Dell Smith earned his PhD at Oregon State University focusing on community health. He joined the Lewis & Clark College faculty in 1967 and taught a variety of health courses and planned the development of a major and a minor in Health Education. Students majoring/minoring in these programs went on to become educators, health care administrators, public health specialists, physicians, dentists, physical therapists and other health specialists.
Smith led one of the early overseas study programs to Kenya where students were engaged in the study of Kenya’s health care delivery system and the physical construction of a dispensary in the district of South Nyanza. His interest in international health continued with involvement in programs and presentations in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Russia, Korea and Ireland.
Smith was engaged with several voluntary health organizations including membership on the boards of the American Cancer Society, Oregon Division; American Heart Association, Oregon Affiliate; American Red Cross, Oregon Chapter; Mendocino County Emergency Medical Coordinating Committee; Mendocino County Maternal and Child Health Committee; Mendocino County Nursing Administrators Council; the Oregon Governor’s Council on Health, Fitness and Sport; and Partners of the Americas Oregon/Costa Rica.
Smith left Lewis & Clark College in 1992 and was appointed Director of Health and Human Service Programs at Mendocino College in Ukiah, California. After four years he moved to Little Rock, Arkansas where he had Adjunct Professor appoints at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas.
Smith returned to Lewis & Clark College in 1998 as the Registrar of the College of Arts and Sciences. He held this position until his retirement from the College in 2004. Before he retired, Smith led an overseas study program to India and then following retirement he led two more overseas study programs to India. He continues to serve on committees at Lewis & Clark, most notably the International Projects for Peace Grant Committee.