This Year's Speaker: Dr. Mark Smith

Dr. Mark A. Smith previously served as the President of Columbia International University with nearly two decades of experience as a Christian higher education administrator. Prior to his position at CIU, Dr. Smith served as the President of Ohio Christian University for 11 years. In his time with OCU, he was able to increase the attendance of the university tenfold, from 400 students to 4,600. Even before the accomplishments he experienced at OCU, Dr. Mark Smith served as Dean and later Vice President for Adult and Graduate Studies at Indiana Wesleyan University. 

For over 20 years, Dr. Mark Smith's mission has been to help shape students into ministers, missionaries and ministering professionals, determined to educate people from a biblical worldview to impact the nations with the message of Christ. He has written and published numerous articles for educational and professional development and even co-authored 2 novels so far: "Leading Change in Your World" and "The Church Leader’s MBA," a management manual for church leaders.

During his professional career, Dr. Mark Smith has also been quite involved in political affairs as well. He has served a seat on the Marion, Indiana City Council, was previously appointed to the Ohio State Board of Education, was appointed for a three-year term to the FIPSE Board, and has served on the Columbus 2020 – Ohio Regional Economic Development Board and the ELEOS Corporate board.