FM Mark in Red and Blue

Mr. William Daniel Smith

Class of 1991, Francis Marion University,

At the time, it was Francis Marion College, and one of my best friends from high school was attending FMU. He had been there for a year before I started. It seemed like it was a smaller and more comfortable fit for me. That was pretty much why I enjoyed it. My family were all strong Christians, so when I got there to school, I was able to get connected with the fellowship of the Baptist Student Union there. It felt a little bit like home. One of the guys who became one of my best friends is still a lifelong friend even though we are states away. He lives in Texas, but we are basically doing the exact same thing. We are both chaplains for hospice, and his name is Rodney. When we graduated from FMU, we both went on and attended seminary. I got my master’s degree, and I went on from there. I went on to Covington Seminary and got my doctorate degree. I taught at the seminary for a while and then started working in the health care system. One of the things that helped motivate me in my career as I was there being a part of the Baptist Student Union was it broadened my horizons as to what I could do. I majored in psychology, and that turned out to be a tremendous resource for me, because I went on to get my master’s degree in pastoral counseling. I’m a chaplain and a bereavement counselor with a local hospice in Savannah, Georgia. Having that psychology background has tremendously helped me throughout my life.