By Cheyene Miller

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UK students had the opportunity to hear what it is like dealing with daily international fallout from crisis management expert and TV series inspiration Judy Smith on Tuesday night.

Smith, the inspiration behind character Olivia Pope on ABC’s drama series “Scandal,” held a lecture in Memorial Hall that launched the Student Activities Board’s “Women of the World” lecture series.

“No, (I) did not have sex with the president,” said Smith, who joked that she had to give President George H. W. Bush a phone call once she learned that “Scandal” would portray her alter ego having an affair with the president.

Smith spoke about her life experiences, which included attending the American University Washington College of Law, dealing with the Iran-Contra affair, becoming Deputy Press Secretary in the White House during the Bush administration and founding her crisis management firm, Smith & Company.

“The show mirrors the company in so many ways,” said Smith, who has worked with public figures like Monica Lewinsky, Wesley Snipes and Michael Vick, according to her website.

Smith said that “most of our work is helping to mitigate crisis before it starts,” and added that she was speaking intentionally slowly at the lecture, though her job usually requires her to speak more quickly.

Students in the audience had the chance to ask Smith questions, the topics of which ranged from the best advice she has ever gotten to what she thinks about her TV alter ego.

“She doesn’t have to apologize because she’s good at what she does,” said Smith, who encouraged students to have a plan and not let barriers like race or gender hold them back. “If you are the best person in the room and you know you are the best person in the room, that’s what I focus on.”

When asked to give advice on how to balance a professional life and a family life, Smith said that “you just do the best that you can every single day.”

Smith said that one of the first and most crucial approaches she takes when dealing with clients is to have them tell the truth.

“When you don’t tell the truth, things get extremely complicated,” said Smith, who encouraged students to use honesty as one of their professional policies as well.

Students in the audience, including media arts and studies senior Jessika Jones, were motivated by Smith’s words of wisdom.

“I thought it was very enlightening,” Jones said in regard to Smith’s speech.

Jones said that she could definitely see the similarities between Smith and Pope.

“She actually seems a lot similar,” Jones said. “She’s very humble, very kind, but she still has this air of confidence that sort of fills the room. Seeing her in person is definitely like ‘Yeah, that’s Olivia Pope.’”

Communications senior N’deyah Belle said that she values Smith’s emphasis on hard work and motivation.

“She is just an amazing, phenomenal woman who truly believes in hard work,” Belle said. “As a college student that’s one of the most helpful pieces of advice I’ve heard this year, or in general.”