From The Haven to the high seas: Lock Haven alumnus serves aboard USS Omaha
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (09/28/2026) — From studying in Commonwealth University-Lock Haven's Akeley Hall, to navigating the deep seas aboard the USS Omaha, Lt. Caleb Smith is making his mark.
Smith attended Lock Haven from 2015 to 2019, majoring in criminal justice with a minor in psychology. His older brother was a senior at Lock Haven during Smith's freshman year, which helped make the transition away from home easier. Smith was also interested in becoming a Pennsylvania State Police trooper and had heard Lock Haven was a strong place to pursue that career path.
During his time at The Haven, Smith met lifelong friend Nicholas Fogal after the two were randomly matched as freshman roommates. They remained roommates for all four years and still talk regularly.
Army ROTC at Lock Haven provided Smith with his first real exposure to military life. He remembers 5 a.m. physical training seeming much worse in college than it does now after five years in the Navy.
While participating in ROTC, Smith learned that his great-grandfather survived the attack on Pearl Harbor while serving aboard the USS Maryland on Dec. 7, 1941. That family connection inspired Smith to serve his country in the U.S. Navy and ultimately changed his original goal of becoming a Pennsylvania State Police trooper.
Several Lock Haven faculty members made a lasting impression on Smith. He particularly remembers Dr. Edward Bowman and his passion and knowledge in the classroom, especially during his juvenile justice course.
Another Lock Haven faculty member who had a particularly meaningful impact on Smith was Criminal Justice professor Dr. Katie Ely. He remembers Ely as a professor who remained committed to her office hours, was always willing to help students and brought passion to her lectures.
"What I remember most about Caleb was how often he stopped by my office during his senior year to discuss things from class and what his future plans were," Ely said. "I remember speaking with him about his plans for the Navy and am glad that he was able to do what he was hoping to do."
Smith and Ely have stayed in contact since his graduation. Most recently, she wrote him a letter of recommendation as he pursues a master's degree.
"In September 2020 I did a Zoom interview with Caleb to include in my rural criminology class," Ely said. "It was the first semester the class was offered and it was completely online due to COVID. In trying to make more connections with the class and material, I reached out to some alumni and Caleb responded. At the time he was working at a probation office in a rural area of PA. Since then, we have kept in touch and I anticipate having him back as a guest speaker in person at some point."
One of Smith's favorite memories of The Haven is experiencing the Riverwalk in the fall and taking in the scenery along the river. Even after visiting several countries and living in Maine, Hawaii and California, he still misses fall in Lock Haven.
Today, Smith serves as a U.S. Navy ship's navigator aboard the USS Omaha, based in San Diego, California. He describes his job to family and friends as essentially being "Google Maps for the ship."
Smith plans routes to safely take the ship from Point A to Point B. When the USS Omaha enters a port other than San Diego, he researches the port and provides navigational information to his fellow officers to help ensure a safe transit.
Looking back on his journey at The Haven, Smith has advice for current students preparing to begin their own careers. He entered his senior year without knowing exactly what he would do after graduation and remembers applying for numerous jobs while facing the question many college students eventually encounter: "Now what?"
His message is not to panic about not having everything figured out.
Seven years after graduating, Smith recognizes that students do not have to be a star athlete, fraternity member or 4.0 GPA student to build a meaningful and successful career.
"Find a job you love, and don't forget to take care of yourself and your family," Smith said.
Now, as his journey takes him from the river valley to life at sea, Smith has one final message for the Lock Haven community and the classmates who shared those four years with him.
"I hope some of the CJ majors read this and they get a smile on their face to know the guy that just kinda disappeared is doing alright," Smith said.
Smith said he misses his former classmates and hopes they are all achieving the dreams they once had while studying together in the river valley.
Media Attachments
Caleb Smith and his best friend Nick Fogal on graduation day.
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania
Julie Stellfox, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications, jms833@commonwealthu.edu, 570-484-2280Share this Story
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