Dr. Maurice D. Smith Jr.
Assistant Professor & 4-H Specialist, Citizenship and Leadership Development
Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia State University
College of Agriculture, 4-H Youth Development
P.O. Box 9081, L. Douglas Wilder Building, Rm. 104-B. Petersburg, VA 23806 ▪ mdsmith@vsu.edu ▪ 804-524-3084
A. EARNED DEGREES AND TRAINING
Virginia State University, Agriculture Business & Economics, B.S., 2009
Virginia Tech, Agriculture and Extension Education, M.S., 2012
Penn State, Agriculture and Extension Education, Ph.D., 2017
B. RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2007 - 2008, Farm Loan Program Trainee, United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency, Courtland, VA
2008, International Marketing Intern, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Southern United States Trade Association, Richmond, VA
2009 - 2010, Program Evaluation Technician, Cooperative Extension, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA
2010 - 2012, Graduate Research Assistant/Instructor, Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
2012 - 2013, Departmental Management Program Technician, USDA, Office of Departmental Management, Washington, DC
2013 - 2014, Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Sussex, VA
2015 - 2016, Co-Director, SROP Program, Office of Graduate Educational Equity Programs, Penn State, University Park, PA
2014 - 2017, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, Penn State, University Park, PA
2018 - Present, Assistant Professor & 4-H Extension Specialist, Citizenship and Leadership Development, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA
C. RELATED GRANT PROPOSALS
Tyler-Mackey, C., Smith, M., Hosig, K. (2018-2022). Helping Youth PROSPER and Avoid Opioid Misuse in Virginia
D. TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Pre-College Leadership and Career Development Seminar, Instructor, Upward Bound Math/Science Program, Penn State
CED: 230 Development Issues in the Global Context, Teaching Assistant, Agriculture and Extension Education, Penn State
AEE: 413 Program Planning and Instructional Development in Agricultural Education, Guest-Lecturer, Agriculture and Extension Education, Penn State
AEE: 100 Agricultural Education Orientation, Guest-Lecturer, Agriculture and Extension Education, Penn State
AEE: 311 Developing Youth Leadership through Org. and Program Structure, Lecturer, Agriculture and Extension Education, Penn State
E. SYNERGISTIC ACTIVITIES
Conference Abstract Reviewer, SIG- School, Community, Climate, and Culture, American Educational Research Association (AERA), 2017
Member, Gamma Sigma Delta, the Honor Society of Agriculture, 2011- Present
Member, Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS), 2006-Present
Member, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), 2017
F. HONORS AND AWARDS
1st Place Graduate Student Poster Award, 63rd Annual North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference (NACTA), 2017
Poster Award Winner, 2nd place, Gamma Sigma Delta Research Expo, 2017
1st Place MANRRS National Graduate Research Contest, MANRRS National Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, 2017
Black Man on the Rise Leadership Award, Black Student Union, Penn State, 2016
G. COLLABORATORS AND OTHER AFFILIATIONS
Baggett, Connie: Penn State
Brennan, Mark: Penn State
Bronaugh, Jewel H.: Virginia State University
Comer, Marcus: Virginia State University
Niewolny, Kim: Virginia Tech
Taylor, Jonte: Penn State
Webster, Nicole: Penn State
Westfall-Rudd, Donna: Virginia Tech
Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors
PhD: Dr. Nicole Webster, Dr. Mark Brennan, Dr. Connie Baggett, and Dr. Jonte C. Taylor, Penn State
MS: Dr. Kim L. Niewolny, Dr. Donna Westfall-Rudd, Virginia Tech; Dr. Jewel Bronaugh, Virginia State University
H. REFEREED PUBLICATIONS
Smith, M. (2018, January). Exploring African American High School Age Males Perceptions of Agricultural Related Youth Programs in Urban Settings. Paper Presentation at The 16th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Smith, M. (2017, October). Exploring African American High School Age Males Perceptions of Agricultural Related Youth Programs in Urban Settings. Paper Presentation at The 5th Annual Black Network Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Webster, N., & Smith Jr., M. (2017). A Church, University, and Extension: A Partnership for Creating Healthy Youth and Healthy Living. Journal of Youth Development, 11(3), 89-94. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2016.462
Adamson, P., Ballin, K., Brand, B., Callan, P., Cronin, L., Dorn, S., DuBois, L., Grisso, B., Groover, G., Hilleary, J., Hodges, S., Howe, J., Isbell, CJ., Kloetzli, C., Mckay, S., Nartea, T., Niewolny, K., Schmidt, K., Schonbeck, M., Scott, K., Shelley, C., Smith Jr., M., Vallotton, A., Waldron, Z., Westfall-Rudd, D., Whitter-Cummings., A., Wood, C. (2015). Land Acquisition and Tenure. In Westfall-Rudd, D.M., & Niewolny, K. (eds.) Virginia Whole Farm Planning: An Educational Program for Farm Start-up and Development. Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Program. Virginia Cooperative Extension. Virginia Tech. Available at http://www.vabeginningfarmer.alce.vt.edu/content/dam/vabeginningfarmer_alce_vt_edu/resources/publications/Landpub.pdf
Niewolny, K., Smith Jr., M., Helms, J., Hightower, L., Scott, K., Sumner, M. (2013). Marketing and business management. Croushorn Farms. Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Project. Virginia Cooperative Extension. Virginia Tech. Available at https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/AEE/AEE-40/AEE-40.html
Niewolny, K., Westfall-Rudd, D., Smith, Jr., M., Benson, M., & Helms, J. (2012, September). Whole farm planning as a framework for participatory-based education for beginning farmers and farm service providers: A lesson in collaboration. Paper Presentation at the 5th National Sustainable Agriculture Education Association Conference, Corvallis, OR.
