything! You’re a constant cheerful presence on campus, one of the smartest people I’ve ever seen, and one of those unsung hero workers at King’s. It will be a greatly changed place in your absence. Best of luck in your future endeavors, and congratulations!!
Eddie VanZandt
Abby, your dedication to working hard alongside an equal dedication to loving others well just RADIATES from you. I really respect your pursuit of virtue and the Lord. Thank you for welcoming me into Ten Boom, I remember freshman year you invited me to your church, compline, and late night conversations. Your hospitality means much. You are a gem and I am thankful to have met you and been roommates! Congratulations Abby, I’m excited for you for your next chapter, I know you will continue to inspire many in your new job:)
Abby, even though we haven’t hung out much, every interaction I’ve had with you has been a blessing. I’ll never forget your kindness in sending macro notes for me when I was in the hospital. I don’t know how I would have made it without that or you.
Abby. You are stellar person. That is all.
Abby Smith, there is a world of good things packed into your name. Thank you for being such a steadfast and loving friend these past years. I could just say you’re insanely smart, and that would be true, but that would by no means cut it. You are so wise and so loving: it shows in the way you lead, the way you love others, the way you learn. You made me love Augustine an entire year before I even got to medieval philosophy, you’ve helped me see God’s handiwork in all that he’s created, and you have richly blessed the King’s community. I can’t wait to see what this next chapter in life holds for you. I hope to visit you and Brandon in Holland, MI, and pick tulips, if y’all will have me <3 <3
Abby, I’ll never forget how you took time out of your busy (and incredibly impressive!) schedule to take out this little freshman for lunch. Your genuine interest in me and encouragement meant so much. You were one of the vital components of me feeling welcomed into and proud of ten Boom. Thank you for modeling love, excellence, and wisdom. Many blessings on this new chapter in your life!
I have always admired your wisdom and your brilliance Abby! You have the most intelligent ideas (seemingly) effortlessly. I loved watching you remain committed to Interregnum even when it was challenging and disheartening. I loved working alongside you on all the invisible parts of Interregnum. Congrats on your upcoming wedding and job! Please come back to the city soon so we can have that committee dinner <3
Abby!!! Congrats. I still remember the first Ten Boom event where we talked in line for Shake Shack because we had the same name. You have been such a dear friend and I’m so excited to see what amazing thing you do next! ❤❤
Our fearless leader! Abby, I have loved our last four years together at King’s. I wish you and Brandon the best of luck in life. Thank you for putting up with me in all of our meetings 🙂
Abby,
What a privilege to get to know you over the past year. From sharing a trip to Israel, to sharing essays in the classroom, I’ve enjoyed all the times our paths have crossed. I have so much respect for you as both an academic and an individual, and I know you will do great things beyond King’s. Wishing you nothing but the best!
A unique kind of graduation…..but you are unique….beautiful in so many ways! Most importantly, you are beautiful in God’s eyes! Congratulations, DEAR Abby. May you always follow God’s ways. You’ve been faithful to Him and He definitely has shown you His Faithfulness and His Love! We are so proud of you and look forward to seeing what else He has in store for your life. What a grand journey you are on! Love Aunt Gloria and Uncle Wade ❤️
Abby! Congratulations! I am in awe of how smart, caring, kind, bold, and BEAUTIFUL you are! You radiate beauty every second, inside and out! You are a fantastic leader and such an eloquent talker. I am so proud of you and the wonderful woman you are! You are so inspiring!
Abby, it was a pleasure getting to know you at Kings. I loved our deep spiritual conversations about Dr. Robyn Kassas’ Abiding in Christ course. I know that God has so much in store for you, and your faith will continue to inspire many others around you. Congratulations!
Abby, I regret that I didn’t know you most of your time at King’s but I am sure glad I do now. You are a superstar student, stellar admin and you make it all look so easy. I am so overjoyed that you have found love. I can see it in your face. You are one of the most humble students I’ve ever met. Never lose that.
Thank you for such incredible work that you’ve lended to us during your time here. May God continue to smile upon you!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
Abby, you’re so great and so smart. I’m honored to have gotten to know you during these past four years at King’s, and I’m really excited to see what God has in store for this next season of your life!
Abby, I wanted to wait until Interregnum XVI was finished in all respects before writing this note. What you have achieved in your time at King’s is incredible, and your leadership of the Interregnum Committee in 2019-20 will provide inspiration to everyone on it for many years. The challenges in the spring were formidable, and you handled all of them graciously and adroitly. Yet even before 2020 began, you had made many signal contributions to King’s, both in and outside the classroom. Your legacy to TKC is real and sure to be long lasting! Blessings to you and Brandon, and please stay in touch.
Abby,
It will be sad to know a King’s without you there, but I am so proud of you! Thank you for being such a great ten Boom sister. You are incredible and I cannot wait to see where the Lord leads you!
Best,
Serena
Congratulations!
I’m incredibly proud of you. It was a joy and honor to work with you at King’s. Your godly character, deep intellect, creative leadership and loveliness was a gift to me! I remember the great work we did, high medium low piles, stats and PowerPoints to tell so many stories, and many laughs. Enjoy this special day!
Abby! Congratulations on graduating! I am so grateful for your presence in my life over this past year… I received your letter yesterday and it made me cry! It was a joy and honor to be led by you this year. Watching you has taught me about what it means to be humble and serve selflessly. You have taught me so much and I could never come into the words to express how much that means to me! I know so many great things are in your future. With love, Brittany
Abby, even though you weren’t able to have a traditional graduation ceremony, I love how you make the most of it and keep on being joyful! You are such a precious gift to this family. The Lord has blessed you mightily. And now a new chapter of your life begins. New people in your life who will find out what a treasure you are. I wish the best for you and I will never stop praying for you. Love, Gram
Abby! You are such an amazing person, and I’m so glad to know you and have gotten to debate with you. Praying for you and Brandon and so so excited to see the kind of things y’all accomplish and where God will take you. Congrats!
Abby, congratulations! You have been such a consistently impressive student (& person) to me! You embody KCT’s mantra of kindness and competence. Thank you for all you’ve done for King’s. Best of luck as you start this new season. He has such good plans for you!
Dear Abby,
It’s been an honor and a pleasure working with you at King’s. You have such a bright future ahead. May you know all of God’s richest blessings in Christ.
Abby, my beautiful friend,
It has been amazing to grow with you through this chapter, even as we have been on opposite coasts.
I am so happy for all the love I see poured out in these comments. I know you will carry these connections with you, and keep adding new ones, and that’s a truly beautiful thing.
I love you dearly, and wish you the best in the next chapter of life!
All the best,
Olivia
MY DEAR GIRL, congrats on all your hard work, and praise God for your recent wedding. I knew you were some kind of mastermind when we first started studying for C&S that first semester, but I’m so very thankful that we’ve become close enough to be known as Abby^2 at King’s. It’s been an honor being your friend, housemate, and roommate. Can’t wait to visit you soon IN HOLLAND (holla at Corrie).
Abby – Congratulations! Thank you for all the ways you’ve served the King’s community. Our team greatly benefited from having you on our side. So many good things are ahead!