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Esteemed Speaker

Phillip Smith

Assistant Dean for Student Basic Needs

  • Rutgers University

Full Bio


Phillip Smith is the inaugural Assistant Dean for Student Basic Needs at Rutgers University. Prior to his work at Rutgers, Phillip has served in Student Activities roles at Wichita State, the University of Tennessee, Georgia State and Temple. Phillip was a student-athlete at Shaw University. He received a master’s from the University of Akron and his Ed.D. from Temple where his dissertation received national recognition: The Struggle is Real: How African American College Students Persist Despite Basic Needs Challenges.