Northern Kentucky University believes closing the achievement gap is a priority, and with donors like alumnus Nathan Smith on our side, this endeavor becomes more attainable by the day. Smith understands and believes in the positive impact of higher education. Cherishing his own college experience, he says, “When thinking about my career and the success I’ve had, it would never have been possible without NKU.”

Smith is Chief Investment Officer at Flagship Communities Real Estate Investment Trust and has worked hard to build a successful company alongside his business partner, Kurt Keeney, another NKU graduate. He has remained an integral part of the NKU community, volunteering his time and expertise in many ways. Smith served on the NKU Board of Regents, first as the student regent and then later as the first chair to return post-graduation, serving again from 2010-2016. Additionally, Smith continues to invest his time with the NKU Foundation, where he has been a board member for the past decade. He has been a member of the Campaign Leadership Committee, Go Norse Fund board and more. Because of Smith’s successful career and extensive involvement at NKU, he was recognized with the 2022 Outstanding Alumnus Award.

After years of giving, Smith and his wife, Mary Lee, have recently decided to establish the Appalachian Scholarship. This endowed LIFT scholarship will support first-generation undergraduate students hailing from eastern Kentucky and Appalachia. As an eastern Kentucky native, Smith hopes these scholarship recipients will look back after graduation and want to continue the cycle of giving themselves. “I give back to NKU because of the great people here who said, ‘You know what, I’m going to take that kid on.’ They invested in me and helped me succeed,” Smith says.

Luckily, Smith’s parents were able to send him to NKU when tuition was exceptionally affordable. Now with the increased price of attending a four-year institution, he wants to help the students whose opportunities are limited. “There are children all over eastern Kentucky and Appalachia questioning whether they can succeed in college. The students at the top of their class with a high GPA may already have scholarship opportunities. We want to help the other young students. The ones who are still doing well but more importantly have the drive to receive a college education.”

Smith believes NKU is an important place for first-generation students to learn and grow into the leaders of tomorrow. With his roots in eastern Kentucky, Smith shares how thankful he is to have learned alongside people of different religions and cultures during his time at NKU. “I hope we continue to recruit students from all walks of life,” he says. “I think a university is where a young person starts their career and explores the exciting, possibly even scary, thoughts about life, community and their future.”

When asked about what principles guide him, Smith shares that it’s his love for people and his investment in them; it’s giving people a chance for a better life. No matter the outcome, he and his family are grateful to be able to give back and offer educational opportunities. “I think there are people who deserve a chance,” he says. “Helping a student leave college with a life-changing experience, in the long run, will probably make the biggest impact on that person’s life and the community we live in.”

With this sentiment in mind, Smith expands on this insight and expresses the following guidance for current and future students, “A college degree is probably the most redefining experience of a person’s life. It can change your future and open the door to opportunities of all kinds.”