130 Stories

When you walk into the Office of Financial Aid at Fort Valley State University, the first face you’re likely to see is Marquita Smith-Wright. She answers the phones, responds to emails, greets every visitor with warmth and helps students and families figure out exactly where they need to be. Behind her welcoming presence is a journey defined by resilience, growth and a determination that only strengthened over time.

Raised in Butler, Georgia, Marquita always knew she loved people, especially kids. She enjoyed listening, talking, and understanding why people think and behave the way they do. Psychology wasn’t just a major; it was her calling. Still, life took her on a winding path before she found her way back to the classroom.

After high school, she attended Middle Georgia Tech and then Valdosta State University, but maintaining consistency was hard. “I was young and not very driven,” she says. “Life was lifing.” She stepped away from school for several years, working as a substitute teacher, in group homes, at a youth detention center and taking care of her growing family. After staying home with her children for a year, she decided it was time to return to work. Marquita applied for just one job and landed it at FVSU.

For three and a half years, she has been a steady presence in the Financial Aid office, but it was a conversation with her coworker, Tracy Rucker, that changed everything. Rucker, financial aid counselor, told her about the University System of Georgia’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). That moment sparked something. Smith-Wright applied, was accepted and decided this time would be different.

Balancing school, work, and motherhood hasn’t been easy, especially when you have ten children, six still at home and one already in college. Weekends often looked like textbooks spread out across the table, assignments due and her 13-year-old helping her study Spanish vocabulary words. But her children, who are excited, proud and supportive, are her motivation.

“I didn’t want to quit this time,” she says. “I knew what my ultimate goal was. I’m more determined now, and I have more reasons to succeed.”

FVSU played a significant role in her success, too. She credits Timothy Hatchett, Ph.D., vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Tracy Rucker and the Financial Aid team with supporting her throughout the journey.

If you look around campus, you’ll often see Smith-Wright at University events, cheering on students and celebrating her Wildcat community.