Dimitra J. Smith, Ph.D.

Department Head and Professor of Higher Education

Dimitra Smith, Ph.D., considers working with graduate students toward their degree completion and graduation as one of her most rewarding accomplishments. Serving as chair and committee member, she has graduated more than 50 doctoral students. Due to her interest in STEM education, preparation and career exploration, she has authored and self-published two children's books titled “Teele and Guba's Exciting STEM Escapades” (English and Spanish editions) and “The STEAMflites Save the Day.“

Her interest in community engagement resulted in two virtual presentations during Summer 2020 to prepare parents and teachers across the U.S. for virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first presentation, titled Parents' Night In: Tips to Make Distance Learning Easier, received over 7.8K views. The second presentation, titled Teachers' Night In: Virtual Teaching-Questions and Answers received over 3.6K views.

Smith is a tenured professor of higher education and head of the Department of Higher Education and Learning Technology.

Educational Background

• Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by the American Council on Education, Office of the Provost's ACUE Course in Effective Teaching Practices, 2020
• Advanced Online Teaching Certificate, Online Learning Consortium, 2016
• Ph.D., Higher Education, Iowa State University, 2010
• M.Ed., Higher Education/Student Affairs, Iowa State University, 2005
• B.S., Psychology, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, 2003

Academic Positions

• Head, Department of Higher Education and Learning Technology, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 2020-present
• Professor, Higher Education, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 2022-present
• Associate Professor (tenure), Higher Education, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 2017-2022
• Associate Professor (tenure-track), Higher Education, Texas Tech University, 2011-2016
• Advisor, Higher Education Student Association, Higher Education Program, Texas Tech University, 2011–2013
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Office of Community College Research and Policy, Iowa State University, 2010–2011
• Research Associate, Office of Community College Research and Policy, Iowa State University, 2007–2010
• Family Interaction and Behavior Associate, Institute for Social and Behavioral Research, Iowa State University, 2007
• Academic Advisor, Kaplan University, 2006
• Program Development Specialist, Multicultural Student Affairs, Iowa State University, 2003–2004

Awards and Honors

• Alonzo Sosa Innovation in Teaching Award, Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education, 2022
• Who's Who in curriculum and education higher education Academic Keys, 2020
• Hemphill-Wells New Professor Excellence in Teaching Award, Texas Tech University, (Selected by Faculty at Texas Tech University), 2013
• Texas Tech University 19th Annual 2013 Reader's Choice Awards Best of Tech, 2nd place, Best Professor/Instructor award winner (selected by students), 2013
• Iowa State University STATEment Makers Award for Scholarship (an annual honor that recognizes early personal and professional accomplishments and contributions to society
  of Iowa State University's young alumni), 2012
• Visions Newsmakers, Iowa State University Alumni Association (http://www.isualum.org/index.cfm?nodeID=39847&audienceID=1), 2011
• Council for the Study of Community Colleges Dissertation of the Year Award, Transfer Students in STEM Majors: Gender Differences in the Socialization Factors that Influence
  Academic and Social Adjustment, 2011
• National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students, Barbara K. Townsend Dissertation Honorable Mention Award, Transfer Students in STEM Majors: Gender Differences in
  the Socialization Factors that Influence Academic and Social Adjustment, 2010
• Iowa State University Chapter of Golden Key International Honor Society, 2009–2010

Professional Organizations

• National Association for Student Personnel and Administrators

• Council for the Study of Community Colleges
• Association for the Study of Higher Education
• Association for the Study of Transfer Students
• National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students

Featured Courses

• Issues in American Higher Education
• Intro to Higher Education

Selected Publications

• Smith, D., Kuykendall, J., & Jackson, J. Exploring community colleges' role in the success of African American women in STEM undergraduate programs at HBCUs. International Journal of Social Policy & Education, 3(2), 41-53
• Jackson-Smith, D., & Starobin, S. (Eds.). (2017). Preparing a competent STEM workforce through community college CTE programs: New Directions for Community Colleges. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Jackson-Smith D., & Starobin, D. (2017). Implications for policy and practice: Summary of the volume and lessons for the future as it relates to CTE programs and STEM. In D. Jackson-Smith & S. Starobin (Eds.), Preparing a competent STEM workforce through community college CTE programs: New Directions for Community Colleges. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Jackson-Smith, D. (2016). Operating in the middle: The experiences of African American females transfer students in STEM Degree Programs at HBCUs. Community College Journal of Research and Practice. Special Edition New Approaches to Transfer Research: Implications for Policy and Practice http://naspa.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10668926.2016.1206841
• Starobin, S. S., Smith, D. J., & Laanan, F. S. (2016) Deconstructing the transfer student capital: Intersect between cultural and social capital among female transfer students in STEM fields. Community College Journal of Research and Practice. Special Edition New Approaches to Transfer Research: Implications for Policy and Practice. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10668926.2016.1204964
• Louis, D. A., Rawls, G. J., Jackson-Smith, D., (2016) Chamber, G. A., Phillips, L. L., & Louis, S. L (2016). Listening to our voices: Experiences of Black faculty at predominately white research universities with microaggression. Journal of Black Studies,. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0021934716632983
• Jackson-Smith, D. (2015). The summer was worth it: Exploring the impacts of a STEM focused summer research program on the success of African American females. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 21(2), 87-106. http://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/00551c876cc2f027,31a33a3e53bad464,64a33812298f02b5.html
• Jackson, D. L., & Laanan, F. S. (2015). Desiring to fit: Fostering the success of community college transfer students in STEM. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 39(2), 132–149. http://naspa.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10668926.2012.762565