Football player Ashton (AJ) Smith and LTC Blandino

About AJ Smith: 

• Junior
• 6-2 defensive back
• Native of Virginia Beach, Va. 

About LTC Blandino: 

• Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department (research interests in Biomechanics of movement and balance0
• Owns a B.S in Life Science, Bioengineering concentraion from the University of Iillinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MS and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Virginia
• Has been teaching for 23 years, 11 of which have been at VMI

AJ Smith and LTC Blandino on VMI's post

Q&A with AJ Smith:

• What did you like most about LTC Blandino's class? All the professors here at VMI are highly qualified, and each student at VMI is exposed to endless sources of knowledge. However, what makes LTC Blandino’s class different than other classes is that she really established some basic fundamentals that I still follow 2 years later. Although, at first, it was frustrating to try and perfect the way she wanted our work to be done, once I mastered it, it worked better than any other method I’ve tried. My notes, homework, and other graded work are more presentable, but most importantly, they’re clearer and more defined when I go back and review them for the finals and for classes following.
•  What makes LTC Blandino a good teacher? The energy LTC Blandino brings to the classroom is unmatched. Some days, especially throughout my rat year, I did not always have a great attitude going into class. However, LTC Blandino consistently uplifted the entire class, and it really made me more interested in learning. It is a little difficult to put in words, but I could tell LTC Blandino loves what she does, and it made me want to learn what she was teaching.
• What is something you’re involved in outside of class and sports that we may not know? I just recently started attending Promanji club meetings, which is a relatively new club at VMI. It’s similar to a forum, for all students, but empathizes the minority groups of the school. At these meetings, we talk about social issues, discuss how to build better relationships between all cadets, and get to know one another better.
• How do you manage academics, athletics and a social life? What is your key to good time management?  There’s a saying that says pressure makes diamonds, which I take as your best work comes from stressful times. As a student athlete, life is hard, but VMI and sports taught me that hard times are the best times. I manage my academics, athletics, and social life by taking it one day at a time. If you take a step back, breathe, and analyze the situation, you realize there is more time in the day than you think. Sometimes you have to squeeze some homework out for 30 minutes or an hour at the hotel the night before, or maybe stay up a little later than usual some nights. The key is all about mental attitude. If you believe you can get good grades, be a great player, and have time for your friends then you will.  Limitations only exist in the weaker man’s world.
• What is your favorite spot on post? Cameron Hall is my favorite spot on campus, because when I get the chance, I like to shoot around on our basketball court.  It just brings back good memories because I have always loved basketball; and it is fun to play all the other football players during the offseason who have claimed they were the best basketball players on the team.
• What is the most important skill you've learned through participation in your sport? Mental security is the most important skill I have learned through sports.  Talent only gets a person so far, and the main divider between players at the Division I level is work ethic.  Mentally, if you know you have worked as hard as you could, then you have the upper hand in a competition.  Also, doing well in sports gives a person confidence and security in their ability, which makes them that more dangerous.  In addition, sometimes others will trash talk and try to get you out of your game.  However, if a player is mentally secure, they’re only focused on winning.  I think that is the biggest skill that can be transferred to a successful life outside of sports.
• Do you have any nicknames? Or if you could choose your own, what would it be and why? I’d probably go by wave or current, only because I think I’m good at going with the flow.  No matter what happens in life, I usually accept it, and continue to move in the right direction.
• What are your plans post grad? I really desire to continue playing football at the next level.  However, if not, I’d like to go to grad school, because besides one’s mental toughness, knowledge is one of the most important factors to success.
  
  Q&A with LTC Blandino:
   
• What was it like having AJ in your class? Ashton Smith was in both of my Programming for Engineers and Materials classes.These are difficult classes with a lot of homework assignments.Ashton attacked the course work with a positive attitude and a sense of humor.I was very impressed with his organization skills and work ethic.He paid attention in class, took good notes, asked good questions, and did all the homework assignments.He was always an active learner.
• What is your favorite sport or hobby? What do you like to do in your free time? My hobbies are quilting and crocheting.In my free time, I like to go hiking and exploring new places.
• How often are you able to watch your student-athletes compete? Once a year. 
• What’s your favorite spot on campus? Woods Creek Trail.
• What is your favorite thing about teaching? Teaching allows me to get to know my students and watch them learn and grow over their collegeyears and become competent engineers.
• What would students be surprised to find out about you? That I was an EMT and worked in a rescue squad.
• What is one class your schools offers that you wish you could take? Machine Design.

About Classroom Connections: In its second year, Classroom Connections is a weekly feature that showcases student-athletes away from the playing field and highlights the relationship between student-athlete and professor.