President of Langston University in Oklahoma Will Be Leaving Academia

Kent J. Smith, Jr., announced that he will retire as president of Langston University in Oklahoma at the end of the current semester. Dr. Smith will become the owner/operator of a Chick-fil-A franchise. “I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and have dreamt of building a legacy to leave for my five children and my grandson,” Dr. Smith said.

“My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed the years spent at Langston University,” Dr. Smith wrote in a message to the university community. “My children have grown up on our campuses. In fact, my youngest son’s middle name is Langston in honor of our great institution. We are blessed beyond measure to have been on this journey in service to our students and to the entire Langston University family.”

Before coming to Langston University in 2012, Dr. Smith was vice president for student affairs and chief student affairs officer at Ohio University in Athens. Previously, Dr. Smith served as the dean of students at Auburn University in Alabama and as the director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Smith holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a doctorate from Colorado State University.

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1 COMMENT

  1. From university president to fast food??? Something is rotten in the State of Denmark.

    I had the grave misfortune of working at Langston while Dr. Smith was in charge. I bet all that malfeasance finally came to light.

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