Christopher Smith, Ed.D. Email & Phone Number

I serve as the assistant provost and chief diversity officer at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education and previously served as Dean of Student Services at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana. Prior to my selection as Dean of Student Services, I served as Program Coordinator for Special Programs and Special Assistant to the President at Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas.My areas of expertise include student and employee recruitment and retention, organizational change, leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. I have spent over seven years bridging together stakeholder success with organizational resources.In my role as Dean of Student Services at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT), I founded the UAHT Iron Horse Pantry and implemented the UAHT RERAIL Academic Recovery Program for students placed on academic probation and suspension. I also led the UAHT Together Campaign which focused on the institution’s DEI efforts and response to COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was appointed Acting Vice-Chancellor for Academics for the 2020-2021 academic year. In this role, I worked to cultivate inclusive practices during the hiring process for faculty and staff while ensuring students’ and faculty concerns were addressed. Throughout my years, I have designed and implemented extracurricular activities to educate and engage both myself and my students to embrace each other’s differences while developing a sustainable sense of belonging.As diversity lead at UAHT, I worked closely with the institution’s leadership as an Executive Cabinet member. I created Iron Horse Allies, an LGBTQ + BIPOC safe space training program for faculty and staff and launched HOLA (Hispanic Outreach and Leadership Association) student organization which fosters belonging and funds a scholarship for students of Hispanic and Latino descent. I also served on the University of Arkansas System’s Racial Equity Task Force and have presented at institutions and conferences including Arkansas State University-Newport, the University of North Texas, Morehouse College of Medicine, and the Higher Learning Commission.I hold an A.A. in General Education from the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana, a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Arkansas Little Rock, an M.P.A. from Arkansas State University, and an Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California. I am a native of Southwest Arkansas, a college football fanatic, a novice golfer, and a true crime binge watcher.