CV Sections
Teaching Experience
Linda S. Smarzik
Professional Summary
Experienced administrator with a demonstrated history of exemplary work in higher education, particularly in leadership, strategic planning, marketing, team building, career services, management, and on-going improvement through data utilization for traditional, online, and hybrid education. Skilled at developing and implementing a culture of collaborative innovation and transformation while building trust through meaningful and equitable partnerships that include administration, faculty, staff, industry, and the community, both nationally and internationally.
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Work History
Dean, Computer Science and Information Technology, November, 2017 to Current
Austin Community College District – Austin, Texas
Provides leadership in developing, implementing, assessing, and maintaining traditional and online education curriculum and programs that respond to community needs for the division of Computer Science and Information Technology (CSIT). Serves over 3,400 enrollments and 100 faculty and staff and manages a budget in excess of $6.5M. Provides ultimate administrative oversight for all aspects of academic life within the area of study, including strategic planning, fiscal management, marketing, team building, curricular changes, personnel development, academic programs, and student enrollment. Meets the external requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).
- Increased enrollment and contact hours by five to ten percent per semester (since 2015) through innovative strategy combined with data utilization, marketing, and teambuilding to restructure several degrees, certificates, and coursework into an online, accelerated environment. In spite of COVID-19, due to ongoing strategic recruitment, enrollment for the CSIT area is up over 6% while the college as a whole is down 3%. Increased declared majors to 2,825 or 13.32% from 2018 to 2019.
- Increased completion rates over 24% since 2015 through the formation of new initiatives such as the Accelerated Programmer Training Program (online, competency-based education), Women in IT, the Information Technology Institute (eight-week, hybrid, block scheduling), the App ACCelerator: Austin Can Code (high school academy), and the IT Apprenticeship Leadership Academy.
- Spearheading a Digital Fluency Certificate built as an adaptive, online/hybrid competency-based education platform in collaboration with Student Affairs, Continuing Education, Adult Education, the Teaching and Learning Excellence division and on a national level, Lumen Learning, Carnegie Mellon, the Aspen Institute, and DigitalUS. Designed and led team to develop the certificate as an online/hybrid, short-term, stackable, four-course, Occupational Skills Award (OSA), to provide underserved students with an elastic and economical means to acquire essential digital, workforce competencies.
- Authored a successful 80-page application to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for a new online Bachelor of Applied Science in Software Development. Led the development for a new advisory committee, recruitment and acceptance processes, and distance-learning, competency-based education curriculum. The BAS degree launched Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 with 57 new students. Overseeing the seamless pathway articulation agreement to the Master’s in Information Systems at Texas A&M
Central Texas. - Grant Lead for a Department of Labor grant ($1.5M), Texas is IT, to train and place each of 350 students into an Information Technology apprenticeship. Apprentices in the IT Apprenticeship Leadership Academy work 20 to 40 hours a week, for one to two years while utilizing online Related Technical Training through the Accelerated Programmer Training program. Apprentices acquire additional job seeking skills through an online Digital Strategies for Today’s Jobs and ongoing industry panel discussions. Spearheading the sponsorship of ACC becoming a Registered Apprenticeship site for four IT occupations: Software Development, Programming, Networking, and Computer User Support. Partnering with three other community colleges in Texas combined with IBM, Apple, Cisco, and Dell.
- As grant lead, spearheaded the comeback of an inherited, out of compliance (last place within the nation) Social Innovation Fund grant (1.2M). The grant took part in a federal impact study and created high impact interventions to prevent women 50 and older from sliding into poverty. Built a hybrid/online model to deliver and teach digital skills to over 75% of the participants who were ineligible for today’s jobs. After two years of leading the team, the college went from last to first in the nation, exceeding an aggressive set of deliverables for recruitment and employment of women. Due to the success of the grant, the program, Digital Strategies for Today’s Jobs was sustained by college leadership and now serves a student body, ages 18 to 68 to integrate career preparation and support.
- Chaired multiple committees including most recently the CSIT Academic Master Plan - Area of Study committee and the Digital Fluency Initiative committee.
