<p>An icon of the sports industry, Stephen A. Smith shares powerful and humorous lessons on overcoming adversity, building and leading strong teams, and ethics on the field and off.</p><p>Known and respected for his candid commentary, thought-provoking analysis, and memorable catchphrases, Stephen A. Smith is an authority in sports journalism. Pulling no punches, Smith commentates not only on sports and athletes, but also on politics and current events, with his trademark candor and humor.</p><p>After getting his start in journalism working for the <em>New York Daily News</em> and the <em>Philadelphia Inquirer</em>, Smith transitioned to TV and landed at ESPN in 2003. He is a host on ESPN’s First Take, as well as on his own show, <em>SportsCenter with Stephen A. Smith</em>, and he co-hosts the podcast <em>Know Mercy</em>. Smith’s memoir, <em>Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances</em> and<em> First Takes</em>, was a <em>New York Times </em>bestseller. </p><p>A proud graduate of Winston-Salem State University, Smith is in development for a documentary series,<em> Black Excellence</em>, examining the legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.</p><p>From high school sportswriter to nationally recognized ESPN analyst to preeminent voice in the Black community, Smith credits tenacity and staying true to himself as he continuously converts challenges into opportunities. Inspiring and engaging, Smith shares his personal journey to becoming a giant of sports media, offering firsthand insight into overcoming adversity and leveraging individual personal strengths to pursue one’s dreams<span style="font-size: 10pt;">. </span></p>
Legendary Sports TV Personality and Journalist, Host of ESPN’s <i>First Take</i> and <i>SportsCenter with Stephen A. Smith</i>
<ul><li><strong>Adversity: Keep Your Head in the Game!</strong></li><li>From heart-wrenching defeats to capturing glory, rarely is anyone faced with adversity more than the modern-day athlete. True champions have learned not only to overcome their adversities, but to use them as a tool. From his roots in Hollis to covering some of the biggest names on planet Earth, keynote speaker Stephen A. Smith uses his life experiences and sports-as-life references to offer his perspective on how to keep your head in the game using courage, determination, and patience so you too can use adversity to your benefit.</li><li><strong>The Road to Great Leadership</strong></li><li>Stephen A. Smith's career has allowed him to be up close and personal with great leaders, and he has learned firsthand and through interviews about the trials and tribulations on the road to great leadership. Leadership is now more important than ever, and Smith's anecdotes will enthrall, entertain, and educate as he talks about goal setting, motivation, tough decision making, and inspiration.</li><li><strong>Ethics, On the Field & Off</strong></li><li>What is the right thing to do when the lines of ethics are increasingly blurred? Being the best and having more power and money enables those on the way up to be filled with praise, big paydays, and role-model status. But the headlines are filled with fall-from-grace storylines all the time. Is there a new model for success, or do we just have more access to information? From sportsmanship to gambling, steroid use to point shaving, sports journalist Stephen A. Smith has seen and covered a wide spectrum of ethical issues both on the field and off... and interviewed a lot of the major players. He uses this unique insight to offer perspective on today's current events, politics, and youth. This engaging presentation will make you think and feel about ethical decisions in a new way.</li></ul><p><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>