Nov 7, 2024

How do you make a difference? What is your passion in life? What are your core beliefs? Many of us struggle our whole lives to answer these questions, but for some, like Carol Sorenson Smith, the answer came easy. 

Carol was passionate about addressing individuals’ needs, and she constantly searched for ways to make meaningful contributions to help specific people. Daughter of James and Beverley Sorenson, Carol was born a part of the Sorenson legacy. Following the passing of her parents, the Sorenson Legacy Foundation transitioned its stewardship to James and Beverly’s descendants, who continue their philanthropy.

Carol first became interested in supporting the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation after hearing about it from one of her friends,  an advisor to and supporter of the Foundation's work. She was immediately excited about the Project because of how it utilizes the talents of student interns. Through the Sorenson Legacy Foundation and her personal contributions, Carol provided funding for many student opportunities. 

One such opportunity invited students to produce scholarship and art projects inspired by the Wilford Woodruff Papers for presentation at the 2023 Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation Conference, “Building Latter-day Faith.” The students selected to showcase their art and present their research at the Conference were recognized with the Carol Sorenson Smith Award. The winners included student historians Ellie Hancock and Hovan Lawton.

Hovan Lawon presenting at the 2023 Conference

The funds Carol generously provided have also been applied to university internship positions within the Project. Since its inception in 2020, the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation has employed 255 interns in transcription, editing, data science, geography, public relations, computer science, family history research, and more—one of these interns being Carol Sorenson Smith’s granddaughter.

Carol Smith, daughter Sarah Dunn, and granddaughter Hallie Dunn 

Carol was a strong supporter of the Project, and without her advocacy and generosity, many students would not have been able to participate in this historic project and develop skills in their chosen fields. After Carol’s passing in 2022, her daughter Sarah Smith Dunn joined the Foundation as a Board Member and has continued to support the Project through the Carol Sorenson Smith Charitable Fund.

Reflecting on her mother’s own legacy, Sarah says, “When Carol first heard about the Project from Steve Wheelwright, she was thrilled at the idea that she could fund students that would directly benefit from this. She felt it was a very meaningful project and passed the enthusiasm for this work down to her children and grandchildren.”

Donations from generous individuals like Carol received to date have enabled the Project to make great strides toward completion. What was originally planned to be a ten-year project has now been shortened to only seven years because of these donations and the hardworking individuals who have contributed their talents. As a nonprofit, the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation is grateful for all its donors, big and small, and all who have donated their time and talents. The significance of these donations for students, future historians, paleographers, researchers, and editors cannot be overstated.

To learn more about the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation or to make a donation to support completion of the Project by 2027, please visit wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.

The Wilford Woodruff Papers Project’s mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ from 1833 to 1898. It seeks to make Wilford Woodruff’s records universally accessible to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. See wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.

Maddie is a graduate of Brigham Young University and holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations. She currently lives in Kansas City. She enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, and spending time with friends and family. Maddie has always loved learning about Church history and is greatly inspired by the words of Wilford Woodruff. She is passionate about sharing those words with everyone and is grateful to be part of such an incredible project.