Contact: Jack Bailey (304) 766-4109 jbaile19@wvstateu.edu March 11, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE INSTITUTE, W.Va. – When Dr. Ami Smith, Director of Extension at West Virginia State University (WVSU), first set foot on the campus in 1998, she was a single mother with a full-time retail job and a goal of obtaining an undergraduate degree. Two decades later, her path as a Yellow Jacket has led her from the classroom to the laboratory to leading outreach efforts that are impacting people all over the state.
“At West Virginia State, Extension is improving agricultural practices for the home gardener, as well as the small farmer; helping people with great ideas to start their own businesses; helping grandparents navigate the difficult realities of raising their grandchildren; revitalizing blighted small communities; and uplifting children academically, physically, and emotionally,” Smith said. “Leading the efforts of our wonderful Extension educators is a privilege.”
While Smith seems to have found her niche in administration, she didn’t begin her journey at WVSU with that endgame in mind. She arrived on campus as a biology major with the goal of working in medicine or forensic science. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she was offered the opportunity to start doctoral research through a collaborative project with the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.
Smith was able to complete her research on the WVSU campus, working with the university’s Agricultural and Environmental Research Station. She received her Ph.D. in Biosciences in 2008, then her career path began to shift.
“I thoroughly enjoyed research, but I was ready for a new challenge by that time,” she said. After collaborating with WVSU’s Center for the Advancement of STEM, which provides outreach education to K-12 students, to provide high school teachers with research experiences, Smith was eventually offered the opportunity to lead the unit and, subsequently, step into the role of director of WVSU Extension Service and associate vice president for Public Service.
“My time with the Center for the Advancement of STEM allowed me to learn about outreach, and engaging with stakeholders and the community. Once I had it down, I was again ready for a new challenge. Moving into Extension felt like the logical next step.”
It’s a step at which Smith has finally allowed herself to settle. Under her leadership since 2014, Extension programs have broadened their scope in youth development, family and consumer sciences, community and economic development, and agriculture and natural resources, with programs reaching people in all 55 counties of West Virginia.
“Cooperative Extension, as a national system, stays on the cutting edge of bringing practical solutions to the challenges faced by individuals and communities,” Smith said. “The future of Extension will involve climate-smart food, agricultural and forestry practices; rebuilding economies; and a focus on racial equity and justice. I look forward to continuing to serve the people of West Virginia as we work together to improve our state and region.”
Learn more about WVSU Extension Service program’s at wvstateu.edu/extension.
Follow on Facebook and Twitter .
