For Health Sciences Assistant Professor Sarah Smith, Piedmont has always been a part of her life. A graduate of Habersham Central High School and a Piedmont University alum, Smith grew up in the hills of the northeast Georgia mountains, hiking and fly fishing as long as she can remember. As a Piedmont student, it was one of those hikes that forever altered the course of her life.  

“I went on a hike with my nieces and nephews, and I passed out like seven times within a span of a mile,” said Smith, recalling driving back hours from the hike after collapsing multiple times. 

Smith returned home safely and told her parents what had happened on the hike. 

“I just was very fatigued afterward, and my parents were like, ‘This is not normal. You know, you’re 19-20 years old,’” said Smith. She had never felt fatigued after a hike, much less fainted during one. 

Smith’s parents took her to Northeast Medical Center in Gainesville, Georgia to meet with a doctor.

“Luckily, I had a doctor who listened to me right away,” said Smith. “That’s kind of hard to find sometimes. I was able to get it diagnosed that fall.” 

Smith was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) after going through various medical tests: an echo test, a bubble test and a Holter monitor. 

“Some people I’ve met through the POTS community say you’re allergic to gravity,” said Smith. 

She jokingly says this, but to an extent it is true. Standing up or lying down too quickly can cause dizziness, especially during a flare-up. 

At the time, many doctors did not know much about POTS. Common symptoms are very vague, like dizziness, trouble focusing, nausea, headaches and blurred vision. Because of the lack of knowledge, there is currently no cure for POTS, and it can be difficult to diagnose. 

“Always advocate for yourself,” Smith said. “If you feel in your gut that something’s wrong, you need to tell somebody, even if they don’t listen to you, go find a second opinion.” 

Smith acknowledges that she had a rare case of a quick diagnosis and that her case of POTS is mild compared to some patients. It can take up to years for someone to be simply diagnosed with POTS, and even longer to find the right dosage of medication to help them feel like themselves. 

Her experience with POTS not only altered her daily life but also changed her career trajectory. After a knee injury in high school required her to get surgery, Smith was set on pursuing a career in physical therapy. After a year in college in the Carolinas, Smith returned home to Piedmont to pursue her passion for physical therapy in the health sciences department. 

After learning to balance her life with POTS, her desire to be a physical therapist began to fade. During her shadowing hours for physical therapy, Smith realized that she wanted to go in a different direction. Already well into the program, it was too late to change majors, but her passion was still in health science. Smith decided to come back to Piedmont another year to work toward a graduate degree in Health and Human Performance and give herself time to figure out what she wanted to do with her career. 

“It just fell in the place that maybe I could become a professor,” said Smith. “I love teaching. I love learning.” 

Smith was hired for the fall of 2023 as a professor in the health science department at Piedmont and has made a lasting impact on her students and colleagues ever since.

“Professor Smith brought the joy of learning back,” said junior Aleigha Carter. “She is always willing to go above and beyond more than just in her class. She knows how to teach the material in multiple different ways so you can understand.”

Exercise and sport science major Aleigha Carter has had Smith as a professor for five courses and even dressed up as Smith for Halloween. 

“As long as you talk to her about what’s going on she will always be understanding and try to help you out with whatever she can,” said Carter.  

Smith recognizes that she was in the same shoes as her students just a few years ago and has even had some of the same professors her students have now. She understands that some students are athletes and must travel for their sports, and she understands that some students commute and have jobs to balance on top of their course load. 

Not only this, but she makes jokes in class to connect with her students and creates assignments that she knows the students will enjoy. 

“Our students regularly tell me that Professor Smith is the favorite amongst our faculty,” said Health Science Professor Lindsay Dilbeck. “It brings me such joy that she connects with our students on such a deep level. I think since Sarah (Professor Smith) was a student at Piedmont University for both her undergraduate and graduate studies, she has a better insight into the lives and struggles of our student base than anyone could ever hope to gain.” 

Dilbeck recalls Smith being on her interview panel when she applied for an open position at Piedmont and being excited to potentially use her experience to help Smith grow as a professor. Dilbeck said that she was quickly put in her place as Smith became her mentor, reminding her of the mission, vision and calling of professors at Piedmont. 

“She is a fellow educator who I strive to be more like daily,” beamed Dilbeck.

Smith is dedicated to her students and is passionate about making sure they understand the material, using her own knowledge of what she learned at Piedmont to help current students enjoy learning. 

“Witnessing them [students] go on and want to continue their education or just giving them recommendations for internship or job opportunities has been very, very rewarding,” said Smith. She enjoys watching her students grow and become young professionals, helping them along the way.

Smith creates Kahoots and study guide activities to make studying for tests more fun, and often engages students with jokes, a tool she uses to make students feel more comfortable while trying to comprehend difficult concepts. Carter said the jokes that Smith makes in class help her remember the content for exams and presentations. 

Although Smith sometimes needs time to relax after class in her office due to how exhausting POTS can be on her body and mind, she keeps an open-door policy, so students feel comfortable to come ask questions and get the academic support they may need. She keeps busy on campus, going to student events to actively show her support for the student body that she once belonged to. 

“She moves mountains for these students daily in her teaching. She regularly holds our students and faculty accountable for not just our educational strategies, but also leadership and faith,” said Dilbeck. “Not only are her on-campus activities incredible, but she is also very active in her church and family. She balances all of these plates while managing her POTS, which is a feat of its own. Her ability to keep herself healthy in the chaos is a testament to our students and profession.”

Smith inspires students and faculty alike to pursue what they are passionate about and do it to the best of their ability, and to speak out if they are struggling. Her ability to wear many hats and find balance is demonstrated through her cognizance that her students do the same. 

Born and raised in Habersham County, Sarah Smith never expected to spend her adulthood at Piedmont University, but she wouldn’t change a thing.  

“My goal is to stay and be a professor. I love learning,” said Smith, who is pursuing her doctorate from Liberty University so she can teach graduate-level courses and expand her research opportunities at Piedmont. “Tying into my POTS, it would be interesting to research POTS and athletes in the future.”