Rick W. Smith, Sr. has been named president of Dallas College Northlake in Texas. His presidency will begin on February 3.
Dallas College Northlake is a public community college and one of seven campuses within the Dallas College system. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the system as a whole enrolls nearly 67,000 students, 20 percent of whom are Black.
For the past year, Dr. Smith has served as senior vice president of institutional advancement and administrative projects at Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically Black educational institution. He has extensive experience in higher education leadership, including vice presidential roles with the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College, the Kentucky College of Art and Design, and historically Black Kentucky State University. Outside of academia, Dr. Smith has a robust background in both nonprofit and healthcare settings.
Reflecting on his time with Simmons College of Kentucky, Dr. Smith stated, “It has been an incredible honor to be part of Simmons College of Kentucky, an institution deeply committed to transforming lives and empowering future generations. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished together and will continue to champion Simmons’ mission as I step into this new opportunity at Dallas College Northlake.”
Dr. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communications from the University of Louisville, an MBA from Kennedy Western University, a master’s degree in philanthropic studies from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and a doctor of education degree from Bradley University in Illinois.
