The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs has awarded INTA Junior Murry “Trey” Smith the 2017 Outstanding Undergraduate Award to recognize his impressive academic performance and excellent service to the community. An offensive lineman on the Georgia Tech football team, Trey has taken full advantage of Georgia Tech’s academic opportunities throughout his undergraduate career, and has gone above and beyond in his efforts to bring together students, athletes and faculty.
In addition to maintaining an excellent academic record while on the football team, Trey has been a leader in the Nunn School and a strong advocate for the Georgia Tech student body. His deep commitment to the students at this school is clear in his official application, in which he wrote:
“Because I spend half my time on the field and the other half in the classroom, I have been able to interact, socialize, and come to care deeply for, an amazing group of athletes and students with a wide range of values, beliefs, dreams, and passions. I could easily have chosen to ignore my classmates and sit in the back or increase the amount of free time I have by quitting football. Instead, I used my situation to bring people together. I have been able to bring together athletes and students who would never otherwise have met and provide feedback to the administration from students who felt their concerns would never be heard. I have also spent hours with potential students discussing my experiences and their concerns, and finally talked with dozens of classmates about the steps we can take as students to make this campus a better place for everyone.”
In reference to Trey’s nomination for the award, a professor of his wrote, “In short, he was an exceptional student. In is worth noting that his excellent performance came during the football season; he is an offensive lineman. If anything, I have been even more impressed by Trey in the context of the Student Advisory Committee. I invited him to join the Committee last spring… We have had three meetings thus far, and Trey has emerged as a leader of the group. He guides the conversation very effectively, but also very respectfully. He is particularly keen that the Committee deliver concrete results that improve the student experience in the Nunn School. It is thus not surprising that he is also the International Affairs Representative in Georgia Tech’s Student Government Association.”
Trey will graduate in May 2018 with a B.S. in International Affairs. He holds a 3.9 GPA and has achieved Dean’s List, Faculty Honors, and ACC Honor Roll during his entire career at Georgia Tech. In Fall 2015, Trey published an article in Forbes & Fifth entitled “Lear’s Tyranny in Qaddafi’s Libya,” which was then nominated for an award in outstanding undergraduate writing. Over the Summer 2016 semester, he assisted Dr. Margaret Kosal in research on civil-military affairs, which he also worked towards publishing. He has been an offensive lineman on the Georgia Tech football team for the entirety of his time here, while maintaining top grades. In his service to the Nunn School, he has worked on numerous shadow days, FASET orientations, and recruitment events. Additionally, he is a member of the Sam Nunn Student Advisory Committee and serves as the International Affairs Representative in Georgia Tech’s Student Government Association.
The Nunn School sincerely congratulates Trey Smith for being selected as the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award. We are proud to honor his commitment to the students of Georgia Tech and his involvements in the Nunn School. Congratulations, Trey!
