Mary L. Smith (educator) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary L. Smith
President of Kentucky State University
In office October 30, 1991 – June 30, 1998
Preceded by	John T. Wolfe Jr.
Succeeded by	George Reid

Mary Levi Smith (born 1936 – died November 28, 2020) was an American teacher and university leader. She became the 11th president of Kentucky State University (KSU) from 1991 to 1998. She was the first woman to be president of KSU. She was also only the second woman to lead any state university in Kentucky.

Mary Smith started working at KSU in 1970. She became an assistant professor in 1974. Later, she became the dean of the College of Applied Sciences in 1983. In 1988, she was chosen as the vice president for academic affairs. She became the temporary president of KSU after Raymond Burse left. She was not chosen for the permanent job at first. However, the new president, John T. Wolfe Jr., had problems with money management. He resigned in October 1991. Mary Smith took over as president. She was officially appointed less than two weeks later. She was president of KSU for almost seven years. She retired in 1998.

Mary Smith's Early Life and Education

Mary Smith was born in Mississippi in 1936. She earned her first college degree in 1957 from Jackson State University. In 1964, she earned a master's degree in education from the University of Kentucky. She also earned her Doctor of Education degree from the University of Kentucky in 1980. Mary Smith taught in public schools between 1957 and 1966. She also taught reading at Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Working at Kentucky State University

In 1970, Mary Smith moved to Frankfort, Kentucky. Her husband, LeRoy Smith, was hired as a football coach at Kentucky State University (KSU). KSU is a public university that is also a historically black university. This means it was first created to educate Black students. Mary Smith was hired to help KSU teachers with classroom integration. This was about making sure students of all backgrounds could learn together. In 1974, she became an assistant professor of education.

In 1981, she became the acting head of the Division of Education, Human Resources and Technology at KSU. She was appointed dean of the College of Applied Sciences at KSU in 1983. She stayed in this job until July 1988. Then, she became KSU's vice president for academic affairs.

Becoming Interim President

In March 1989, KSU's board of regents announced that Mary Smith would become the temporary president. This happened after President Raymond Burse planned to leave. As vice president for academic affairs, she was next in line for the temporary job. She said she was surprised by the news. She was confirmed as temporary president on April 19, 1989.

Mary Smith started her term by trying to help university employees. Many had been unhappy with the previous president's leadership. She was later praised for making teachers and staff feel better about their jobs. In January 1990, Mary Smith was one of seven people considered for the permanent president job. She was the only woman. However, she was not chosen as one of the three finalists. The board chose John T. Wolfe Jr., from Bowie State University. Her time as temporary president ended when Wolfe started on July 1, 1990. The board then made her a special assistant to President Wolfe.

Becoming Permanent President

President Wolfe's time as president was difficult. On October 7, 1991, the board said he had problems with money management. They gave Mary Smith the power to approve the university's spending. President Wolfe suddenly resigned on October 18. Mary Smith took over his duties. She was seen as a top choice for the permanent job.

On October 30, the board officially named her president of KSU. Six members voted for her, and three voted against. The three who voted against her were not against Mary Smith personally. They just wanted a national search for a new president. Mary Smith's appointment made her the first woman to be president of KSU. She was also the second woman president of any state university in Kentucky.

Mary Smith's Presidency

Mary Smith was officially welcomed as the 11th president of KSU on May 9, 1992. This happened during the university's commencement ceremonies. As president, she joined a new statewide group called the Task Force on Higher Education. This group looked at ways to improve Kentucky's universities. She also led a group called the Commission on Higher Education Institutional Efficiency and Cooperation. This group advised Governor Paul E. Patton on using television or the Internet for distance learning.

In April 1997, Mary Smith announced she planned to retire the next year. Her contract was set to end in June 1998. George Reid became the next president. He was previously a senior vice president at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina.

Awards and Recognition

Mary Smith received the YWCA's Women of Achievement Award in 1990. In 1995, she was honored by the University of Kentucky. She was added to their Hall of Distinguished Alumni. That same year, she received the Achievement Award from the Kentucky Association of Blacks in Higher Education.

Death and Legacy

Mary Smith passed away on November 28, 2020, at 84 years old. The Mary L. Smith Clock Tower on KSU's campus is named in her honor.