- Co-chaired Academic Master Plan for CSIT, 2021.
- Cross-Cohort Micro-credentialing: Digital Literacy Team, 2021.
- Provost’s Teaching Fellowship Committee, 2021.
- SACSCOC Decennial Reaffirmation Committee, 2021.
- Co-chair with Dean of Student Affairs for academic personnel to collaborate with Student
Affairs, 2019 – Present. - Equity in Adjunct Faculty Hiring Steering Committee, 2019 – Present.
- College-wide Technology Committee, 2004 – Present.
- Curriculum and Programs Committee, 2004 – 2018.
- Computer Studies Task Force, 2004 – Present.
- Provide or have provided mentorship for grants such as: Fast Track to Success, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board ($900,000), National Center for Women in Technology Learning Circles, NCWIT ($10,000), and the Texas Affordable Baccalaureate, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board ($187,000).
Dean, Computer Studies and Advanced Technology, October, 2003 to October, 2017
Austin Community College District – Austin, Texas
Provided leadership in developing, implementing, assessing, and maintaining curriculum and programs that responded to community needs for the division of Computer Studies and Advanced Technology (CSAT). Comprised of approximately 5,600 enrollments and 164 staff and faculty and managed a budget in excess of $11M. Provided ultimate administrative oversight for all aspects of academic life within Computer Studies and Advanced Technology, including strategic planning, fiscal management, marketing, team building, curricular changes, personnel development, academic programs, and student enrollment. Met the external requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The division consisted of Computer Science, Computer Information Technology, Visual Communication, Game Development, Animation, and Motion Graphics, GIS/Land Surveying, Architecture Engineering and Computer Aided Design, and Engineering Technology. Supervised, mentored, and evaluated five Department Chairs, two Directors,
and staff.
- Doubled the graduation rate by converting 41 traditional programming and networking courses into accelerated, distance-learning, competency-based education. Initiated a short-term Occupational Skills Award (four courses) that stacks into a certificate and two-year degree. Funded through a $2.1M Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant.
- Designed the IT Innovation Collaborative (now the Technology Venture Institute) an early-stage, innovation and entrepreneurship incubator that assists students, nationally and internationally, in the creation and launch of new companies that include IT, artificial intelligence, digital media, and architecture engineering and computer aided design. Funded through a bond election.
- Joint collaboration with Aarhus Business College in Aarhus, Denmark to teach over 70 faculty, staff, and administration, the tools for digital and online, interactive education. Aarhus faculty were able to convert and combine traditional coursework with an online educational component.
- Worked in tandem with the grants office to raise over $5M in funding for Computer Information Technology, Renewable Energy, Engineering Technology, and Visual Communication from federal, state, and local sources through collaboration with regional and national partners.
- Chaired a college-wide Distance Learning Task Force and authored a 70-page report making recommendations for organizational restructure and a new distance learning model to improve the student success rate. As a result, a new position was created, converting a Director of Distance Learning into that of a Dean of Distance Learning. The position is now an Associate Vice President.
- Joint collaboration with sister city – Hackney Community College, London, England – to build three competitive, working teams comprised of students from Hackney Community College and Austin Community College. Each team met online for three months culminating in a “pitch” of an innovative idea at South by Southwest for one of three clients: British Airways, Retail Me Not, and Adobe.
- Organized and galvanized faculty and administrators for a college-wide initiative from three Areas of Study to strategize and plan for the Digital and Creative Media Center (125,000 new square feet) that opened Spring 2021 inside a converted mall. Funded through a bond election.
- Due to the success rates of women in distance education through the Accelerated Programmer Training program, designed and led a team to build an innovative Women in Information Technology program through a Breakthrough Models Incubator funded by the Gates Foundation. The effort has increased female enrollment from 17% (Fall 2014) to 38% (Fall 2020) to overcome under representation of women (23%) in the field of IT.
- Designed and oversaw the building of the Game Development Institute and Applied Game Lab consisting of five classrooms for 2-D Animation, 3-D Animation, Motion Graphics, and an inter-disciplinary classroom that included Computer Programming.
