From loyal student to longtime giver

Elmer R. Smith (Class of 1971) has gone far with the degree in business education he earned from MSU. As a successful alumnus, he has made it his business to contribute to future MSU students to help them go even farther, and now has a college that bears his name.

A native of Martin County, Smith is a successful professional who has served in numerous positions in education. He currently serves as president of Interactive College of Technology (ICT), an accredited institution offering associate degrees and diploma programs for high-demand careers based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in computer-based training.

Despite leaving the Commonwealth, Smith has remained dedicated to dear ole’ MSU. To date, Smith has donated nearly $4 million to the University. In October 2018, MSU approved the naming of the Elmer R. Smith College of Business and Technology, which includes the School of Business Administration and the School of Engineering and Information Systems, to recognize his substantial impact.

Smith has been recognized numerous times for his achievements and success combined with his support of MSU. He was inducted into the MSU Alumni Association Hall of Fame in 1999. Smith served on the Board of Trustees of the MSU Foundation, was named Donor of the Year in 2002 and was honored as the outstanding alumnus from the then-named College of Business and Technology in 2003. He received an honorary Doctor of Education degree from MSU in 2011. He has also supported his fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE), serving as chairman of the TKE Education Foundation and helping raise funds for scholarship and leadership training.

Smith and his late wife created the Elmer R. and Donna N. Smith Endowed Chair, which supports entrepreneurship initiatives within the college. The couple also established the Elmer and Donna Smith Scholarship Endowment in 2010 to support awards for students in need. The Elmer R. Smith Regents Scholarship was created through Smith’s contributions to the Soar to New Heights Scholarship Campaign held from 2018-21.