Blending Extensive Experience

In addition to multiple Presidencies and an Executive Vice Chancellorship, she has distinguished service in such key roles such as Vice-President, Dean, Executive Director, Director, Instructor, Trainer, and Consultant across multiple institutions and states. Her background has honed her ability to drive success and inspire excellence in diverse educational and organizational settings.

Envisioning the Future

Through dynamic and visionary leadership, transformative contributions to higher education have been made, earning her recognition as one of the most influential leaders in community college leadership, offering an unparalleled perspective on leading complex institutions at the pinnacle of higher education and consulting.

A strategic vision and exceptional insight enable her to help clients navigate leadership with efficacy. Driven by a fervent belief in the transformational power of education and the development of peak organizational cultures, Dr. Harvey-Smith champions the critical alignment between industry and education.

Pioneering efforts led her to create innovative degree programs and systems that meet the evolving needs of the workforce. As the visionary behind The Seventh Learning College Principle, she developed a transformational change model that emphasizes creating and nurturing organizational cultures that are open and responsive to change and learning.(c)

Her efforts in defining the higher education landscape have impacted systems and the lives of countless individuals. Our Founder/CEO is credited with service on such executive boards as the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), Higher Education Research and Development Institute (HERDI), Higher Education Congress (RTM), National Council on Student Development (NCSD), Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), and The National Council of Black American Affairs (NCBAA). She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and The International Women’s Forum (IWF), both invitation-only organizations with global reach.

Scholar and Practitioner

As a distinguished scholar and practitioner, Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith seamlessly integrates academic rigor with practical application. An experienced researcher and author, her recent book, “Higher Education on The Brink: Reimagining Strategic Enrollment Management in Colleges and Universities,” provides a transformative blueprint for colleges and universities and was published jointly by Rowman & Littlefield and the American Association of Community Colleges.

Other publications include “Eclectic Insights: A Composition of Poetry and Essays on Varying Thoughts and Differing Opinions (Volume 1),” “The Seventh Learning College Principle: A Framework for Transformational Change,” “Partnering for Success: How to Build Strong Internal Collaborations in Higher Education,” and “Getting Real: Proven Strategies for Student Survival and Academic Success.”

Her dedication to research in Naturalistic Inquiry has led to the development of original change models that assist in creating learning colleges and reframing institutional cultures. Her pioneering work is cited in “Redesigning America’s Community Colleges: A Clearer Path to Student Success” by Bailey, T. R., Smith Jaggars, S., & Jenkins, D. (2015), published by Harvard University Press.

Dr. Harvey-Smith’s contributions to higher education and industry have earned her numerous honors and recognitions, across the US, including Pittsburgh Technology Council – CEO of the Year, Coraopolis Branch NAACP – Educator of the Year, New Pittsburgh Courier – Woman of Excellence, Pittsburgh Business Times – Woman of Influence, Pittsburgh’s Cribs for Kids – Woman of Achievement, Houston Business Journal – Leadership in Education, City & State PA – Power 100, National Council of Student Development – Contributor to Knowledge Award, Harvard Institutes of Higher Education New Presidents – Phoenix Award, and National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. and the Woman History Maker Award. Her work has impacted systems and the lives of countless individuals, underscoring her role as a transformational leader in education.

Dr. Harvey-Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, and graduate and undergraduate credentials from The Johns Hopkins University and Morgan State University. She is also the recipient of a certificate from Harvard Institutes of Higher Education for college and university presidents, having been competitively selected. Dr. Harvey-Smith is a proud graduate of Western Senior High School, the oldest public all-girl college-preparatory high school in the US, founded in 1844. She is married to the love of her life, Major Donald W. Smith, US Army, and US Capitol Police (Ret.).