Armstrong did reapply and, two years later, is finishing her second semester in the doctoral program. “[Smith’s availability] really made me know it would be a home here,” Armstrong says. “Dr. Smith has really helped me understand what it is to be a counselor educator. … He’s committed to being there for the people that he serves.”
Smith says playing a part in students’ lives is the most important and rewarding thing that he does. Although he is appreciative of earning professional accolades and serving on leadership boards, Smith says he is most proud of the many students he has guided through the years who are now working in the counseling profession.