Directory & Faculty Profiles

A qualitative researcher, Dr. Stella L. Smith’s scholarly interests focus on the experiences of faculty and administrators of color in higher education; African American females in leadership in higher education; access and inclusion of underserved populations in higher education, and P–20 educational pipeline alignment. For the entirety of her professional career, she has worked in areas that promote access for underrepresented populations to higher education. Dr. Smith is a strong advocate for social justice and passionate about creating asset based pathways of success for underserved students. Dr. Smith was recognized with a 2014 Dissertation Award from the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education and as part of the 2019 class of 35 Outstanding Women Leaders in Higher Education by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Dr. Smith serves as the Managing Editor the Journal for Minority Achievement, Creativity, and Leadership, and an Associate Editor of the Journal of Family Strengths. Dr. Smith also serves as the Associate Director for the Minority Achievement, Creativity and High-Ability (MACH-III) Center at Prairie View A&M University. Prior to this role, she held several roles in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Smith earned her PhD in Educational Administration with a portfolio in Women and Gender Studies and BS in Microbiology from The University of Texas at Austin and an MA in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.