Q: You were appointed President/CEO of Pittsburgh Technical College in 2019. What were your goals and priorities when you accepted your position? Did they have an immediate impact?
AHS: As the first president since the college became non-profit, my immediate goals surrounded positioning the institution for greater operational and student success, helping our college community to understand the impact of the transition, reintroducing the college to our community, and leading the creation of a strategy planning process and plan that set the stage for Pittsburgh Technical College’s next chapter.  

With the full support of the Board of Trustees, I was able to establish prior to my arrival on campus, strategic planning metrics that serves as the framework for my leadership and the institution’s direction.

I immediately set key institutional priorities and strategic directions to drive transformation. This allowed for the implementation of a financial sustainability strategy to expand the college’s focus on alternative streams of revenue in order to sufficiently reduce the sole reliance on tuition revenue, as national projections indicated a continuing decline in traditional student enrollment. 

The entire college community was invited to participate in the strategic planning process through Strategic Taskforces and coordinated staff engagement for each strategic direction, resulting in the publication of a five-year strategic plan which was unanimously approved by our Board of Trustees.

These goals have had an immediate impact to the organization’s culture, infrastructure, and efficiency, and led to establishing the college’s first Corporate College, first Health and Wellness and Fitness Center, being selected by US News & World Report in a few areas including Best Regional College and securing more than $1 million in three National Science Foundation Grants.  

Q: What attracted you to apply for this position at PTC?
AHS: PTC was in search of a leader who could help them embark on a new landscape as a non-profit college. Having more than 25 years of successful executive level experience in higher education, a Ph.D., appropriate training, and presidential credentials and having served successfully in previous presidential or comparable posts, I was positioned to lead PTC into the future.

I was ultimately recruited to enter the search due to my history of transforming colleges and building high performing organizations and teams. After researching PTC, it became clear that I was ideally suited to assume the presidency.  

PTC has a rich history of student success spanning 75 years with consistently high in-field placement rates, providing a good foundation from which to build. The vision was clear to me that, with the right leadership, planning and culture, PTC was destined to become an educator of choice in technical and applied education, serve as a premiere pipeline to fill middle skills careers and to fuel economic development in the region and beyond. 

When I interviewed and met with representatives throughout all departments, it was evident that PTC has something very special and hard to find in many places – a culture that I’ve come to refer to as “The PTC Magic.”

Q: Can you tell us about the programs, degrees and certificates a student can earn?
AHS: At Pittsburgh Technical College students have the option to earn short-term certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor’s in science degrees. We have more than thirty programs available through ten Academic Schools including Business, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Design and Engineering Technology, Energy and Electronics Technology, Healthcare, Hospitality, Information Systems and Technology, Nursing, and Trades Technology. 

Study is available during the day, evening, or fully online. We are also developing the Pittsburgh Technical Corporate College division to support certifications and on-going training for our region’s workforce. 

Q: What are the major challenges and opportunities that universities will face in the future, and how will you position PTC to make a difference?
AHS: The primary challenges, particularly after COVID, for colleges and universities will surround access to education and technology for students disproportionately impacted due to the pandemic. Other challenges involve finding innovative ways to address affordability, as more families question higher education’s return on investment.

PTC is well-positioned for the future as a result of its comprehensive strategic plan that expands access to technology to all student groups and addresses affordability, by awarding grants, scholarships and financial aid to all students who qualify. 

Issues of enrollment, programmatic relevance and alignment with careers will be reoccurring challenges, as many prospective students see numerous opportunities to earn competitive wages without a degree and are hesitant to accumulate debt without assurance of employment. PTC has more than 300 Business and Industry Advisory Board members– who hire interns and graduates and inform curriculum development. 

PTC requires internships, clinicals, or capstone projects in all degree programs and several certificates, helping assure our graduates have experience and are ready to contribute to the workforce immediately upon graduation. 

Q: How did PTC deal with Covid-19 during 2020 under your leadership?  
AHS: I had barely been on campus 9 months when we were forced to evacuate due to COVID-19. We were able to quickly and effectively evacuate and only lost three days of classes while our faculty and staff prepared to transition to fully remote work and teaching. 

Our IT department had us well-prepared to work remotely and we were able to reassign the duties of employees whose day-to-day tasks did not translate to the remote environment. Our COVID-19 Task Force began meeting in January 2020 and continued to meet virtually daily to discuss concerns and to develop a Return to Campus plan. 

I appointed a COVID-19 Administrator to the President’s Cabinet serve as the lead to follow the science, create protocols, and track campus progression and develop a comprehensive return to campus strategy and plan.

We were one of the first colleges in the region to welcome a portion of our student body back to campus, focusing primarily on the applied education essential to satisfying their graduation requirements. We gradually increased the number of students on campus and expect that all on-ground students will be back on campus with the start of the October 2021 quarter. Our full Return to Campus plan can be viewed on our website: https://publicsafety.ptcollege.edu/return-to-campus-plan/

Q: How has education changed at PTC post-Pandemic? Do you feel there will be more changes?
AHS: PTC has grown exponentially during the pandemic with a new CAD manufacturing lab, increased dual enrollment opportunities with regional high schools, additional fully online programs in Computer Programming, Information Technology, Electronics, Graphic Design, Criminal Justice, and Multimedia, and successful grant applications. We’ve added an Education Outreach Coordinator to develop programming for students in grades 5 – 9, an Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and a Corporate College Division. 

