Patrica Smith ’01, ’03 is only the third dean of the Honors College in the history of the University of Central Arkansas.
“While I was overjoyed with the news I was being named dean of the Honors College, my second reaction was to reflect on the fact that the Honors College is 38 years old, and during this whole time, there were only two administrators who served before me in this role: Dr. Norb Schedler, the founding director, and Dr. Rick Scott,” Smith said. “It left me overwhelmed thinking about how I would fill their shoes, but having their full support and mentorship over the years has given me the confidence to take on this challenge.”
Smith graduated from UCA in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in sociology and was summa cum laude. In 2003, she graduated with a Master of Science in college student personnel services and administration from UCA. She earned a Doctor of Education in higher education administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2013.
Her first experience in the Honors College came in 2005 when she was the coordinator of Student Services. Smith was then the director of student engagement in the Honors College from 2010 to 2014. Before being announced as the dean of the Honors College, Smith served as assistant dean of the college under then dean Rick Scott from 2014 to 2017.
Smith’s work with mental health awareness among high achievers is particularly meaningful to her new role.
“As I looked into it, I was able to identify that the population of high-achieving students carries an even greater level of anxiety despite being academically prepared,” Smith said. “We also would have at least one mental health emergency or suicide attempt each term. This led me to introducing the Honors Peer Counselor program about four years ago, which has opened up a conversation on anxiety and depression, and, most importantly, has let students know that they are not alone in these experiences.”
Being the new dean has made Smith extremely busy. Her role includes long-term planning as well as the day-to-day operations of the Honors College—and each day is not the same.
“My favorite part is interacting with students,” Smith said. “Whether it is helping them solve an academic challenge or coaching them on their academic and life goals, spending time with students is what keeps my cup full!”