- Oversaw the development of new degrees: Cybersecurity, App Development: Coding and Design (online), Data Science (online), and Architectural Design (online).
- Initiated the process to be designated as a Center of Academic Excellence - Two Year (CAE2Y) in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO) which supports Cybersecurity Education to broaden the pool of skilled workers capable of supporting a cyber-secure nation.
Program Coordinator/Department Chair, Visual Communication,
Austin Community College District – Austin, Texas
September, 2002 to October, 2003
Provided leadership, strategic planning, team building, and implementation for the department of Visual Communication, comprised of approximately 1,200 enrollments and 50 staff and faculty. Managed a budget in excess of $2M. Oversaw development and quality of programs in Graphic Design, Web Design, 2-D Animation, 3-D Animation, Game Design, and Printing.
- Planned and oversaw team that implemented the first eight distance learning courses for not only Visual Communication but the college as well.
- Orchestrated and designed the conversion of an outdated printing department into the Game Development Institute.
- Creation and implementation of a new game development degree.
- Restructured multiple degree plans into one-degree plan with a core curriculum that encompassed several specializations.
Assistant Program Coordinator, Visual Communication
Austin Community College District – Austin, Texas
September, 2001 to August, 2002
- Assisted Program Coordinator for the department of Visual Communication with multiple duties such as project management, marketing, and board member representation.
Assistant Professor
Austin Community College District – Austin, Texas
September, 2000 to August, 2003
- Taught and wrote curricula for all upper division courses.
- Students have won over 150 local, regional, national, and international awards.
Adjunct Faculty of Visual Communication and 2-D Animation
Austin Community College District – Austin, Texas
September, 2004 to Present
- Instruct students in online and traditional courses such as Design Concepts (problem solving), Type Design, Design One and Two, Web Design, Portfolio Development, and Digital Painting and Background Design for 2-D Animation.
Education
Master of Science: Brain-Based Teaching and Learning, Nova Southeastern University - Davie, Florida.
Bachelor of Science: Commercial Art, Texas State University - San Marcos, Texas.
Other Education
Executive Leadership Institute (ELI), League for Innovation in the Community College, 2021.
Quality Matters: Applying the Quality Matters Rubric – 2021.
Awards
- The League for Innovation, Innovation of the Year Award, 2018.
- Administrator of the Year at Austin Community College, 2017.
- John and Suanne Roueche Award, The League for Innovation, 2017.
- The STAR Award, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2017.
- Adjunct Faculty Award of Excellence at Austin Community College.
Volunteer
- Austin City Organizer, Co-lead a group of twenty plus volunteers to host and fund raise ($15,000 per year) for a yearly, three-day, international event visited by thousands of participants. Build and manage all online, outreach and social media components such as Eventbrite, Go Fund Me, a WordPress website, a Facebook group, and Facebook advertising.
- Caritas International, Serve food to those in need.
- EAT Outreach, Volunteer to pick up out-of-date bread from grocery stores and deliver to those in need.
- GoMata, Working with a team to build strategy and outreach for an organization based in India to protect the Brahmi cows. Working on initial stages of a documentary.
Selected Publications, Presentations, and Panels
- April, 2021. “The Imperative for Digital Fluency in Today’s Jobs.” Texas Association of College Technical Educators, (Competency Based, Adaptive, Online and Hybrid Education).
- July, 2020. “Accelerated Programmer Training Program.” League for Innovation, Volume: 15. Number: 7. Innovation Showcase, (Competency Based, Online Education).
- Fast Track to Success Conference, June 2020. “Addressing the Critical Need for Digital Fluency Skills to Meet Today’s Workforce Demands,” (Competency Based, Adaptive, Online and Hybrid Education).
- NCWE Conference, October 2019, “Addressing Greying America’s Hidden Technology Crisis.”
- League for Innovations Conference, February 2019, “Building a Competency-Based Education Model for Graying America’s Technology Crisis.”