The pandemic has prompted us to review the services available to our students and we’ve added a Virtual Student Union and will be opening an on-campus Student Health and Wellness Center this summer. The increased levels of anxiety that resulted from the pandemic led us to enhance accessibility to on-campus mental health services, and we have begun self-care seminars for both students and employees to attend. 

Of course, there will be more changes. We cannot achieve excellence with complacency. The Pandemic has been a tremendous opportunity to learn and improve. We developed a five-year strategic plan during the Pandemic and are well underway executing our strategic directions and objectives which include Expanding Access, Enabling Success and Skills for the Future, Aligning Workforce Demand and Curriculum Focus, Elevating Public and Private Partnerships, Enhancing Financial Stability and Stewardship, and Promoting a Culture of Excellence and Accountability. 

Q: What do you think are the most important attributes of a good instructor?
AHS: I believe it is essential for all leaders, whether leading a classroom, a committee, a business, or other organization, to have a very high level of emotional intelligence. This will enable greater levels of self-awareness which will help one self-regulate emotions and impulses, build stronger interpersonal relationships, and reduce the likelihood of impulsive and careless decisions.

Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to pursue a career as a teacher of higher education?
AHS: I have always viewed education and leadership as a “calling to serve.” This perspective provided me the opportunity to serve others as they discovered and, in some cases, rediscovered their gifts. Navigating Higher Education successfully requires persistence, passion, and patience with yourself and with those that you endeavor to teach and/or lead. 

My love of education emerged from the belief that education is the seed that grows hope and possibility. Throughout my journey, I have discovered leadership, more than anything else, contributes to success and effectiveness in both the classroom and boardroom.

Q: Were there moments in your career that were pivotal to getting where you are today?
AHS: Every leader has a story birthed from their individual journeys, and every journey begins with a set of beliefs. My journey was no different, and I was driven by the example and lessons learned from my mother. She believed and, therefore, I did too, that anything was possible, even if it appeared to be out of reach. This drive was key throughout my educational journey and provided solid footing in preparation for professional success. 

Q: Can you share with us some of the community work you’re involved in?
AHS: Since I arrived in Pittsburgh, my goal has been to establish PTC as an educator of choice for Technical Education in Western Pennsylvania, allowing it to become a pipeline to middle skills jobs and aiding in the economic development of the commonwealth. 

This includes increasing access to higher education to numerous underserved populations including foster youth, first generation adults, and academically talented youth with greater financial need. We’re working with several of our regional school districts on scholarship and dual enrollment initiatives, as well as a Two-Generational model to encourage the parents of interested high school students to consider higher education. Shortly after moving to Pennsylvania, I was invited by the Department of Education to participate in the Career Ready PA Coalition. I have been actively involved with the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education (PCHE), the Allegheny County Airport Authority, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, and I serve on the Board of Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures. 

Q: What are the best practices you have employed to build a successful career? 
AHS: I believe it is important to remember that each position throughout your career is equally important in laying the groundwork for future senior level positions. “Seek to bloom where you are planted” is a lesson I learned early on and continue to practice. It is so important not to skip steps and to enjoy the journey through every role and position held. Additionally, acquiring the appropriate credentialing throughout my career has enabled me to seize future opportunities.

Q: What is it about your job that most excites you?
AHS: This period in higher education is one of the most unprecedented in its history. It is continuously exciting to navigate, pivot, and lead PTC into a new, post-pandemic normal. In doing so, I must stress the importance of authenticity and transparency. I have always thought that authenticity is one of the most essential strategies to utilize to successfully navigate higher education. 

During all periods, particularly during periods of increased change and remote work as we have been dealing with since the beginning of the pandemic, my College Administration is committed to creating and maintaining high levels of transparency and communication. 

Q: What's your advice for women in male-dominated fields?
AHS: Throughout the years, I have been fortunate to have various mentors and individuals to motivate and inspire me. It is important to seek out mentors throughout your career, and to serve as a mentor to others. I think it is important for women to have diverse mentors in their lives, including male mentors who can provide unique insights, particularly in male-dominated fields.

Additionally, it is so important to understand that every journey comes with its share of challenges. Expect them, but assume a posture that no matter the challenge, you can overcome it. 

I have always believed that challenges are tests that come to teach important lessons. Remember, they are not an indicator of your worth. Stay focused on your plan and get the support that you need to move successfully through challenging times. 

Q: What's the greatest fear you've had to overcome to get where you are today?  
AHS: It was critically important for me to learn to be authentically and unapologetically myself, without fear. Authenticity is a source of strength and confidence and provides inspiration to others to embrace their authentic selves. Authenticity is an important characteristic of my leadership style and has aided in my success. I bring all my talents and interests as appropriate to the table. My love of literature, poetry, music, and writing are a part of who I am.  

