Dr. Michael V. Smith, an alumnus of UGA who earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1979, has been honored as the 2025 Footsteps Award recipient for his significant contributions to the community.
This award is named to pay tribute to the trio of students who played a role in integrating the university during the 1960s — Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes, and Mary Frances Early — and recognizes alumni who emulate the legacy of these pioneers. Smith was selected by a panel comprising faculty, staff, and students from the University of Georgia.
As the CEO and founder of Marti Health, Smith leads a groundbreaking healthcare platform dedicated to enhancing the quality and reliability of medical services for vulnerable groups, including individuals with sickle cell disease and their caregivers. Previously, as the chief of cardiothoracic surgery at the former Atlanta Medical Center, he initiated Georgia’s first early detection program for lung cancer.
Smith, besides being on the UGA Board of Visitors, is also devoted to enriching the student experience through scholarship support. Having received a scholarship during his days as a Bulldog, he felt compelled to give back to UGA. He has established several need-based scholarships to aid at-risk students in continuing their educational pursuits at the university.
“I know that many students leave every year, not due to the lack of academic competitiveness, but because they simply cannot afford to sustain themselves,” Smith stated in a recent UGA Alumni spotlight. “The vision is for academically gifted students to not be hindered by financial barriers, thanks to those who came before them who paid it forward.”
“The University of Georgia is fortunate to claim Dr. Smith as one of our alumni,” remarked Jill Walton, vice president for development and alumni relations. “His efforts in bridging gaps not only in healthcare but also in student support at the university have been incredibly inspiring to observe. His empathy, dedication, and commitment to his patients, community, and our students are qualities we wish all our alumni to embody.”
Last year, retired Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Benham received the Footsteps Award, following Richard Dunn and Xernona Thomas in 2023 and Eugenia Harvey in 2022.
Smith was celebrated during the annual 1961 Club Celebration on June 13 in Athens, which held special significance this year as the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund — supported by the members of the 1961 Club — exceeded $1 million. This fund was established in 1981 through a donation from James Simmons Jr. and Horatio Lanier (ABJ ’77) and has expanded thanks to generous contributions from a dedicated community of alumni, faculty, and numerous donors.
Members of the 1961 Club make contributions of $19.61, $196.10, or $1,961, creating an opportunity for all UGA alumni, friends, and students to participate in giving.
So far, the BASF has supported many students demonstrating outstanding leadership potential. Among these is Jordan Howard (’26), a major in computer systems engineering.
“Receiving the scholarship initially meant a lot to me as it brought me closer to my goal of graduating without debt,” Howard mentioned. “It significantly impacted my experience at UGA, enabling me to seize opportunities I might have had to forgo had I been working to cover expenses.”
Ericka Bayonne (AB ’93), who was instrumental in establishing the 1961 Club, envisioned a giving initiative that would honor UGA’s pioneers and create a lasting influence.
“Legacy, pride, and the future. We stand on the foundation laid by those who entered in 1961 — Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes, and Mary Frances Early,” Bayonne expressed. “We aim for alumni to depart with a profound sense of pride in that legacy, recognizing that the work
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