Ever-positive approach helps Penn State student complete unlikely journey

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When Michael Smedley crosses the stage during Penn State commencement exercises Saturday, he’ll complete a statistically unlikely journey. Once you meet him, though, there’s no doubt his journey would finish as it has — and there’s no doubt he’s on his way to accomplish much more during his career.

Smedley, blind since birth because of a rare genetic disorder, will complete his undergraduate career at Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications, a bachelor of fine arts in theatrical sound design, minors in business law and music technology, and a certificate of business fundamentals.

While just 11% of blind people in the United States earn a bachelor’s degree, Smedley was not content with one degree. In fact, “just” and statistics have never been limitations for Smedley, who only seems content when he’s busy.

“On a campus this big with 50,000 undergrads there’s a lot of opportunity and always something new,” he says. “People here are always jumping at the opportunity to help other people succeed. Penn State has taught me a lot about what it means to adapt and just kind of roll with the punches, which I think is going to be extremely important coming out of this University at this time.”

Along with his classes, Smedley has mixed, designed and even composed shows for the School of Theatre. He was part of a team that collaborated with Penn State Athletics and video game maker EA Sports, which makes “Madden NFL,” to develop an approach to crowd noise for Penn State football games in a mostly empty Beaver Stadium during the 2020 season.

Long before he came to Penn State, Smedley, 22, was overcoming challenges big and small to succeed and thrive. He was also pulling others along with his ever-positive mindset.

While he played Little League baseball, football in middle school, wrestled in high school and honed his skills as keyboard player, he was ever mindful of others — something that has guided his approach, and impact, since birth.

“He was the first blind person I’d ever met,” says his mother, Kristin Smedley. “I’m not proud of how my journey started. I wasted a lot of time trying to pray his blindness away while Michael spent every day so upbeat, at the most inconvenienced a little bit by being blind. He eventually convinced me to suck it up and come along with him on the ride.

“The best thing blindness ever did for me was wipe out what I thought Michael should be and it gave him space to be all he could be. It’s amazing. He’s done what I thought he would times 10.”

Michael’s rare genetic disorder, something that does not present on either side of his family, also impacted his younger brother, Mitchell, 18, a student at Kutztown University. They also have a younger sister, a high school junior, who is not blind.

In large part because of her sons, Kristin, who was a third-grade teacher, eventually left teaching and started a nonprofit organization (Thriving Blind Academy) to help families with blind children. While the organization helps others, she admits she regularly drew energy and inspiration from Michael.

Smedley started his college career at Belmont University with a music business major in mind, but in a search for more opportunity and support, he transferred from that 72-acre campus to Penn State University Park, with its 7,958 acres and 160 majors. Penn State also had more resources, including easier access to braille texts and a larger Office of Disability Services. Despite the fact that he got an A in 200-level statistics course at Belmont without having a textbook, the bigger community and support were a welcome boost at Penn State. 

Smedley, one of just five blind students on campus during the 2021-22 academic year, also served as a teaching assistant for a communications law course. He left the faculty member, who had selected him for the role because she knew he was a good student, impressed.

“He’s so incredibly smart. Most TAs do a brief presentation in front of the class, some narrow focus on a topic,” says Cindy Simmons, an associate teaching professor in the Department of Journalism. “He said he wanted to do something on intellectual property. I was not expecting him to teach the whole class.

“He came up with an hour and 15 minutes of slides based on his knowledge and research as well as up-to-date nuances for the presentation. It was engaging, just terrific.”

Smedley’s plans after graduation were focused on music, with a role as a sound engineer for a touring band atop his list. He had to put that on hold a few weeks ago when he accepted a post-graduate internship.

He starts his duties as an audio system design professional intern with Disney in Orlando next month. He’ll be part of the team that addresses how every aspect of the company’s theme parks, cruise ships and attractions sound. He said the company’s commitment to an immersive experience, activating all five senses when people visit, offers an exciting challenge.

Likewise, interviewers from Disney were impressed with Michael’s ever-positive mindset, which has been the differentiator and driving force during his journey before and during Penn State — and likely for years to come.