It gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of Dr. Kathy Smith as an At-Large Member of the Society’s Board of Directors. Dr. Smith’s appointment is effective May 1st. She will succeed COL Thomas Hiebert who is stepping down from the Board due to his military deployment abroad. The Board of Director’s approved Dr. Smith’s appointment during our regular meeting on April 10th.
As the Associate Director in the Office of Student Life at Ball State University, Dr. Smith work with and teaches college students to become more effective leaders and community servants. She has done that by advising Student Voluntary Services, directing the nationally recognized Excellence in Leadership program, advising the Student Leadership Development Board, and by being a member of and advising Omicron Delta Kappa at Ball State.
Dr. Smith’s love of leadership and service began in high school and continued to develop while working towards her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Ball State University. She has described her college experience as “so powerful and life altering” that when choosing her career path post-graduation, she decided she wanted to play a role that would ensure other college students have the same experiences she had.
Over the course of her professional career, Dr. Smith has presented to several Ball State University student groups, been invited to present at a number of different college campuses, and has completed presentations at national and state conferences. Additionally, Dr. Smith serves on the state-wide Advisory Council for Indiana Campus Compact and has held several roles for Omicron Delta Kappa including, but not limited to, Faculty Secretary for the Ball State Beneficence Circle, Faculty Province Director, Regional Director, and most recently as a member of the National Advisory Council (NAC).
Dr. Smith received the Society’s Eldridge W. Roark, Jr. Meritorious Service Award for her contributions to the ODK Society in February 2008 and recently completed her doctorate degree in Adult, Community, and Higher Education at Ball State University.
Dr. Smith’s experiences, coupled with her passion for our Society, will prove invaluable as she begins her work with the Board of Directors. Please join me in wishing COL Hiebert our best wishes as he departs for service abroad and in welcoming Dr. Kathy Smith to the Board.
