Courtney Smith has been named as director of the Leadership and Service Center at the University of South Carolina, a role that will see her leading student involvement and development efforts as a crucial part of the Department of Student Life when she starts on Jan. 8, 2026.

Smith and her family are joining USC from Arizona State University, where she spent the last decade contributing to a wide range of high-impact student initiatives. Her work at ASU included supporting student organizations, programming and events, open expression, fitness and wellness initiatives and the student fee allocation board through student government. In Tempe, Smith served as faculty associate instructor in ASU’s Master of Higher and Postsecondary Education program. She also has previous student affairs experience in both housing and campus life at New Mexico State University.

In her new role, Smith will provide strategic leadership and vision for the Leadership and Service Center, guiding programs that promote student involvement, leadership development and community engagement. She will oversee a talented team dedicated to empowering students to explore their leadership potential, serve their communities and make meaningful contributions to campus and beyond.

Additionally, Smith will serve on the Student Life Leadership team, led by Associate Vice President for Student Life Ambra Hiott. In that role, she will support department-wide initiatives that empower and elevate the overall student experience. 

"Dr. Courtney Smith brings experience supervising dynamic teams that deliver student-centered programs and is beloved by the students she has mentored. Throughout the selection process, it was clear that Courtney is the ideal leader to guide the next chapter of the Leadership and Service Center at the University of South Carolina," Hiott says. "I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the search committee, led by Dr. Amber Fallucca, for their thoughtful guidance throughout the search process."

Originally from Illinois, Smith earned her  bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, her master’s degree in higher education from the University of Miami and her doctorate in educational leadership and innovation from Arizona State University.