Valerie Smith (academic) facts for kids

Valerie Smith, born on February 19, 1956, is an American leader in education. She is a professor and an expert in African-American literature and culture. Since July 2015, she has been the 15th president of Swarthmore College.

Before leading Swarthmore, she taught at Princeton University and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She returned to Princeton in 2000. There, she became a special professor of literature and directed the African American Studies program. From 2006 to 2009, she helped create and lead Princeton's Center for African American Studies. In 2011, she was chosen to be the Dean of the College at Princeton.

Valerie Smith left Princeton after 24 years to become president of Swarthmore College in July 2015. She was officially welcomed in October of that year. In 2025, she was chosen to join the American Philosophical Society, a very old and respected group.

Early Life and Education

Valerie Smith was born in Manhattan, New York. She grew up in Brooklyn with her parents and two younger siblings. Her father, W. Reeves Smith, was a biology professor. Her mother, Josephine Smith, was a public school teacher. Both of her parents came from Charleston, South Carolina. They moved to New York to find more opportunities.

Smith has said that her parents' willingness to try new things inspired her. She also shared that growing up in Brooklyn helped her enjoy the many cultural experiences of a big city.

She went to Midwood High School in Brooklyn. At 15, she started college at Bates College. She studied English literature and graduated with high honors in 1975. Smith continued her studies at the University of Virginia. There, she earned her master's degree and her Ph.D.

Starting Her Academic Career

Valerie Smith began teaching at Princeton University in 1980. She taught English and African-American Studies. In 1989, Smith joined the faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She became a full professor there in 1994.

At UCLA, she held several important roles. She helped lead the English department's graduate studies. She also chaired the African American Studies program.

Her Time at Princeton University

Smith returned to Princeton in 2001. She became a special professor of literature and taught English and African American Studies. She was asked to direct the university’s Program in African American Studies. This program later became the Center for African American Studies (CAAS) in 2006.

As the CAAS director, Smith started new programs. These included a lecture series with famous speakers and programs for visiting scholars. She helped the CAAS grow into a leading center for teaching and research about race. In 2004, Smith gave the main speech for Princeton’s celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

In 2010, Smith was named Princeton's Dean of the College. This role meant she oversaw all parts of Princeton's undergraduate program. This included classes, student advising, and financial aid. She also managed the student living areas.

As Dean, Smith made important changes. She removed strict number goals for student grades. She also worked to increase the number of students from different economic backgrounds. She created a program for students to exchange homes with international students. She also started the Office of Undergraduate Research at Princeton.

On February 21, 2015, Swarthmore College announced that Smith would be their next president. She started her new role on July 1, 2015. She stayed at Princeton until June of that year.

Leading Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College's Parrish Hall, where a reception was held after Smith's inauguration.

In February 2015, the leaders of Swarthmore College chose Valerie Smith to be their next president. She began her term on July 1, 2015. She also took on teaching roles in English Literature and Black Studies at the college.

Under Smith's leadership, Swarthmore College's financial resources have grown. She also serves on the boards of several important organizations. These include the American Council on Education and the National Museum of the American Indian.

Awards and Honors

Valerie Smith has received many special awards and fellowships. These include honors from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 2009, she won Princeton's President's Award for Distinguished Teaching.

In 2016, she received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Hong Kong Baptist University. She also gave a special lecture there about liberal arts education. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She is also part of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In 2024, Smith received the Benjamin Chandler Legacy Award. She was also named an Honorary Fellow for life at Harris Manchester College, Oxford University.

She has also served on the editorial boards for important academic journals. These include Women's Studies Quarterly and African American Review.

Selected Works

Valerie Smith has written three books. These include Self-Discovery and Authority in Afro-American Narrative (1987) and Not Just Race, Not Just Gender: Black Feminist Readings (1998). Her book Toni Morrison: Writing the Moral Imagination was published in 2012. She has also edited or co-edited seven other books. In addition, she has written over forty articles.

See also

• List of Bates College people
• List of University of Virginia people
• List of Swarthmore College people
• History of Princeton University