Dr. Holly Smith Accepts District Dean Position at Pierce College

Dr. Holly Smith (Ph.D. ’10, Higher Ed. Admin.) has accepted the position of District Dean of Arts and Humanities at Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington.  Dr. Smith previously served as the Instructional Chair of Liberal Arts at Colorado Mountain College.

She writes, “After moving to Florida to teach English at Lake City Community College (now Florida Gateway College), I decided to begin a Ph.D. in the UF College of Education Higher Education Administration program.  The ability to work full-time and attend college part-time allowed me to combine theory and practice on a daily basis.  It enriched my classroom interactions and my workplace interactions. It also kept me motivated along the way.  I strongly support UF’s option to allow students to pursue their Ph.D.’s part-time.

While I was teaching Lake City Community College, I was promoted to the Coordinator of Liberal Arts and the Chair of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation.  During this time, I was recognized for my instruction at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development in 2008 and I was recognized for my scholarship with the Wattenbarger Fellowship in 2009. This combination of experience and education allowed me to pursue a promotion to Instructional Chair of Liberal Arts at Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. I completed my Ph.D. in 2010, after moving to Colorado. Shortly thereafter, my husband and I welcomed our daughter into our family. Following the guidance of my mentors, I began looking at Dean’s positions, and was thrilled to accept the position of District Dean of Arts and Humanities at Pierce College in Lakewood and Puyallup, Washington for August of 2012.

I rely upon my training and my education from UF regularly, as well as the professional and personal connections that I have made through the University have been more than helpful over the years.  This truly is a Gator Nation, with a new outpost in the Tacoma, Washington area.”