Ellis Smith is a recent 2025 graduate of Auburn University. During her studies, she spent a semester at Rural Studio, a renowned design-build program that emphasizes socially responsible architecture in underserved communities in West Alabama. There, she gained valuable insights into resource-conscious construction, and the important role of architecture in community development. For her Architecture thesis project, Ellis explored the growing criminalization of homelessness and examined how architecture can serve as a tool for bestowing human dignity on underserved communities.