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We may not always know how we impact someone. But when it comes to Dr. Lisa Smelser, newly appointed executive director of workforce strategic initiatives at Central Carolina Community College, it doesn’t take much digging to uncover the important role she’s played in many lives.
“I can say that our encounter was life changing – for my family and future generations to come in my family,” said Tina Riley, Central Carolina Community College graduate. “She has the power to change lives. I’m a living example of that.”
Smelser is the recipient of this year’s N.C. Community College System (NCCCS) excellence in teaching award, an award that recognizes outstanding faculty members who exemplify the highest quality of instruction and make significant contributions to the system. Smelser most recently served as the biotechnology chair for Central Carolina, dedicating her career to educating students and creating strong workforce development partnerships in biotechnology.
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Relationships matter
Smelser is someone who creates a supportive learning environment, both inside and outside the classroom. A champion for students, Smelser helps them connect with industry professionals, makes sure they have quality hands-on experiences, and provides various learning opportunities to aid in their success.
She’s also kind.
Riley said it was Smelser’s readiness to help and encouragement that transformed her family’s socioeconomic status. Smelser has the ability to see the potential in students, even when they can’t see it in themselves, Riley said. Smelser’s encouragement is what helped Riley strive to not only complete her BioWorks certificate but to continue on and obtain her associate degree in bioprocessing technology.
But Smelser’s impact didn’t stop there.
Riley’s daughter is graduating in May with her high school diploma, BioWorks certificate, and diploma in bioprocessing and is well on her way to completing her associate degree in bioprocessing technology. That’s all due to Smelser sparking something within her, Riley said.
If you ask Smelser about her work as an educator, she’ll tell you that relationships matter. Smelser referenced a quote from Belk Center’s Dr. Emily VanZoest that faculty members’ relationships with students determine the extent to which they succeed. It’s a sentiment that is at the core of who Smelser is and how she engages.
Kita Williams, a former student of Smelser, remarked that it’s because of Smelser that she was able to push her own boundaries and succeed in ways she didn’t know were possible.
“Her impact extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the careers and aspirations of those fortunate enough to learn from her,” Williams said.
Fostering strategic partnerships and relationships
Smelser is quick to point out that it is just as important to foster relationships outside the classroom.
Central Carolina President Dr. Lisa Chapman said in a press release that Smelser has an artful skill in working with employer partners – evidenced in the rebirth and success of the college’s biotech programming.
“She knows how important it is that our educational pathways are truly career pathways that directly connect and prepare our students to work with the employers we serve,” Chapman said.
Her ability to connect students to employers was the most repeated comment from Smelser’s former students.
Central Carolina graduate Darlene Smith said Smelser introduced her to people in the biotechnology industry, helping her gain employment at an expanding pharmaceutical company. Smith also said Smelser was the reason she completed her program at Central Carolina even though she wanted to quit on several occasions. Smith is now pursuing a degree at East Carolina University.
Smelser’s reach extends far beyond the classroom. She has played a key role in securing numerous grants and partnerships, including a $25 million U.S. Economic Development Administration Build Back Better N.C. Biotech Center grant. The grant aims to “expand training and job opportunities in life sciences manufacturing, particularly targeting underserved and historically excluded populations across North Carolina,” a press release says.
Smelser also led the N.C. Biotechnology Alignment Project, a project focused on aligning and standardizing biotechnology programs across the state’s community colleges.
“Our goal was to structurally align our programs so that we had much more flexibility for students to transfer from college to college,” Smelser said. “We also wanted to make sure that it made sense for students in our industry. So, we began with the end in mind knowing that most of our students were going to be manufacturing associates or lab technicians.”
Meghan Brown, vice president of advancement and operations at Central Carolina, said Smelser’s “unselfish devotion to her students, colleagues, and the broader community is evident in her proactive efforts to build industry partnerships, secure equipment donations, and create job opportunities for students.”
Looking toward the future
Earlier this year, Smelser was named Central Carolina’s executive director of workforce strategic initiatives.
Smelser will no doubt use the same unwavering dedication in her new role. In fact, Smelser will be applying the alignment project model and ideas to maintenance technician spaces.
We know advanced manufacturing is booming, Smelser said, and there is concern about the maintenance pipeline, something she hopes to mitigate in the future.
Smelser said they won’t be copying the biotechnology model exactly, but they’ll use lessons learned to ensure they have industry alignment with short-term credits. They’ll also make sure that students receive credit toward their degree for credentials earned in short-term training programs.
“It’s really about the full pathway alignment within the education space,” Smelser added.
As for winning the award and reflecting on her experiences thus far, Smelser says she can’t help but think of all the collaborative work she’s been able to do at Central Carolina and beyond.
“I absolutely love and thrive in a place where we can come together and help each other,” Smelser said. “I think that’s why North Carolina has been so successful in the workforce space lately, especially in biotech.”
Smelser said she will always be grateful for being part of someone’s success story.
“We are there to help people be better versions of themselves,” she said. “For me, that’s really a value proposition, so that when I’m in the classroom, I think about how I can help or support this person in taking that next step forward.”
There’s no question that throughout Smelser’s career she has helped a number of students take the next step forward.
“I am deeply grateful for her guidance, and I have no doubt that her contributions will continue to leave a lasting legacy,” Central Carolina graduate Kita Williams said.
Smelser, along with the other 2025 excellence awards winners, will be honored at a celebration dinner on April 3, 2025.
