Today we’d like to introduce you to Hope Smith-Dinkel.
Hi Hope, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story begins with the radio broadcasting industry. I began my career working for radio stations by interning and then working my way up the ladder. At the same time, I was given an opportunity to work for Wiley Education Services, which is now called Risepoint. That gave me my first taste of working with students. I enjoyed it! Eventually, I left radio broadcasting full-time to pursue teaching which is how I ended up applying and being awarded a Fulbright grant to go and teach in Romania. I lived and worked in Romania through this grant from September of 2024 and I didn’t move back to the U.S. until late July of 2025. It was an amazing experience and I miss Romania very much,
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but I am thankful for the journey. I have an ongoing thought process about the concept of “time.” Because of this, I frequently worry if I am doing enough or putting myself out there in the world enough. For example, I tried joining the military at one point, went to basic training, got injured, and was generally discharged due to that injury. I was worried about time which is why I joined to try, and then I was worried about time which is why I didn’t stay and heal. I do believe that the constant fixation on time that I have has caused roadblocks and obstacles, but I always continue to work through them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am known for being an associate professor at Horry Georgetown Technical College. On the weekends, I work as a hostess at Eggs Up Grill. On the side, I am a student at HGTC and volunteer in the community. I specialize in teaching first-year college students. I teach in the English and Communications department, but in the past, I have also taught life skills to college students. In Romania, I taught students where English is their second language. By doing this, I taught students from year 1 and year 2 from a mixture of backgrounds. I am most proud of my students and the work they accomplish every semester. My students are what motivates me to keep going. I am set apart from others because I am a student advocate and seek ways that I can continue to relate, connect, and empathize with them.
What does success mean to you?
I define success in a multitude of ways. Success is making it through the day. Success is learning from your failures. Success, for me, would be to have autonomy, flexibility, and trust in my job. For me to go to work and be happy everyday I am there, that is what I see as successful. Success for me has never been about the money, it’s about the journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://justhopesworld.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/hopescrie
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/justhopesworld
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justhopesworld/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/justhopesworld