- National Science Foundation, Authentic Inclusion of Community Colleges in Broadening Participation, January 2018, Panelist, “Equity for Women in IT.”
- Fast Track to Success Conference, June 2018, “Looking Forward to CBE & Innovation in Higher Education,” (Competency Based, Online Education).
- Workforce Development Institute, American Association of Community Colleges, February 2019, “Women’s Economic Stability Initiative Report.”
- Livability for Longevity Symposium, 2017, Panelist, “The Significance of Austin’s Aging Workforce.”
- SIGCSE Conference (Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education), March 2016, “Competency Based Education (CBE) in Community Colleges.”
- TABLab, February 2016, “Recruitment and Admissions for Competency Based Education.”
- TABLab, February 2016, “Plenary Session: Developing a Competency Based program: Lessons Learned from the Texas Trenches.”
- Workforce One Webinar, December 2015, “Implementing Effective Acceleration Strategies Virtual Institute: Competency-Based Education: A New Approach to Acceleration.”
- CBE4CC Conference, June 2015, “State and Campus Challenges and Opportunities.”
- CBE4CC Conference, June 2015, “Competency Based Orientation Courses.”
- CBE4CC Conference, June 2015, “Academic Planning and Strategies.”
- Educause, January 2014, “National Initiatives in Competency-Based Education: Progress and Lessons.”
- Educause, January 2013, “Lessons in Competency-Based Education Program Development.”
- SXSW Interactive, March 2012, Panelist, “Educating the Future of Austin Technology.
- National Institute for Staff and Organization Development (NISOD), March 2011. “Dealing with Student Procrastination and Perfectionism.”
- Game On! Texas, 2010, Panelist, “State of Game Development Education in Texas from the Postsecondary Viewpoint.”
- Case District IV Conference: Pushing the Limits, 2010, “Unraveling the Process of Creativity.”
- Same -Tec Conference, July 2008, Panelist, “Technical Programs: Here to Stay or Too Expensive to Maintain.”
- National Council for Workforce Education, 2008, “Game On: The Game Development Institute.”
- National Council for Workforce Education, 2009, “Multi-disciplinary Programs.”
- MATEC Networks, Webinar, 2007, Panelist, “Technical Programs: Here to Stay or Too Expensive to Maintain.”
- Workforce Consortium for Emerging Technologies, 2007, Keynote Speaker, “Nanotechnology in Austin.”
Grant Collaborations
- Grant Lead - Texas is IT (TXIT), Department of Labor Apprenticeship grant. Funding is $1.5M for
2019-2023.
- Provide Leadership and Mentoring - National Center for Women in Technology Learning Circles for Austin Community College’s Women in IT, 2020-2021. Funding is $10,000 for 2020.
- Provide Leadership and Mentoring - Fast Track to Success, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Carl Perkins Leadership grant for CBE. Funding was $900,000 for 2016-2020.
- Provide Leadership and Mentoring - Texas Affordable Baccalaureate, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Carl Perkins Leadership grant. Funding was $187,000 for 2017-2018.
- Grant Lead - AARP Back to Work 50+. Funding was $1.2M for 2016-2018.
- Grant Lead - Department of Labor, TAACCCT Grant, Accelerated Programmer Training Program.
Funding was $2.1M for 2012-2016. - Grant Lead - Breakthrough Models Incubator, Gates Foundation, Women in Information Technology.
Funding was $50,000 for 2014-2015. - Co-PI - National Science Foundation (NSF), Texas Energy Institute, Planning grant, Co-PI,
Funding was $70,000 for 2011-2012.
- Co-Lead - Texas Comptroller, Jobs and Education for Texans, (JET). Funding was approximately $80,000 for 2010.
- Co-Lead - Energy Sector Training Grant, State Energy Conservation Office, (SECO).
Funding was approximately $70,000 for 2010.
- Co-Lead - Preparing Occupations for Lineman Education, Department of Energy.
Funding was approximately $100,000 for 2010. - Co-PI - Work Ready Electronics (WRE) with MATEC, National Science Foundation. Funding was $70,000 for 2005.