Dr. Arthur Smith, known as Artie by his colleagues and students, studied history and Africana Studies as an undergraduate in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University, where he graduated cum laude and with distinction in all subjects. He continued his education at Duke University, where he earned his MA and Ph.D. in history. Returning to Cornell, Artie served as an assistant director of admissions in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and was the athletics liaison between the seven different admissions offices at Cornell and the university's 36 varsity teams. He then spent nine years as an admissions and advising dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, where he chaired admissions committees and guided hundreds of students through the college's curriculum.

Smith's unique journey in higher education has also been defined by a highly successful 23 years of coaching track and field and cross country at the Division I level (Duke and Cornell).

A nationally recognized distance coach at Cornell from 1999-2019, he worked with 19 All-Americans, 31 Ivy League champions, and 12 Eastern champions while coaching 19 Ivy League Championship teams. After serving as an assistant, Artie took over leadership for the women's cross country team in 2011 and became Cornell's head women's track and field and cross country coach in 2017. 

Smith was twice named the USTFCCCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Five of his athletes earned Cornell's Outstanding Senior Athlete of the Year Award. Artie's teams and athletes were outstanding in the classroom, with six of his students earning CoSIDA Academic All-American honors, two students earning NCAA Elite 89/90 honors, and three going on to win Marshall and Goldwater Scholarships. Notably, every student he coached who applied for medical school, veterinary school, or law school gained admission.

Listen to the informative tips that coach Smith gives to athletes on the admissions and recruiting process. 

Smith coached:

• 19 All-Americans
• 31 Ivy League individual/event champions
• 19 Ivy League team championships
• 12 Eastern (ECAC) individual/event Champions
• 7 Eastern (ECAC) team champions
• 3 Penn Relays Champions
• 5 Cornell University Senior Athlete of the Year winners
• 6 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans

Social media links:

Smith's website:

For more information: 

phone number:  607 227-0478

email:  [email protected]

* Originally published on January 11, 2021, by Keirsten Sires