News Article

Wayne Smith Presents 'A Life in Washington' at FSW

Mar 30, 2015

Florida SouthWestern State College’s Critical Thinking in Careers Lecture Series will host Wayne Smith’s “A Life in Washington” from 1-2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31.

The event is free and open to the public. Smith’s lecture will be live on the Lee Campus in the Carl & Diana Grissom Community Room (AA-177), as well as simulcast onto other FSW locations: the Collier campus in M-201, the Charlotte campus in E-105, and the Hendry-Glades center in A-106.

“What I’m trying to impart to the students and the community is all of the various anecdotal stories that came out of my 50 years in Washington, D.C.,” said Smith. “They all apply to aspects of critical thinking that these students will need when they graduate.”

As part of the Critical Thinking in Careers Lecture Series, Cornerstone professors have been inviting community leaders to speak to classes on how critical thinking is used in their respective professions. First year students at FSW are enrolled in the Cornerstone Experience, a course designed to help them transition into college life and teach the critical thinking skills needed for academics and life.

“Through participation in this series, we hope that students will be able to learn more about careers of interest, while also analyzing a relevant application of critical thinking,” said Eileen DeLuca, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs at FSW. “It’s also an opportunity for students to make connections with and learn from the successes of the leaders in our community.”

For 50 years, Smith served as President of the Wayne Smith Company in Washington, D.C. He established and managed major trade associations in the fields of education, transportation and health, including the United Motor Coach Association (UMA), National Limousine Association (NLA), International Spa Association (SPA), and the International Fitness Association (IFA). Both the SPA and IFA have since evolved into international associations.

Smith was invited to speak to students by the FSW Foundation, which partners with the Cornerstone program to organize its exceptional programming.

“There are those who educate students through their art or journalism in the subject of critical thinking, with the hope students will see the world through a new set of lenses; and there are those like Wayne Smith who achieve greatness through the free enterprise system, who engage life as a reflective free thinking practitioner and who can transform and improve the social conditions of the world and community we live in,” said Dr. Louis Traina, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at FSW.

Through critical thinking and his belief in the free enterprise system, Smith is able to tackle very difficult issues in both healthcare and education, said Traina.

Earlier this year Smith provided the FSW Athletics Booster Club with its very first contribution. He currently serves as President of the Estero Community Improvement Foundation and a Trustee for the Smith Family Foundation. 

For more information about the Cornerstone Speaker Series, visit www.FSW.edu/fye/cornerstone.

About the FSW Foundation:

Since 1966, the Florida SouthWestern State College Foundation has been enhancing the quality of higher education for FSW students and faculty. The FSW Foundation has awarded $1.2 million for student scholarships and $700,000 in academic support to the college annually since 2011. The Foundation’s focus is attracting and managing private contributions from individuals, organizations, businesses and other private foundations to support the college’s mission. To learn more about the non-profit, tax-exempt FSW Foundation or to make a gift, visit foundation.fsw.edu. 

About FSW:

Florida SouthWestern State College is Southwest Florida’s largest and one of the most affordable institutions of higher education. Annually serving more than 22,000 students globally, FSW offers a variety of nationally-ranked, career-focused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees, and professional certifications. Students are also active in clubs and programs catered to their interests. FSW will debut its intercollegiate athletics program in the fall 2015. Visit www.FSW.edu for more information.

Last Updated: June 11, 2015