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WELCOME TO MY ePortfolio!

 

I'm Susan Smith, a senior at The University of Alabama, graduating in the Spring of 2025 with a B.A. in Communications and a minor in Social Welfare. I grew up in a small town just outside of Houston, Texas, but my passion has always reached far beyond the borders of where I’m from.

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I’m not your typical college student. My greatest accomplishments aren’t found on a résumé — they are my three children: two biological and one adopted through foster care. For over 20 years, being their mother was my full-time role, and watching them thrive awakened a calling in me to ensure that ALL children, no matter their background, race, or circumstances, have the chance to succeed.

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That calling became my mission.

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Rooted in my own childhood experiences and shaped through years as a Child Advocate, Guardian ad Litem, and foster parent, I’ve dedicated myself to being a voice for the voiceless, the most vulnerable among us. Through these roles, I’ve witnessed firsthand the devastating gaps in our justice system, especially the lack of legal representation for children in foster care, often due to underfunding and systemic neglect.

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Now, with my children grown and thriving, I’m stepping forward with renewed purpose. I hope to attend Harvard Kennedy School in Fall 2026 to pursue a Mid-Career Master's in Public Administration, a critical next step in my journey to fight the new face of modern-day slavery: human sex trafficking and the ongoing crisis in our foster care system.

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Armed with my lived experience, advocacy background, and communication skills, I will raise my voice where silence has reigned — in courtrooms, in Congress, and in communities across the country. My goal is to shape policy, draft legislation, and lead a foundation that delivers real, lasting change.

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This isn’t just a passion. It’s my life’s purpose.