Dare to Venture: From Princeton to Chicago, Morgan Smith ’21 leads through service

Описание: When Morgan Smith was growing up in the Los Angeles suburbs, her grandfather, who lived nearby, woke up every Friday before the crack of dawn to fill his pickup truck with groceries and deliver them to his church’s food ministry. When Smith was old enough, she and her two sisters would tag along during summer breaks, sorting the produce, watching and learning as their grandfather organized the food distribution to hundreds of families in need.

“What stands out is the cheer that my grandfather brought to the work — how he would greet those who came for food with a wide smile and eagerly insist they take as much food as possible,” Smith said. “He taught me so much about leadership and integrity. When I think of service, I think of him showing us what it means to take the time to help those who are less fortunate.”

It’s early when Smith begins work each morning in Chicago, and the lessons she absorbed from her grandfather and others in her family guide her every day. After graduating from Princeton in 2021, Smith was selected for a Princeton AlumniCorps Project 55 Fellowship. She works as a child representative and minor guardianship program coordinator for Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS), a pro bono legal aid organization.

From the time she wakes to the time she finally unplugs, she is focused on helping the children who find themselves pulled into the legal system and the volunteer attorneys who represent them. “In cases between parents or guardians related to visitation, guardianship, or custody, our clients are always the children,” said Smith, who shepherds the cases and provides administrative support for the attorneys working pro bono. “I get a visceral enjoyment from knowing that I’m being useful, that what I’m doing is helping someone else.”

Read more on Morgan Smith '21 and how she continues to #VentureForward: https://bit.ly/335yYSj