Nolan Smock ՚26 didn’t just create art at William Peace University — he built a path for himself.
What began as a personal passion has turned into a defining opportunity: an internship in the photo archives department at the North Carolina Museum of Natural History and acceptance into a fully funded graduate photography program at West Virginia University.
For Smock, those milestones weren’t accidents. They were the result of intentional work, curiosity, and a willingness to immerse himself in the craft.
“I feel lucky that art is a language to me,” Smock said. “It’s been lifelong, since I was 10.”
Turning experience into opportunity
Smock’s interest in art started at an early age, growing up in a house full of photography, thanks to both his parents.
“My dad and mom were both hobbyist photographers. My mom, now that she’s older, makes art a lot more. My dad did black and white photography and took pictures with film cameras,” Smock said. “So between my parents, there were just photos on the wall.”
Last summer Smock did an art project with his mom, but knew he wanted to do another. An independent study granted him the opportunity to do one involving Peace. A project Smock spearheaded, ‘Lotus: An Ephemeral Archive,’ was both a creative milestone and a launching point for his career.
An interdisciplinary arts major, Smock went to Finch Library and looked through every copy of The Lotus, the yearbook at Peace, front to back — collecting 500 images that caught his eye.
He created his own version of The Lotus, compiling selected images that captured a century of Peace history. Smock also printed black-and-white copies of additional images and made posters, lining the walls of Kenan Hall. The presentation included a video component, with a camera set up to display rotating images, as well as a photo booth.
Smock credits the project with helping him stand out professionally, leading to his internship with the North Carolina Museum of Natural History, where he now works with photo archives.
“It made my profile — my cover letter, my resume — pretty competitive,” he said.
That experience, combined with his growing portfolio, positioned him for his next step: graduate school.
Smock was accepted into the School of Art and Design at West Virginia University, where he will pursue a graduate degree in photography. The program is fully funded and includes a graduate assistantship, providing both financial support and real-world experience. Over the next three years, he’ll also work in healthcare photography and gain teaching experience in the classroom.
He wants to continue to do art shows in the future, and can always reference ‘Lotus: An Ephemeral Archive’ when needed.
“I’m glad I got the opportunity to do this at Peace,” Smock said. “I do want to apply to bigger art calls, more public art. When I apply, I have this show as a proof of concept of the work I’ve done.”
An artist and a future educator
For those who have worked closely with Smock, his trajectory makes perfect sense.
Roger Christman, associate professor of art, communication, and simulation and game design, has seen it firsthand.
“He has the heart of a teacher,” Christman said. “I see that in how he supports his classmates. He’s helped me in my teaching with students who are facing challenges.”
Christman, who has taught Smock in multiple classes, pointed out that Smock is multidimensional as a student.
“He’s a musician, an artist, inquisitive about philosophy and life,” Christman said. “He’s just someone who’s a sponge and wants to soak it all up. ”
That combination of artist, collaborator, and mentor is what sets Smock apart, and he looks to share his talent with future artists.
“I’ve really enjoyed being at Peace because it’s helped me see both sides, student and educator,” Smock said. “I think that’s what led me to want to pursue (teaching), in some capacity, at least a part of my career. It was a big part of my decision to go to grad school for my MFA.”
