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Brad D. Smith was invested as Marshall University’s 38th president during a ceremony on September 16, 2022. Although he initially came into the role in January, the investiture marked the official beginning of his presidency and the continuation of Brad’s commitment to Marshall. Keeping with a theme of “time,” Brad discussed his vision for the future of the university, stating: “The time to act is now. Change can happen to us, change can happen through us. It is our choice and we have chosen not to waste this time. In fact, Marshall is prepared to lead the way. We’ve been busy working across the campus to chart the course for the next chapter of great for Marshall University and play our part in the state of West Virginia.” Born in Kenova, West Virginia, Brad is a proud advocate for the betterment of the Mountain State. His presidency will focus on expanding the definition of education and inspiring the desire to learn among prospective students. Watch a video of the ceremony by clicking the link below.

In a recent interview with the news website Protocol, Brad D. Smith discusses his transition from Silicon Valley executive to higher education leader. In the piece, he shares what inspired him to return to West Virginia, some of the steps he took to prepare for the interview process, and what it was like to come home and begin this new journey. Read the full interview by clicking the link below.

Aside from her fame as a musician, Dolly Parton has also become renowned for her child literacy project: the Imagination Library. The program gifts participants (children ages birth to 5 years) one free book per month and recently expanded to include all 55 counties in West Virginia. To celebrate the statewide expansion, Brad hosted a fireside chat with Dolly to discuss the inspiration behind her Imagination Library and what it means to be an Appalachia native — a quality that the two have in common. Watch a video of the chat by clicking the link below.

Through their nonprofit organization, the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, Brad D. Smith and his wife Alys recently donated $60,000 to Fairfield U — a mentorship program for children and teens in the Fairfield neighborhood of Huntington. The donation will fund the program for the next two to three years, granting high school students exposure to a variety of professions and industries. In reference to the importance of the work the organization is doing, Brad supplied the following comment: “People need to see themselves in the next opportunity to believe it’s possible.”

Since taking office as Marshall University’s President in January 2022, Brad D. Smith has constantly been looking for ways to give back to the Marshall community. In response, on May 13, 2022, the university announced an exciting new initiative titled “Community Cares Week: Giving Back to the Herd.” The program, currently scheduled to take place from June 20–24, encourages all members of the #MarshallUFamily to volunteer their efforts to help improve the campus. “I’m excited to welcome volunteers to return home to our beautiful campus, work side by side and leave the place better than we found it,” Brad said.

In an article from Chamber Magazine, published by the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, West Virginia University President Gordon Gee spoke of the efforts and initiatives toward growing the local community. The article also discussed Gee’s partnership and friendship with Brad D. Smith, and how the two have worked together in their shared goals of developing West Virginia’s economy. Their work together has included a donation by Brad and his wife Alys to WVU to fund the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative in support of improving the Mountain State. Ascend West Virginia is the remote worker program within the collaborative, which aims to grow the population of young talent in the state.

During a Marshall University Board of Governors meeting on Thursday, October 28, it was announced that Brad D. Smith has been chosen as the University’s 38th president. Brad accepted the position saying, “As a humble son of Marshall University, I am honored to be selected to serve as the University’s 38th President. This is a privilege of a lifetime and I am looking forward to this journey.”

On a travel segment of Good Morning America aired on October 22, 2021, Brad D. Smith shared his West Virginia roots and inspiration behind the Ascend West Virginia program. The story covered how the program came to be and featured a number of chosen applicants who discussed their transition to the Mountain State.

On September 30, 2021, Marshall University announced that following a national search, Brad D. Smith has been selected as one of the five finalists being considered for the university’s 38th president. The announcement came from Marshall University’s Board of Governors who shared information on both the search process and the final candidates.

On August 27, 2021, Brad D. Smith sat down with the city of Huntington for its 150th anniversary to share some of his favorite memories and reflect on how the Huntington community helped shape him into the person he is today. As Brad states in the interview, “I was a boy from a small hometown who spent 22 years looking for a way out and every day since looking for a way home.”