Cavalier Corner

John P. Smith's appreciation for his years at Virginia has manifested itself in more ways than one. Smith graduated from the McIntire School of Commerce ('75) and lives in Greenville, S.C., with his wife, Terri. What proved to be a long career in business began at the Richmond Corporation upon graduation, con- tinued when Smith moved with his young family to South Carolina in 1987 to work in various positions at The Liberty Corporation, and ended when he retired as COO of Ogletree Deakins in 2013. "Having a degree from such a prominent school and passing the CPA exam on my first try, gave me a leg up professionally," Smith said. "I've been blessed to work in great firms with many wonderful people, plus I met Terri through work. I can thank the university for all of that." Smith has a distinct affinity for Virginia sports. He's been a VAF donor for 34 years, and supported the John Paul Jones Arena Capital Campaign, the Scott Stadium ex- pansion and the building of the indoor practice facility. He's been a season ticket holder for 24 consecu- tive years, including 15 years as a basketball season ticket holder and five years as a men's lacrosse season ticket holder. Smith makes the six-hour drive for virtually all home football and bas- ketball games and attends several away games each year. He's seen Vir- ginia play at Michigan, Penn State, UCLA, USC and BYU, and against most ACC opponents. Terri and he bought a second home in Charlottesville, which makes it easier for Smith to attend Cavalier games, visit family — in- cluding his mother in Richmond, who is also a UVA fan — and visit his farm in Buckingham County, where both his parents grew up. The Smiths have two sons — Allan (UVA '05), a minister in Raleigh af- ter Duke Divinity School, and Bryan (UVA '07 and '09), a civil engineer in Richmond with both bachelor's and master's degrees — and a daughter Draper, who chose South Carolina's Journalism School, spent time in Ghana and now lives in Washing- ton, D.C. "My sons are dedicated Hoo fans perhaps more than me," Smith said. "That's a big reason why I enjoy coming to games because I get to spend a lot of time with them and their friends. Draper also comes to a number of games. We took a trip to Syracuse last March to see the Hoos win there." Smith was specific regarding why he supports Virginia athletics as a VAF donor. "I'm very proud to be a Wahoo," he said. "I truly believe Virginia strikes a balance between competing at the highest level and maintaining its status as a top-tier, academic institu- tion — without compromising." Smith's benefitted from being a VAF member: "The VAF really looks out for us and stays in touch with me even in South Carolina," he said. "We've got great seats and park- ing that I hope to enjoy for years to come." — Mike Scandura WAHOO NATION JOHN P. SMITH Smith (second from the left) enjoys attending UVA sporting events in part because of the time it gives him with his chil- dren — from left to right, Bryan, Draper and Allan. PHOTO COURTESY JOHN P. SMITH

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