Ike Smith has been named director of the Reich College of Education’s (RCOE) James Center for Student Success and Advising. His appointment began August 2019.
“I am most excited to build relationships with all our awesome students and supporting them in any way I can,” said Smith. “I wanted to join the fantastic James Center and Reich College of Education team in making a positive impact on the education profession.”
As the director, Smith supports the James Center’s mission to recruit, advise, retain, and graduate undergraduate teacher education majors at Appalachian State University. He and his team work as part of the overall teacher preparation program in the RCOE, as well as overseeing all activities related to the Appalachian Community of Education Scholars (ACES), App Educators club, Transfer Educators, and teacher education majors.
The James Center, located on the first floor of the RCOE, strives to help students connect with peers, discover resources, participate in professional development, serve the campus and community, and more. The center’s mission is to support and retain education majors during their tenure at Appalachian State University and beyond.
“I am most excited to build relationships with all our awesome students and supporting them in any way I can,” said Smith. “I wanted to join the fantastic James Center and Reich College of Education team in making a positive impact on the education profession.”
Smith earned a master of arts in teaching and a B.A. in English from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
Before coming to Appalachian, Smith taught high school English in Pamlico County Schools and Craven County Schools, both in North Carolina. Most recently, he served as the Director of Instructional Support Services for Watauga County Schools.
Smith also serves as an adjunct instructor at Appalachian; he teaches CI 2300 Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Jewel Davis, and their dog, drumming, drinking coffee, and watching and participating in community theatre.
Fun Fact: “My brother, father, and I were once all in a production of A Christmas Story - the one with the bee-bee gun...‘You'll shoot your eye out, kid’,” said Smith. “I played the bully, and my brother got to beat me up on stage.”
Ike Smith
