Although the thought of relocating to the Magnolia state never crossed his mind before, Jackson State University’s new associate provost for student life says he’s excited to be part of “the great work” occurring at the urban institution, describing it as a campus “on the move.”
Dr. Charles N. Smith grew up in Petersburg, Va., where he attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, majoring in psychology. Before transitioning to academia, he worked in rehabilitation counseling, helping individuals overcome substance abuse. He would go on to teach psychology in Panama City, Fla., and eventually moved up in the administrative ranks at universities in Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, South Carolina and Virginia.
He landed in Mississippi this spring semester – intrigued after hearing professional colleagues and JSU alumni from various parts of the country extol the institution’s rich legacy and boast of its extraordinary development – academically and structurally.
“When I looked at Jackson State I saw that it had a whole lot of great things going on, including infrastructure and programmatic initiatives,” Smith said.
Cultivating leadership, interpersonal skills
So, in his new role at JSU, he says he has a mission.
“I want to heighten the importance of student affairs and help build non-academic skills that are also important. It’s very crucial for students as they move into the work world to develop leadership and interpersonal skills,” Smith said.
Along with urging improvements in communication abilities, Smith says students must embrace diversity. “We have to understand that we must work with people who may not look like us, may not come from the same state or may not come from the same country. We want to help students develop that competitive edge with critical leadership and verbal skills.”
Smith said another goal at JSU will be to cultivate opportunities for students to participate in team-building, and he’d like to bring a diverse cadre of programs to Jackson, in general, to expose more people to a wider spectrum of cultural arts.
Importance of learning two languages
He spoke reflectively of the time when his mentor reminded him that success also comes from being able to speak two languages. Bilingual skills notwithstanding, the message about dual languages, he said, is that young people must understand when it’s proper to use professional or vernacular communications. An inability to engage in substantive conversations can impact future business careers, Smith said.
Because many students may have attended underfunded high school programs, he says his goal at JSU is to push specialty programs to shape the lives of young adults. “I would like more of our student leaders to shadow CEOs and create dialogue so that when they graduate there will be a greater opportunity for internships and co-op programs leading to employment.”
Diplomatic service program
His other desire is to create a diplomatic service program to train African-Americans to become liaisons because only a fraction seeks such opportunities. The few who work in embassies throughout the world, Smith said, mainly earned their positions through political appointments. “This would be an ideal program to launch at JSU. The more students who become fully rounded, or internationalized, the better chance they have for top-level jobs.”
Last week, Smith joined students, faculty, staff and alumni for JSU Day at the Capitol, where university executives and other constituents networked with state legislators and city leaders. He credits JSU for showcasing its talents and successes. He said the Capitol event allowed JSU to thank lawmakers for their support, and he encourages other politicians to join their peers in supporting the university.
Besides his work as an administrator, the 100 Black Men member and former psychology counselor has penned two books. “The Last Shall be the First” is a historical account of African-American achievements. And, “This Morning My Father Died … So, What?” provides an emotional account of a young man reflecting on his deadbeat, nonchalant, absent father.
Smith says he aims to apply his professional background, experiences and skills to help students prosper.
“I’m always interested in how we do the best job possible for all students but specifically black students because it’s still a challenge after they graduate with their degrees to get top-shelf jobs,” he said.