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That now all takes place in one spot, centrally located on campus in Axe Library at Pittsburg State University. On Sept. 13, it was filled with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends who gathered to celebrate its official dedication and ribbon cutting.
Called the H.W. Smith Success Center, it is named after a longtime educator and administrator who started his campus leadership as student body president 50 years ago.
“In his career, Dr. Howard Smith has provided leadership at all levels of our educational system with student success in mind, so it’s fitting that this place that focuses so much on student success would be named in his honor,” said Heather Eckstein, associate vice president of Student Success at Pitt State.
Hannah Eckstein, this year’s student body president and a senior biology major, said the space was “definitely built with students in mind.”
“This is where they will plan and prepare for their future – from determining which classes they’ll take next semester to the internships they should apply for next summer,” she said, praising its accessibility.
“I’m so proud that at Pitt State we’re always tearing down educational barriers and up lifting our students through educational services,” she said.
It is a place where “meaningful connections will be made,” she added, and students will receive “quality, compassionate advising and support through their transition into a career.”
President Dan Shipp said those who work at the center, including 14 academic advisors, several peer advisors, a team of career development specialists, and First Year Programs personnel, “can relieve students’ anxiety when they face uncertainty about their academic path and need to connect to resources.”
“The goal here is to create a one-stop shop,” he said. “At this center, we’re available for our students and we’re going to help you navigate some of those difficult questions you’re asking yourself.”
Such a center will directly impact recruitment and retention, he noted.
Students also can find Student Disability Services & Dual Credit Programs, the Pitt State Writing Center, and the Pitt State Communication Center in the same area.
“I can’t think of a better person to name this after,” Shipp said. “Howard is one of Pitt State’s most respected and significant educational leaders.”
Learn more about the Student Success Center.
Howard said he was "deeply humbled" by the center being named for him, and credited many others on campus for playing a role in anything he's achieved. They, too, are part of the center's name, he said.
Smith earned a bachelor’s in Education from Pitt State, a master’s in Education from the University of Kansas, and a doctorate in Educational Administration from Kansas State University. He rose through the ranks at Pitt State, having started as a faculty member in the College of Education.
As provost, he had oversight and leadership for the units of Admission, Accommodations, Honors College, International Programs and Services, Intensive English Program, Student Diversity Programs, Student Financial Assistance, Student Success Programs, and Office of the Registrar. He also continued to oversee Enrollment Management, a position he had held prior to becoming provost.
Past positions include associate professor and professor of Leadership Studies, interim chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, chair of Special Services & Leadership Studies, executive director of the PSU-Kansas City Metro Outreach Center, assistant to the president and legislative liaison, dean of the College of Education, and associate vice president of Enrollment Management.
Smith also served in leadership positions at Emporia State University and public K-12 schools in Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas. He retired in June and has spent the months since then helping to mentor his successor, Susan Bon, in her transition.