Assistant Professor & 4-H Specialist, Citizenship and Leadership Development
Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia State University
College of Agriculture, 4-H Youth Development
P.O. Box 9081, L. Douglas Wilder Building, Rm. 104-B. Petersburg, VA 23806 ▪ mdsmith@vsu.edu ▪ 804-524-3084
A. EARNED DEGREES AND TRAINING
Virginia State University, Agriculture Business & Economics, B.S., 2009
Virginia Tech, Agriculture and Extension Education, M.S., 2012
Penn State, Agriculture and Extension Education, Ph.D., 2017
B. RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2007 - 2008, Farm Loan Program Trainee, United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency, Courtland, VA
2008, International Marketing Intern, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Southern United States Trade Association, Richmond, VA
2009 - 2010, Program Evaluation Technician, Cooperative Extension, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA
2010 - 2012, Graduate Research Assistant/Instructor, Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
2012 - 2013, Departmental Management Program Technician, USDA, Office of Departmental Management, Washington, DC
2013 - 2014, Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Sussex, VA
2015 - 2016, Co-Director, SROP Program, Office of Graduate Educational Equity Programs, Penn State, University Park, PA
2014 - 2017, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, Penn State, University Park, PA
2018 - Present, Assistant Professor & 4-H Extension Specialist, Citizenship and Leadership Development, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA
C. RELATED GRANT PROPOSALS
Tyler-Mackey, C., Smith, M., Hosig, K. (2018-2022). Helping Youth PROSPER and Avoid Opioid Misuse in Virginia
D. TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Pre-College Leadership and Career Development Seminar, Instructor, Upward Bound Math/Science Program, Penn State
CED: 230 Development Issues in the Global Context, Teaching Assistant, Agriculture and Extension Education, Penn State
AEE: 413 Program Planning and Instructional Development in Agricultural Education, Guest-Lecturer, Agriculture and Extension Education, Penn State
AEE: 100 Agricultural Education Orientation, Guest-Lecturer, Agriculture and Extension Education, Penn State
AEE: 311 Developing Youth Leadership through Org. and Program Structure, Lecturer, Agriculture and Extension Education, Penn State
E. SYNERGISTIC ACTIVITIES
Conference Abstract Reviewer, SIG- School, Community, Climate, and Culture, American Educational Research Association (AERA), 2017
Member, Gamma Sigma Delta, the Honor Society of Agriculture, 2011- Present
Member, Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS), 2006-Present
Member, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), 2017
F. HONORS AND AWARDS
1st Place Graduate Student Poster Award, 63rd Annual North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference (NACTA), 2017
Poster Award Winner, 2nd place, Gamma Sigma Delta Research Expo, 2017
1st Place MANRRS National Graduate Research Contest, MANRRS National Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, 2017
Black Man on the Rise Leadership Award, Black Student Union, Penn State, 2016
G. COLLABORATORS AND OTHER AFFILIATIONS
Baggett, Connie: Penn State
Brennan, Mark: Penn State
Bronaugh, Jewel H.: Virginia State University
Comer, Marcus: Virginia State University
Niewolny, Kim: Virginia Tech
Taylor, Jonte: Penn State
Webster, Nicole: Penn State
Westfall-Rudd, Donna: Virginia Tech
Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors
PhD: Dr. Nicole Webster, Dr. Mark Brennan, Dr. Connie Baggett, and Dr. Jonte C. Taylor, Penn State
MS: Dr. Kim L. Niewolny, Dr. Donna Westfall-Rudd, Virginia Tech; Dr. Jewel Bronaugh, Virginia State University
H. REFEREED PUBLICATIONS
Smith, M. (2018, January). Exploring African American High School Age Males Perceptions of Agricultural Related Youth Programs in Urban Settings. Paper Presentation at The 16th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Smith, M. (2017, October). Exploring African American High School Age Males Perceptions of Agricultural Related Youth Programs in Urban Settings. Paper Presentation at The 5th Annual Black Network Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Webster, N., & Smith Jr., M. (2017). A Church, University, and Extension: A Partnership for Creating Healthy Youth and Healthy Living. Journal of Youth Development, 11(3), 89-94. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2016.462
Adamson, P., Ballin, K., Brand, B., Callan, P., Cronin, L., Dorn, S., DuBois, L., Grisso, B., Groover, G., Hilleary, J., Hodges, S., Howe, J., Isbell, CJ., Kloetzli, C., Mckay, S., Nartea, T., Niewolny, K., Schmidt, K., Schonbeck, M., Scott, K., Shelley, C., Smith Jr., M., Vallotton, A., Waldron, Z., Westfall-Rudd, D., Whitter-Cummings., A., Wood, C. (2015). Land Acquisition and Tenure. In Westfall-Rudd, D.M., & Niewolny, K. (eds.) Virginia Whole Farm Planning: An Educational Program for Farm Start-up and Development. Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Program. Virginia Cooperative Extension. Virginia Tech. Available at http://www.vabeginningfarmer.alce.vt.edu/content/dam/vabeginningfarmer_alce_vt_edu/resources/publications/Landpub.pdf
Niewolny, K., Smith Jr., M., Helms, J., Hightower, L., Scott, K., Sumner, M. (2013). Marketing and business management. Croushorn Farms. Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Project. Virginia Cooperative Extension. Virginia Tech. Available at https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/AEE/AEE-40/AEE-40.html
Niewolny, K., Westfall-Rudd, D., Smith, Jr., M., Benson, M., & Helms, J. (2012, September). Whole farm planning as a framework for participatory-based education for beginning farmers and farm service providers: A lesson in collaboration. Paper Presentation at the 5th National Sustainable Agriculture Education Association Conference, Corvallis, OR.
