Four years before Travia Smith crossed the stage as the recipient of Newman University’s highest undergraduate honor, the Ablah Award, she wrote about the kind of teacher she hoped to become.
“I plan to study hard and do my best to understand how to become a successful teacher in the classroom, while appreciating the values in becoming a successful teacher, not for the money I can earn … but because I have a passion for caring for my students,” she wrote in her St. Newman Scholarship application essay.
At Newman, Smith did just that — and more.
The Ablah Award
Each year at commencement, one male and one female are recognized for the most prestigious undergraduate awards at Newman: the Ablah Awards.
These awards were established by Fran and Geri (Ablah) Jabara to honor the memory of Geri’s parents, Harvey J. and Leona J. Ablah, and to perpetuate their vision of entrepreneurism and the American dream. Both award recipients must graduate with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and each student receives a monetary award.
Smith, an elementary education major and psychology minor from the Bahamas, was named the 2026 recipient of the Leona J. Ablah Award during Newman University’s spring commencement ceremony on May 16. The token of achievement recognized Smith’s academic excellence, servant leadership, faith and compassion that made an impression across campus during her four years at Newman.
“Her nominators agree,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Alden Stout said before announcing her name at commencement. “She is exactly the kind of person you would send as Newman’s ambassador to the world.”
Making her mark as a campus leader
Smith, a St. Newman Scholar and student-athlete on the women’s softball team, became known on campus as someone who rarely said “no” when others needed support. She served as chair of the Campus Activities Board (CAB), participated in Student Government Association initiatives, worked in the library, advocated for international students through the Multicultural Leadership Organization and supported fellow students at games, performances, fundraisers and campus events.
Smith helped revitalize CAB and expanded some of Newman’s most recognizable student traditions, including the Color Run, Breakfast and Bingo and Giving Day’s Trivia Night.
In addition to leadership and service roles, Smith appeared on stage in the university’s production of “Treasure Island” as pirate Anne Bonney and earned recognition for her service and leadership across campus. She received the 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award, Student Life’s 2026 Student Employee of the Year Award and the 2026 Sister Vivian Miller Award, which honors future educators who demonstrate perseverance, leadership and dedication to students.
Reacting to the Ablah Award
When Smith’s name was announced at commencement, she said she felt both honored and overwhelmed.
“My heart was beating so, so fast because everyone that got nominated are really deserving of the award as well,” Smith said.
For Smith, the award symbolizes her commitment to service.
“I’m just trying to be a positive influence in the lives of other people and to share the joy of God with everyone I meet,” she said.
That faith carried her through moments in her undergraduate journey when she doubted herself.
“Without God, there were so many times that I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m not going to make it,’” Smith said. “But God showed me that he is good and that he has good plans for me. And here I am — evidence that he’s good.”
In the words of her nominators
One nominator described Smith as “a light in this world.”
“She is always upbeat and available to help,” the nominator wrote. “Travia is an example of what service and selflessness are made of. She is just a shining star.”
Another added, “She took over for a rebuilding organization and shot it to the moon. Her leadership skills have been the bedrock of the growth and attendance of any and all club activities … and the overall direction of Student Affairs.”
Smith was also described as “the quintessential student that Newman University looks for and needs. Her active engagement in student life is again far and above what can be asked for. She supports her other athletic teams by giving them the same spirit and energy that she gives her own.”
Other nominators wrote that Smith consistently made others feel included, was “always reliable” — two traits that translate particularly well to the education field.
During her fall 2025 internship in a local elementary classroom, faculty members said Smith demonstrated the same care and professionalism she had become known for on campus.
“Travia demonstrated strong instructional skills, delivering well-prepared, engaging lessons that incorporated interactive strategies to support student learning,” one nominator wrote. “Her high level of professionalism and dedication to continuous growth speaks to her readiness to be an effective teacher and an impactful model for her students.”
Ready to transform society through teaching
This August, Smith will begin her career as a kindergarten teacher at Alta Brown Elementary School in Garden City, Kansas. Her long-term goal, she said, is “to build future leaders.”
She also plans to continue building on her servant leadership through her church’s homeless outreach initiatives, hospice care and volunteer softball coaching opportunities in the community.
Travia’s high level of professionalism and dedication to continuous growth speaks to her readiness to be an effective teacher and an impactful model for her students.
– One of Smith’s nominators for the Ablah Award
Looking back on her Newman experience, Smith said the elementary education faculty fully prepared her for the future.
“My professors have been incredible,” she said. “They’ve provided me not only confidence, but also a lot of knowledge on how I can be an effective teacher.”
Years from now, when future students walk past the bronze plaque bearing her name in De Mattias Hall, Smith hopes they remember the lesson she lives by.
“Be kind, because kindness goes a long way,” she said. “And always be willing to serve, whether that’s through the roles you have on campus or in the classroom. Look for opportunities to serve because there’s a big reward at the end.”
Earn an elementary education degree from Newman University
Become the educator that transfroms the next generation of leaders.
