ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT!
Erik Smith
Class of 2000
Erik Smith is a member of From the Heart Christian School’s class of 2000, the first class to graduate after the church changed its name from Full Gospel. He attended the school from 1st to 12th grade. Erik is a proud husband and father of three wonderful children.
He credits FTHCS with providing a solid educational foundation in a safe environment with committed faculty. After graduating from FTHCS, Erik attended Florida A&M University, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree. After completing his undergraduate studies, Erik began his career with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), where he has served for 18 years with distinction. His professional journey reflects a steady progression through advanced training, leadership roles and specialized assignments that underscore his commitment to public safety and operational excellence.
Christen Blades
Class of 2016
Christen Blades is a proud member of the From the Heart Christian School’s class of 2016 (the best class). After graduating, Christen went on to earn her B.A. in History from Bridgewater College in 2020 where she also served as an Eagle Success Mentor to first generation college students and first-generation college students of color for the last three years of her schooling. In the following year, Christen would enter American University’s master’s program in Political Science and apply for a teaching position at F.T.H.C.S. At the school, she became a high school English teacher where she taught English 9, Pre-AP English, and AP English Language and Composition and served as class sponsor for the illustrious class of 2025 (her babies as she lovingly calls them). In addition to her teaching duties, Christen would gladly assist the high school’s girl volleyball team, often accompanying them to games and working practices with the head coach.
To balance her workload as a full-time teacher, Christen would eventually transition from a full-time student to a part-time student at the university. At American, Christen served as a historian for the university’s Graduate Black Student Union and as a columnist for the School of Public Affairs Journal, Public Purpose, where she published an article focusing on Maryland social policy titled, “Can service learning help recent high school graduates?”. During this time, she had the opportunity to complete a study abroad program with the Geneva Graduate Institute where she met scholars, leaders, and practitioners from the International Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire; European Council for Nuclear Research) on the topics of humanitarianism and international law, security and insecurity, and A.I. and digital media. In 2023, Christen earned her M.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Comparative Politics and a certificate in Analytics and Management.
Last year, Christen was accepted into the University of Pittsburgh where she is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Political Science. As she continues to develop her research interests, her primary interests in African American and race and ethnic politics, ideology and political thought, theory, and philosophy, nationalism and national identity, religion (with a primary focus on Christianity), war and political violence (specifically, how social movements, law, elites, and the masses conceptualize citizenship and how this effects individuals and groups to becoming targets of crimes such as mass killings and genocide), and political psychology and behavior remain constant. As a first-generation college and graduate student, Christen desires for her future research to inspire others that all of God’s people are precious by unveiling hidden stories on those who are marginalized, forgotten, or undervalued in and outside of academia.
Outside of her academic bubble, Christen continues to assist the school and church by serving as a volunteer, such as a judge for the 2025-2026 Oratorical Contest, and serving in the Altar and Y.A.P.P. ministries. Recently, Christen joined the From the Heart Christian School’s Alumni Executive Board as an Event Coordinator where she plans to share new ideas and work with fellow alumni. Christen is grateful that the Lord placed her into a school and church that has propelled her forward in her professional and academic goals.
Major Highlights
Senior of the Year Finalist: Each year, the University of Pittsburgh chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, recognizes one recently graduated or graduating senior from the university for meritorious leadership and extracurricular activities, that exemplifies the type of student who the University aspires to produce, and who inspires others to strive for similar conspicuous attainments. The award recipient’s name is engraved on a stone in the ODK Leadership Walk between the Cathedral of Learning and the Heinz Memorial Chapel. In my last undergraduate year, I was named as a finalist for the award. The link below leads to a biography put together about my time at Pitt and highlights some of my involvement in the Pitt community through my final year.
https://www.studentaffairs.pitt.edu/news/senior-of-the-year-finalist-jahari-mercer/
The Pitt News 2017 Silhouettes Feature: Each year, The Pitt News, which is the University’s student newspaper, selects members of the Pitt community to highlight in their yearly edition of the Pitt News Silhouettes. Individuals highlighted can include members of the University and/or members of the community surrounding campus. In 2017, I had the opportunity to be highlighted in the Pitt News Silhouettes and was able to talk about my experience and involvement at Pitt from my first and second years of my undergraduate program.
