Travis C. Smith Ph.D

Dr. Travis C. Smith (Dr. Tee) earned a Ph.D in Educational Leadership in Higher Education at Clemson University. As a critical scholar, he chooses to focus on inquiry, practice, and pedagogy that helps disrupt oppressive systems in order to support racially minoritized students. His research agenda is centered in Black student involvement, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Black education, and graduate Students of Color. Some of his previous work utilizes a variety of methodological qualitative approaches such as phenomenology, photo-elicitation, photovoice, and critical participatory action research. Dr. Tee’ s work can be found in the Journal of Student Affairs in Africa, The Bulletin, The Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, and The Journal of Student Affairs. He ultimately hopes to become a university president of an HBCU. Dr. Tee is currently an Assistant Professor Educational Leadership, Policy, & Law.

Dr. Tee first fell in love with higher education while attending Alabama State University. There he was involved in several student organizations such as SGA, NAACP, Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, and the Golden Ambassadors. These student organizations afforded him the opportunity to serve others and allowed him to grow as a student, a leader, and a Black man.

In 2011, he founded Unite Inc., a nonprofit that helps connect high school students to HBCUs and HBCU students to opportunities. Unite has assisted its high school seniors accumulate over $40.2 million in scholarships. They have been accepted to over 750 universities across the nation. Dr. Tee is also a proven fundraiser and has raised over $2.5 million for the organization since 2015. But he didn’t stop there; Dr. Smith has led fundraising alumni efforts for the Office of Alumni Relations at Alabama State University that resulted in bringing in over $448,000 since 2021.

Travis has received multiple accolades and awards, such as two City of Lafayette Proclamations, Mentor of the Year by 100 Black Men of America, a UCEA Jackson Scholar Award, an SREB Doctoral Scholar Fellowship, named a member of the 50 under 50 at Alabama State University, the 2018 Clemson College of Education Award of Excellence in Service Outreach, and the 2018 Alabama State University Achievement Award, named citizen of the year by the Kappa Gamma Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi, 2021 UFBlack History Month Trailblazer, named an honorary member of Chi Sigma Alpha, and 2024 outstanding faculty for outreach award at Auburn University.