[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 57 (Thursday, March 31, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF A FIERCE EDUCATION ADVOCATE, DR. 
                            WALTER LEE SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 31, 2022

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 
life and contributions of Dr. Walter Lee Smith, seventh president of 
Florida A&M University (FAMU) and outstanding citizen of Tampa and 
Hillsborough County, who passed away on Thursday, November 25, 2021 at 
the age of 86. A scholar, historian, advocate and educational leader, 
Dr. Smith was a native of Tampa, Florida, but the impact of his great 
work reached far beyond our community, having touched the lives of 
those across Florida, our nation and the world.
  Dr. Walter Lee Smith was born in Tampa, Florida on May 13, 1935, to 
the late Eva Smith (Reynolds). Raised by his mother and stepfather, 
Rubin Reynolds, a strong work ethic was instilled in Smith from a very 
young age and applied throughout his childhood raised in Florida, 
Georgia and New York. He excelled both academically and in sports, all 
while living through firsthand experiences of racism and segregation 
within his communities. Smith's perseverance during these instances not 
only showed signs of his strong character but would go on to influence 
his professional interests and achievements. Years down the line, Smith 
would go on to work for the federal government and help to develop 
Titles IV and VI programs for school desegregation.
  As a young adult, Dr. Walter Lee Smith worked pushing clothing racks 
in the New York Garment district before he went on to enlist in the 
U.S. Army, having served his nation during the Korean war. Following 
his military service, Smith returned to Tampa Bay where he enrolled at 
Gibbs Junior College, the first of Florida's junior colleges for 
African American students. Smith was elected as the first student body 
president during his time at Gibbs. Following this, he went on to 
attend Florida A&M University and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Biology 
and Chemistry and subsequently a Masters of Education. Smith completed 
his education by earning a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration 
from The Florida State University.
  Before becoming FAMU's seventh president, Smith worked in various 
roles throughout Tampa as: a 7-Eleven Store manager in Progress 
Village, a science teacher at Marshall High School in Plant City, 
assistant director of the Florida Education Association and provost at 
Hillsborough Community College. From 1974 to 1977, he served as 
president of Roxbury Community College in Boston, Massachusetts.
  Smith was appointed the seventh president of FAMU in 1977, serving in 
this role until 1985. Under his leadership, FAMU as an educational 
institution was positively impacted in innumerable ways. The university 
grew to eleven schools and colleges. Among those added were the School 
of Allied Health Science, School of General Studies, the School of 
Journalism & Graphic Communication, the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering 
and a Division of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education. Various 
Graduate and Doctorate programs were established under Smith's 
administration, with the university having offered its first Doctor of 
Philosophy degree, a Ph.D. in Pharmacology, in 1984. Beyond academics, 
FAMU's athletic department was greatly developed during Smith's tenure 
and a $10-million Centennial Celebration Fund endowment was 
established, having since grown to more than $150 million.
  But Dr. Smith's educational efforts did not stop there. Following his 
departure from FAMU, Smith was appointed as a senior Fulbright Scholar 
and worked abroad with the University of Malawi. In 1994 through 1995, 
he founded FUNDA, an American style two-year college, specifically in 
Malawi and South Africa. After his time abroad, Smith worked as a 
professor at the University of Florida until his retirement in 2000. In 
2002, he opened a privately held community library in his hometown of 
Tampa.
  Dr. Smith is survived by his wife, Barbara Abrams Smith; children: 
Col. John L. Smith (ret.), Andre Smith, Salesia Smith-Gordon, Walter 
Lee Smith II, Tracey Abrams Butler; grandchildren, great-grandchildren 
and other members of their extended family.
  Along with his family, Smith's lifelong commitment to education will 
be carried on in a legacy across the various institutions he worked 
with. In 2007, FAMU named its School of Architecture and Engineering 
Technology building in honor of Dr. Smith. At the University of 
Florida, colleagues and former students of Smith's funded the creation 
of the Walter L. Smith Scholarship to support minority graduate 
students in educational administration. The Florida State University 
also holds a scholarship in Dr. Smith's name and in 2015, Hillsborough 
County Libraries named a reading room at the Robert Saunders Library in 
his honor as well.
  Madam Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of Florida and my neighbors 
across Tampa Bay, I am proud to honor Dr. Walter Lee Smith and his 
selfless devotion of strengthening education institutions and expanding 
their accessibility in Tampa, Florida, the United States and beyond. 
Dr. Smith's legacy is cemented into the history of our community and 
will live on and inspire others for many years to come.

                          ____________________