A Special Tribute to
Robert “Smitty” Smith

Robert “Smitty” Smith was known in Winter Haven and throughout Polk County for many things - service to his community as Winter Haven Mayor and Winter Haven Postmaster, a die-hard Democrat who ran for county and state office. He was a Rotarian, serving as president of the Rotary Club of Winter Haven, and gave his time to the Boys Club and many other worthy causes.

In addition, he also had a great love and long association with Polk Community College. The 1972 PCC graduate was a Distinguished Alumni, former Assistant Director of Educational Talent Search, President of the PCC Alumni Association, and a PCC Foundation Board Member.

He was one of PCC’s strongest supporters. In 1989, he established a unique PCC scholarship that was presented to fifth graders at Snively Elementary School known as “Kids from Eloise.” Over the years, this idea of presenting a PCC scholarship to elementary school graduates has grown and numerous other elementary school scholarships have been funded by others. Today, 200 scholarships are awarded each May to 5th graders in every elementary school in Polk County.

The first Kids from Eloise Scholarship was awarded to Maria Rubio. He was there at Snively Elementary in 1989 and during the 5th grade graduation he presented her with the scholarship. Smitty was also there when Maria started PCC and when she graduated… keeping in contact with her even when marriage and motherhood delayed her graduation plans.

In 1998, Smitty was one of the first employees hired as an Academic Advisor for PCC’s Educational Talent Search program. The primary focus of the program is to help low income and first generation students who are the first in their family to attend college. In his position with Educational Talent Search, Smitty mentored middle school students following them through high school keeping them focused on college, helping them apply to college, and providing support for them to be successful once they enrolled in college.

He ran the Talent Search program as Assistant Director of Talent Search from 2003 to 2004, after Charles Richardson passed away. He returned to his Academic Advisor position in 2004 and resigned a year later when the department needed to eliminate an advisor. He told fellow employees that he volunteered to give up his job, so some one younger could stay employed. “I have had my career, now let the young ones have theirs,” he said.

Although Smitty didn’t have a fulltime job at PCC, he continued to be active at PCC. From 2004 until his death, he was President of the PCC Alumni Association. “Smitty was passionate about the Alumni Association and the potential that alumni had to positively impact PCC,” said Marianne George, Coordinator of Development.

He spent untold hours serving on the PCC Foundation Scholarship Committee, reviewing nearly 300 applications annually submitted by students and helped select the most qualified student for more than 200 PCC Foundation Endowed Scholarships. “His commitment to PCC was extraordinary. He always had the best interest of students in mind,” said Tracy Porter, Executive Director of PCC’s Foundation.

PCC President Holden said “Smitty will be missed at PCC. He was one of our strongest advocates. He was a true giver. At PCC, Smitty gave of his time and his money to provide opportunities for students to get an education at his alma mater.”

PCC and Me, by Robert S. Smith