Eastern Oklahoma State College, Press Release, Long Time Athletic Director Accepts Post In Arizona

Eastern Oklahoma State College Athletic Director Jerry Smith has resigned from the Wilburton college to take a position as athletic director at Arizona Western College in Yuma, AZ.

Smith, who has been at Eastern for more than 29 years, says he is looking forward to the challenge.

He said he is to be at the new job in Yuma Jan. 3.

Arizona Western College is a two-year college with an enrollment of more than 6,000 students. The college has a number of athletic programs including men’s and women’s basketball, softball and baseball as does Eastern but Smith says they also offer women’s volleyball, men’s soccer and football.

He said the school is a member of the Arizona Conference Region I and includes portions of Washington, Oregon, Montana, Nevada and Arizona.

“Yes,” he said. “It will be a challenge.”

But challenge is not a new venture for Smith.

Since July he has served as Athletic Director and Special Assistant to the President at Eastern where he acted as a consultant to the President and Director of Development in areas of the Eastern Alumni Association and the Eastern Development Foundation.

From 1995 until July he served as Athletic Director, Vice-President of Student Services, Director of Development and the Alumni Association. Smith was responsible for a five-sport athletic program, directed the student services program including student activities, resident housing and discipline issues.

During that time Smith designed, implemented and directed a capital campaign, “Vision 2000,” in which the college was successful in raising $3.3 million for the Development Foundation. A portion of those funds were to finance the Wanda Bass Building on the McAlester campus.

As Athletic director Smith said he has “assembled and mentored a coaching staff that has won six conference championships, three regional championships and earned three appearances in NJCAA national tournaments. Recently, he was instrumental in remodeling a wellness and fitness center in the Claude C. Dunlap Field House and an indoor hitting facility for baseball and softball teams on the Wilburton campus.

Smith “directed and completed the renovation of a baseball facility now considered the best playing surface of any two-year school in Oklahoma. We successfully completed with a limited budget a new softball complex considered one of the premier facilities in the conference.”

From 1987 until 1995 Smith served as Director of Development, Registrar and Director of Admissions at Eastern. During that time, Smith managed the Office of the Registrar, Admissions, Student Recruitment, Counseling, Testing and Placement.

He was challenged to create a Development Office and a supporting foundation as well as organize the alumni association.

“We organized and implemented the Eastern Oklahoma State College Foundation with formal bylaws, policy and procedures manual and an investment policy. To date, the foundation has raised over $10 million for the college and students.

“We were able to develop a scholarship program from no recipients in 1988 to 350 student recipients in 2003 with expenditures of over $350,000 going to the students.

“The Foundation now has over $1.5 million in scholarship endowment funds for future students.”

Smith served as Assistant Athletic Director, Men’s Basketball Coach and HPER instructor at Eastern from 1984 until 1987. He did not coach basketball from 1979 to 1984 but was a HPER instructor and Assistant Athletic Director. He was men’s basketball coach and instructor from 1975 until 1979.

He began his higher education experience at Murray State College, Tishomingo, in 1974 as an instructor and men’s basketball coach.

He received his Associate of Science from Eastern; Bachelor of Science from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, and Masters of Education from Southeastern.

He has also been active in community and athletic officiating while at Eastern. Smith served as president of the Wilburton Lions Club, member of the Latimer County Economic Development Board and Latimer County Farm Bureau Board.

Smith has served as a board member for the Oklahoma Officials Association and president of that board. He is a referee for Lone Star Conference NCAA II football, State Coordinator for Southeast Oklahoma Football Officials, NJCAA Region II Director and National Chairman Division II Baseball. He has officiated at the NAIA National Football Championship games and State High School Football Championship games.