Q: Can you tell our audience one of your most memorable moments your career?
AHS: I have had many memorable moments over the course of my career, however, one of the most memorable was my entering the search for the presidency of Pittsburgh Technical College and the overwhelming response of those who I met throughout the process. 

The most exciting and memorable moment involved the announcement of my appointment by the Board of Trustees at an open forum to the full college community. It was conducted like a great reveal as the college was provided no information on the final selection after they had provided feedback on the final candidates. 

When my husband and I entered the room, the audience leaped to their feet, clapping and some crying with excitement. It was amazing and nothing that I had ever experienced previously. I later learned that I was the selected unanimously by the college community and subsequently unanimously by the Board of Trustees. I will never forget that moment.

Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience?
AHS: Leadership in not only the position that you hold, but it is also everything about you. We are all leaders and can influence positive change. No matter the position, one must model excellence and accountability. Organizations will always succeed or fail based upon leadership; therefore, it is vital that leaders strategically build a community that is committed to a shared vision and align its resources to achieve it. 

Q: Which woman inspires you and why? 
AHS: I continue to be inspired by my mother Zelma Marie Harvey, who passed away in April 2006. Through her quiet strength and tremendous faith, she taught lessons of love, compassion, and servant leadership. She modeled selflessness, cared deeply for others, and was committed to providing a solid foundation from which her children could build. 

Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today?
AHS: Lack of support is a significant challenge. Whether personally from family, a spouse, or friends; or professionally from management and coworkers, women are often confronted with obstacles not experienced by their male counterparts. Unsupportive supervisors have taught me to never give up and the importance of persevering under-pressure and the value of compassionate and caring leadership to improving performance.

Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace?
AHS: Determine how you want to show up in the world, prepare and show up. Model excellence in all that you do and always be authentic!

Q: After high school, where did you feel your career path would take you?  
AHS: I attended Western Senior High School in Baltimore, MD. The oldest all girl’s college preparatory high school in the nation, founded in 1844. After high school, I thought my career path would lead me into a career in Business, Psychology and or Law.

Q: Can you tell us how you manage your work life balance?
AHS: I’m focused and dedicated to my profession and balancing it can be difficult. However, I recognize the importance of committing that same level of dedication to myself in order to continue to be the best person and leader I can be. Every day I make time for meditation and reading, and, as often as possible, I make time to write. 

While I’ve authored several academic works, I have also published “Eclectic Insights,” a collection of poems, essays, short stories, and motivational and inspirational thoughts. I am also very fortunate to have a wonderful and supportive husband, Major Donald Wayne Smith, who reminds me of the need for balance and quiet walks.

Q: What would be the title of your autobiography?
AHS: Against the Odds – Forge Forward

34 Things About Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith

1. If you could share a meal with any 4 individuals, living or dead, who would they be? 
Maya Angelou, Barack Obama, Robin Williams, Zelma M. Harvey (Mother)

2. What's your favorite family tradition?    
Impromptu Gatherings and Random Celebrations

3. What celebrity would you like to meet at Starbucks for a cup of coffee?               
Oprah

4. What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?                  
Listen to Music 

5. Who is the most fascinating person you’ve ever met?                            
Mae C. Jemison

6. What was the last book you really got into? 
Higher Education on The Brink-Reimagining Strategic 

Enrollment Management in Colleges and Universities: Alicia B. Harvey-Smith, Ph.D.

7. What’s the most amazing adventures have you’ve ever been on? 
Cruise South America

8. Among your friends, what are you best known for?            
Kindness, Music, Hard work

9. Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever been?                                    
Williamsburg, VA

10. What’s your favorite international food?    
Curry Chicken

11. Who is your favorite author?                     
Marianne Williamson

12. What’s your favorite app on your phone? 
My Fitness

13. Best and worst flavor ice cream?              
Vanilla/Butter Pecan

14. What TV shows did you watch when you were a kid?    
Carol Burnett, All in Family, Green Acres and The Flintstones.

15. What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve done?          
Get Engaged/Married 37 Years

16. What’s your favorite quote or saying? 
Tomorrow Belongs to Those Who Prepare Today

17. Are you a morning person or a night owl?                      
Night Owl

18. What would your perfect vacation look like?                  
Aruba/Sleeping Late/Reading

19. Favorite Dessert?                                                           
Tiramisu

20. Favorite City?                                                                 
New York

21. Tell me about the best vacation you’ve ever taken.      
Aruba with Friends/Family

22. Do you read reviews, or just go with your gut?              
The Gut

23. What’s your big passion?                                               
Writing

24. What’s your signature drink?                                                               
Mimosa

25. What would you sing at Karaoke night?                                                  
Over The Rainbow

26. What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?                      
Volleyball

27. Have you ever met anyone famous? Who?                                         
Patti Labelle

28. Which of the five senses would you say is your strongest?                 
Taste

29.If you could go back in time to change one thing, what would it be?   
Slavery

30. What were you like in high school?              
Studious / Focused

31. What would your perfect Saturday be like?  
Sleep Late / Visit Spa

32. Would you rather cook or order in?              
Order In

33. What was your favorite subject in school?   
English

34. Cake or pie?   
Cake