Thinking Thursday: Name, Image, and Whose Likeness: A Biblical Conversation about NIL, Identity, and Worth

What is a college athlete worth— and who gets to decide? I’ll seek to explore how scripture helps us think about college sports, money, and the people at the center of the game. The question isn’t so much about what college athletes should be paid but what we are taught to prize.

Meet our speaker:

E.L. Smiling III is from Stafford, VA, and came to Virginia Tech in 2010 to study business marketing. He is the husband of Meghan Smiling and father of two boys, EL IV (4yo) and William (8mo.). During his time at VT, he was a Wide Receiver for the Hokies and is now the FCA campus director, the VT men’s basketball chaplain, and Worship Pastor at The Vine Church.