https://pittnews.com/article/126932/silhouettes-2017/jahari-mercer/
SGB Executive Vice President Election Article: During elections for the University Student Government Board (SGB), the person who receives the most votes among those students who run for board becomes the Executive Vice President of SGB, serving as the president in the event of the president’s absence. Because I received the most votes among students who ran for the board at the time, I served as the Executive Vice President of SGB for the 2018-2019 school year. If you scroll down slightly past the video in the article below, you will see my name mentioned along with the other elected members of the board. I am also quoted in this article, expressing my excitement over the results.
https://peachwort66.rssing.com/chan-60749106/all_p55.html
Engineering Ambassador: From the summer of 2019 through the summer of 2020, I worked as an engineering ambassador for the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. Engineering ambassadors help in the recruitment of prospective students to attend the Swanson School of Engineering by giving tours of Benedum Hall, which houses the school of engineering, and sharing their experiences with prospective students and their families. The link below is my archived profile from the school of engineering’s website.
https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/first-year/ambassadors/archived-profiles/jahari-mercer/
Why Pitt? By Jahari Mercer: The following video was one of the last things I did as an engineering ambassador. A few engineering ambassadors and I were asked to record a presentation explaining why we decided to come to Pitt, why we chose our respective engineering major, and to talk about our experiences at Pitt as well. This presentation also gives a recap of my time at Pitt and my plans after graduation as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsnSlOt5Uv4
Activities & Highlights since FTHCS
2015-2016 School Year (First-Year Undergraduate)
- Began studying at the University of Pittsburgh on a full-tuition scholarship along with a scholarship from the Swanson School of Engineering and the University of Pittsburgh Chesapeake and Potomac Pitt Alumni Chapter.
- Was actively involved in the Pitt Excel program which is a program dedicated to the recruitment, retention, development, and graduation of underrepresented minority students within the Swanson School of Engineering along with being involved in the University of Pittsburgh chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.
2016-2017 School Year (Sophomore Year Undergraduate)
- Served as a student representative on the University of Pittsburgh Year of Diversity Steering Committee. The goal of the Year of Diversity was for the Pitt community to respect, value, and appreciate diversity in all areas. The committee was comprised of students, faculty, and staff from across the University.
- Served as the Vice President of Community Outreach for the University of Pittsburgh Resident Student Association (RSA). RSA serves as a representative body within the university to identify and make known the needs of students living in university residence halls.
2017-2018 School Year (Junior Year Undergraduate)
- Worked as a manufacturing co-op engineer for Harley-Davidson Motorcycle company in York, PA as a part of the Swanson School of Engineering’s Cooperative Education program.
- Served as the Corporate Liaison Chair for the University of Pittsburgh chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). The mission of NSBE is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.
2018-2019 School Year (Senior Year Undergraduate)
- Served as the Executive Vice President for the University of Pittsburgh Student Government Board (SGB). The purpose of SGB is to promote the concerns, interests, needs, and welfare of the student body through creative programming, supporting student organizations, and facilitating conversations between the student body and the university community.
- Served as a member of the leadership team for Pitt Excel’s B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. which stands for Brothers Respecting Open Thought Helping Every-man Realize His Own Original Dream. B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. is dedicated to supporting individuals who identify as men within the Pitt Excel program on a personal, professional, and academic level.
2019-2020 School Year (Super Senior Undergraduate)
- Studied abroad during the summer of 2019 as a part of the Engineering Sustainability – Island Nations: Jamaica program. This program was a 2-week cultural immersion, based in Kingston, Jamaica, to understand the complex and unique approach to sustainability in island nations.
- Made the Swanson School of Engineering Dean’s List for the Fall 2019 semester. The distinction of Dean’s List within the School of Engineering is awarded to students who receive a 3.25 or higher semester GPA during their time in undergraduate school.
- Graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering in the spring of 2020 and was named a finalist for the 2020 ODK Senior of the Year award.
2020-2021 School Year (First Year Graduate School)
- Began my first year at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh pursuing a Master of Business Administration on a full-tuition scholarship funded by the University of Pittsburgh and the National Black MBA Association.
- Served as one of the Vice Presidents for the Katz Operations Club. The Katz Operations club plans and facilitates programs geared towards students concentrating in the field of operations.
2021-2022 School Year (Second Year Graduate School)
- Completed an 8-month internship with PPG Industries as a Supply Chain MBA intern within the Architectural Coatings Logistics & Distribution capabilities team.
- Currently serving as the Vice President of the Katz Student Executive Board (SEB). The Katz SEB acts as the primary representative of Full-Time Master’s students to the Katz faculty and administration and plans creative programs to enhance the experience of everyone in the Katz community.
