Shaquille Smith (’16), at Colour in Halifax.
A NEXT LEVEL KIND OF GUY Former hoop star Shaquille Smith knows a lot about high performance, both as an athlete and community advocate By Fred Sgambati (’83)
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or Acadia alumnus Shaquille Smith (’16), it’s always next level. As a student, a star basketball player, community advocate or employee, one question persists: what’s the secret to success? What are others doing to get to the next level and how can I get there, too? His determination to be better has allowed him to forge an enviable path in life. He works as a digital strategist at Colour, a creative agency in Halifax; is a board member and chair of marketing and fundraising for Veith House, which fosters vibrant communities; coaches high school basketball; and received in April a Harry Jerome Award from the Black Business and Professional Association. The awards, established in 1983 in memory of the late Olympian and social advocate Harry Jerome, recognize and honour achievements in the Canadian Black community. He was the MVP of the men’s basketball team in 2015 and earned an AUS Community Service Award in 2016,
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ACADIA BULLETIN Spring 2019
but not everything was so rosy way back when. There were challenges and Smith had to up his game to keep his edge and make good things happen. He grew up in North Preston, Nova Scotia, a small, friendly community in the Halifax Regional Municipality. He played sports all day, every day and although he carved a reputation as a basketball player in high school and university, Smith’s first love was baseball. However, once he made the Canada Games for basketball, he channeled his talent into an enviable high school career that attracted scholarship offers from four universities: Manitoba, St. Francis Xavier, Cape Breton, and Acadia. He met with then head hoops coach Steve Baur, current Athletic Director Kevin Dickie and current men’s coach Kevin Duffie during his campus visit and he liked the close-knit, community feel at Acadia. “They were super friendly and welcoming,” Smith says, and the campus felt like home. Coming to Acadia was “the best decision I ever made.”
