Norwich University's College of Graduate and Continuing Studies presents "Dare to Matter: How Norwich University Grads Rise to Significance," a presentation by Pete Smith, author and personal and professional coach, for the 2020 Residency Conference keynote and Todd Lecture Series at 7 p.m. June 24 online at https://www.norwich.edu/livestream. This virtual lecture is free and open to the public. Register online here: https://bit.ly/2ZG8R0d.
Since 1996, Smith has had a career journey that would make most career counselors scratch their heads, which is ironic given that one of his early jobs was helping students navigate career paths.
From the humble beginnings of landscape design, sales and construction, to national telecommunication sales, to roles in education as a high school teacher, wrestling coach, counselor, director of admissions, and director at a non-profit alternative school for students with disabilities, Smith leveraged his experience and obsession of individual performance, productive teamwork, and transformational leadership into the founding of SmithImpact in 2011.
A major catalyst for the founding of SmithImpact occurred in 2010, when Smith survived a stroke at the young age of 35. Focusing on what he believed to be his last thoughts of "Did I Matter? Was I SIGNIFICANT?" Smith has shared his story and the lessons learned from this experience to help others lead more productive and fulfilling lives, both personally and professionally.
In 2017, Smith published "Dare to Matter: Choosing An Unstuck and Unapologetic Life of Significance." He has been asked to bring audiences to their feet while speaking in most of the continental 50 states, Canada and Europe.
"Surviving a stroke is easy compared to what it's like living in a home full of redheads," Smith said. "As if being married to a redhead (who totally rocks, by the way), raising two redheaded kids and a redheaded dog wasn't hectic enough, [I] and [my] wife, Whitney, are co-founders of Matter More Coffee, the most awesome coffee shop in Hampstead, North Carolina."
Norwich University's Todd Lecture Series is named in honor of retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Russell Todd and his late wife, Carol, in gratitude for their dedicated service to the university. Todd '50, serves as Norwich President Emeritus. With this series, Norwich brings the nation's foremost thought leaders drawn from business, politics, the arts, science, the military and other arenas to its Northfield campus. All lectures are streamed live and are free and open to the public.
Daphne Larkin
Director of Media Relations & Community Affairs
Norwich University
Northfield, VT.
802-485-2886
dlarkin@norwich.edu