Samantha Smith, director of health promotion at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, has been named Associate Vice Provost for Health and Well-Being in the Office of Student Life, effective January 13, 2025.
“As we work toward our vision of a premier and thriving student experience at IU Bloomington, health and well-being plays a critical role in the success of all students,“ Lamar Hylton, Vice Provost for Student Life, said. “Dr. Smith’s educational experiences, coupled with her deep expertise as a skilled administrator, researcher, teacher, and health and well-being leader, are well suited to catalyze new innovations in our approach to serving the health and well-being needs of our campus community, and I am excited for her leadership for this important work.”
For the past ten years, Dr. Smith has cultivated a diverse career as a public health practitioner and researcher. While her research has covered various topics, she has deliberately studied and addressed the needs of college students. Dr. Smith sees college students as dynamic individuals at a unique crux in their lives. Dr. Smith was born and raised in the vibrant, diverse city of Houston, Texas, where she developed an early passion for education and community. She understood the beauty and power of cultivating community from a young age. As a scholar and practitioner, Dr. Smith has spent time investigating community as a tool for well-being and pursuing justice, especially among young adults.
A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Smith joins IU Bloomington having spent the last eight years at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) where she currently serves as Director of Health Promotion in the Division of Student Affairs. She has served in a number of administrative capacities throughout her career, including leadership roles with the US Army Public Health Center and the Prince George’s County Health Department. Dr. Smith is also an accomplished scholar and teacher, leading several research studies in public health and holding teaching appointments at both UMBC and the University of Maryland, College Park. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, a master of public health from Emory University, and a doctorate in public health from the University of Maryland, College Park.
“I am filled with excitement to join and serve the IU Bloomington community. As a pioneer in higher education, IU is synonymous with innovation. I look forward to working alongside dynamic faculty and staff to continue to drive innovative practices and approaches to well-being that will serve the student body and be a blueprint for other colleges and universities,” Dr. Smith said. “Thank you in advance to the Hoosier community for a warm welcome, and I look forward to realizing a fantastic future for the IU community.”
Leave a Reply