Former College of Education professor Ralph A. Smith and his wife, Christiana M. Smith, enjoyed long and impactful careers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. And though they both passed away in recent years, a bequest made in their wills ensures that their impact and legacy will live on for a long time.

Through the Smiths’ generosity, the Ralph A. and Christiana M. Smith Scholarship Fund has been established. It will provide scholarships to support undergraduate students in the College of Education, helping them to complete their degrees and pursue graduate studies or enter the workforce. The fund is expected to have a positive impact on student recruitment and persistence through degree completion and into the field.

“The Smiths’ generous scholarship contribution will continue to empower the next generation of educators,” says Dean Chrystalla Mouza. “Their commitment to fostering a world-class education for aspiring educators is poised to make a significant difference in the lives of countless students in the years to come.”

Kelli Halfman, assistant dean for student academic affairs, speaks to the impact of scholarships on students’ lives. “Through the generosity of our donors, awards such as the new Smith Scholarship aid in our commitment to supporting our students as they pursue their education,” she says. “We look forward to awarding this scholarship to students this upcoming academic year and in the years ahead.”

Heather Zorn, the College’s assistant dean for advancement, notes that the size of individual scholarships will depend on students’ financial situations. “The Smith's investment in future educators is itself incredible. This fund allows the flexibility to support students at various levels, which is even more advantageous,” she says. “We want to meet them where their needs are, and this gift will help us do that.”

Ralph Smith joined the University of Illinois in 1964, retiring in 1996 as a professor emeritus in Educational Policy Studies. A major portion of his professional time was spent working on the quarterly Journal of Aesthetic Education, of which he served as founder and editor for 34 years. His writings were widely recognized in this country and abroad and produced an array of awards. The dominant purpose of his teaching was to cultivate in students an appreciation for the excellence of works of art. Christiana Smith, who earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Illinois, served as the journal’s managing editor.

“By founding the journal, Ralph carved out intellectual space for aesthetic education as a subdiscipline in philosophy of education, philosophy, the arts, and the humanities,” says Pradeep Dhillon, emerita associate professor in Education Policy, Organization & Leadership. “His tireless efforts in promoting and sustaining the journal set it on the path of the scholarly significance it enjoys today, both at the national and international levels.”

Since its inception, Dhillon says, the journal has featured “every prominent philosophical voice in aesthetics” as well as leaders in related fields within the humanities. “More importantly, Ralph regularly made space for junior colleagues who were starting careers or were struggling to articulate something new,” Dhillon says. “He was erudite, a generous educator, editor, and mentor. The journal's stature in aesthetic education and philosophical aesthetics is secure and growing. Ralph and Christiana would have been proud of their legacy.”

And now, the Ralph A. and Christiana M. Smith Scholarship Fund adds to that legacy.