by Isabelle Camoin ’26 on January 22, 2026
News
Before winter break, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Providence College’s Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Thomas Smith. I had written about our school’s previous Provost last spring before Smith’s official arrival. Meeting in person was much more exciting and getting to know the Provost led me to feel our Office of Academic Affairs is in good hands. Smith humbly introduced himself to me first as a political theory professor and joyfully described that he is lucky to be the Provost of the College.
The Provost, for those who are unfamiliar, is the Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer. The Provost meets with the President’s Cabinet about curriculum and academic quality, ensuring they are worthy of the students and that the faculty are flourishing.
Smith has an extensive background in academia, particularly in Catholic education and higher education. After receiving his bachelor’s degree at Georgetown University, he also earned a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. Smith worked at Villanova University for 27 years, where he helped found their Catholic Studies program. Beginning in 2020, Smith served as the Dean at Catholic University for five years. Overall, he has been working in higher education for 35 years. He described his work as a vocational career dedicated to young people flourishing, in both education and in their private lives.
For Smith, education is as John Henry Newman puts it: “Mind meeting mind, heart meeting heart.” To begin his introduction to Providence College, Smith embarked on what he noted as a listening tour—listening in on and engaging with about 80–90 faculty members of the school. He found that the faculty here at PC “have a deep abiding affection for their students.” Meeting with Smith, it is clear that he cares about his work and the people he works with. Smith explained that he was inspired by a teaching workshop he attended where a beloved mentor shared a 30-second guide to what is most important in education. He began to choke up when sharing the words he most remembered, “Teach what you love, in a place you love, to people you love.”
Smith met his wife during his time in undergrad at Georgetown. They fell in love and attended Notre Dame together. She works in psychology. Both have many publications in their field. If you walk into Smith’s office, you will find photos of his wife and his family, a testament to his care and affection for those who he cherishes. Smith and his wife have three children, one girl and two boys.
In his free time, Smith loves to read biographies, historical fiction, and political theory. He also loves to travel, cook, and “even though you probably couldn’t tell,” workout. He also enjoys fixing things through construction and engaging in electrical manual labor. He noted that his father-in-law kindly showed him basic car repair after getting married, and that kind of work developed from there.
Moving from Washington, D.C., Smith still noted that Providence has lots of great restaurants and great art and that he has been warming up to the city.
Smith wanted to leave students with something he claims to always share, “If looking for yourself, find something to devote yourself to and to love, and the paradox is you will find yourself.”