Current Issue ... Archives ... Request Hard Copy ... Subscribe ... Contact Information

First Smith Scholarship goes to Beliech-Harris

Dr. Jimmie N. Smith

Gregg Trusty
Dr. Jimmie Smith could always lighten the mood around other faculty members.

Dr. Jean Hollenshead, associate professor of psychology, remembered her colleague fondly. “It was one of the qualities which made him such an effective leader,” she told Scott Balcerzak, of the Almagest, a week after Smith’s Aug. 8, 2000, death from cancer.

Jimmie’s widow, Gwen, who retired as an assistant professor of management and marketing in December 2000, and other members of his family completed funding of a $25,000 endowed scholarship started with memorial donations.

Laura Beliech-Harris, a graduate student in the Specialist in School Psychology program became the first recipient of the Jimmie N. Smith Scholarship this spring. At the beginning of the semester, Beliech-Harris had completed 46 hours in the graduate program with a 3.93 GPA.

Gregg Trusty /LSUS News Laura Beliech-Harris (left) accepts from Dr. Rebecca Nolan an envelope representing the $500 Jimmie N. Smith Scholarship in the Department of Psychology. Classmates in Psychological Assessment II (Psych 752) are (seated from left) Melanie Womack, Chad Pinkston and Lindsey Brown. Beliech-Harris is a graduate student in the Specialist in School Psychology program.

In her free time, she leads the children’s music ministry at her church. “As a part of that ministry,” she said, “I teach elementary and middle school-age children to interpret music with sign language.”

Jimmie’s brother, Charles, an engineer for Atlas Engineering in Houston, and sister, Nina Sue Hartman, a retired principal of Weaver Elementary in Natchitoches, joined Gwen in completing the funding.

The Smiths’ daughter, Stacey Lynn McPherson, an LSUS alumna, and her husband, Jay, live with their 2-year-old son in Birmingham, Ala. The Smiths’ son, Stuart, is a student at University of Louisiana at Lafayette majoring in communications & business.

Gwen Smith

Gwen remains active in Shreveport through volunteer work at First Methodist Church and McDade House.

Jimmie began his career in August 1973. In his 27 years with the university, he served in several capacities, including professor of psychology, chair of the Department of Psychology and vice chancellor for student affairs. He served as president of the Faculty Senate and was a member of the American Association of University Professors, Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Delta Kappa and several other professional organizations. He was also an active member of the board of Live Oak Retirement Center, serving as its chair for two years.

His involvement with Live Oak was indicative of what Hollenshead referred to as one of Smith’s major contributions to the area, “the way he linked the university to the community…. He was one of the most compassionate humanitarians I’ve ever known.”