Dr. Herb Smith Wins the Jay R. Gould Award

KENNESAW, Ga. (Feb 10, 2016) — Dr. Herb Smith is the 2016 winner of the Society for Technical Communication (STC)'s 2016 Jay R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award honors true academic mentorship; a record of successful students, defined as those who are involved in STC, and actively working in the profession; involvement in student activities outside of the classroom; innovation and creativity in teaching, and involvement in research that leads to changes in the way technical communication is taught. Dr. Smith will officially be presented with the Gould Award at the STC's 2016 Summit which will be held in Anaheim, California on 15-18 May 2016.

Dr. Smith has dedicated long-term commitment to excellence in teaching with a career that spans over 35 years in the field of technical communication. He has been instrumental in teaching classes, developing curriculum and connecting with students. Dr. Smith brings a practitioner’s lens to his classes, uniquely combining real world experience and the pursuit of knowledge in academia. He encourages students to pursue their dreams and their education, where he is the “go-to person” for upper-level advising, job advice and internships.

With his desire to see students succeed, Dr. Smith was an instrumental part of the establishment of the Ken and Elaine Rainey Award at the former Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU), and that scholarship has impacted the lives and educational endeavors of many students in the Department of Digital Writing and Media Arts. Dr. Smith is also an integral part of the Senior Portfolio Capstone course which helps seniors prepare for the job market by developing a comprehensive skills portfolio to showcase. In his role as the Internship Coordinator, he spends time identifying students for positions that would fit their skill sets and personalities.

As the Gould Award recipient, Dr. Smith’s dedication to the field of technical communication is being recognized. His legacy with the students of SPSU and now Kennesaw State goes far beyond being an educator in the Department of Digital Writing and Media Arts; his legacy one of being a role-model and mentor. We congratulate Dr. Smith on being the 2016 Gould Award recipient!