Mercy College Student Zaire Smith ’22 Takes on Responsibility of Being “President for a Day”
To view a video of Zaire Smith '22 as Mercy College "President for a Day," click on the image above.
Preparing for his visit to the MercyManhattan Campus on December 1, Zaire Smith ’22 decided to wear a suit and tie. Such formality, while unusual for the music production major, seemed only fitting given his assignment for that day: Mercy College president. “I knew it was a great honor,” he said.
Smith won the honor as winner of the “Mavs Fight Back” raffle. For a student to be entered into the raffle, they had to demonstrate their part in keeping the Mercy Community safe by complying with COVID-19 protocols. Through this recognition he got to enjoy all the attention, respect and perks of being “president for a day.” His schedule as president began with a short meeting in Verrazzano Hall and train ride to Manhattan in which he was accompanied by actual Mercy College President Tim Hall, who presented Smith with a bound notebook for recording his impressions. “We talked about why I chose Mercy, and about his life and how he came to Mercy. He’s a cool guy,” Smith said.
The remainder of the day was filled with responsibilities that allowed Smith to experience a day in the life of Hall. He toured the MercyManhattan Campus, met with other administrators, and lunched with Hall and other senior staff at iconic New York City restaurant Keen’s Steakhouse. During lunch, Smith and Hall were joined by Interim Vice President of MercyManhattan Scorpio Rogers and Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Peter West. “They all treated me like it was my first day on the job as the new president,” Smith said. “It was pretty cool.”
Of the day’s many events, Smith said the most memorable was the dedication of the Michele S. Lee Library for Lifelong Learning, named in honor of the late MercyManhattan librarian who passed away last spring. “They seated me up in front, with the other administrators, and asked me to say a few words, which was another big honor,” he said.
Hall was delighted to have Smith accompany him during a day busy with meetings and community events in Manhattan. “It was a joy to have Zaire join me as President. He is a true leader who served the College well and I wish him success in future endeavors.”
As he nears graduation, Smith is certain that his future will include music — but now he has grander ambitions. “After talking to Scorpio and hearing more about Mercy’s MBA program, I realized I have more to learn about the music business,” Smith said. “There are so many ways to be involved with Mercy after I graduate. That day kind of shaped my thinking.”
Smith is grateful to Hall and his team for showing him the ropes and opening his eyes to the demanding schedule of a college president. “Today really made me realize the impact that President Hall has on our community, and how important his efforts are to the college. Even though he is extremely busy, he is known around campus, always talking to students and attending events,” he said. “I’m really appreciative of his efforts and everything he has done for the college over the past years I’ve been attending.”