IRVINE, CA, November 17, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present John LeRoy Smith with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. Smith celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
After two years as a computer operator at the University of Washington in Seattle, Mr. Smith graduated from college with his bachelor's degree and began teaching mathematics, science, and English for the Highline school district in Highline, Washington. Teaching secondary education for the next nine years, including abroad on the Marshall Islands, in 1975 he was hired by the Rancho Santiago Community College District in Santa Ana, which is one of four community college districts in Orange County, California, as a professor of mathematics and computer science. During Mr. Smith's diverse teaching career, he also enjoyed 13 years as an instructor of scuba diving at Santa Ana College between 1978 and 1991 and as the mathematics department chairman at Santiago Canyon College between 1998 and 2002.
Among his professional achievements, Mr. Smith chaired the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges Communications committee, was a member of the organization's advisory board of governors, and served as vice president. He was also involved with the Faculty Association of Rancho Santiago Community College District on the college task force and served as vice president and treasurer. He also served as treasurer for the California Community College Independents from 1999 to 2005. Additionally, Mr. Smith had the opportunity present at the International Convention of Underwater Education on several occasions between 1978 and 1987.
Supporting his passion for scuba diving, Mr. Smith was editor of the Dive Boat Calendar from 1987 to 1991. He was also an editor for the FARSIGHT newsletter from 1989 to 2007 and editor for FACCCTS, the FACCC magazine, from 2013 to 2015. Mr. Smith served as president of the Santiago Canyon College academic senate from 2000 to 2004 and on their initial accreditation study.
In retirement, Mr. Smith remains a visionary and leader behind numerous community and educational initiatives. Presently a treasurer of Saint Paul's Choir since 2008, he also served in the same capacity for various school board candidates from 2013 to 2020. Mr. Smith has been a choir member at Saint Paul's Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine since 1993 as well. Among other activities, Mr. Smith was notably a mission church builder in Tanzania in 2007.
An alumnus of the University of Washington, Mr. Smith received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics in 1966. He later completed a Master of Arts in mathematics at San Diego State University in 1971 and a Bachelor of Science in information and computer science at the University of California, Irvine in 1986. He is a certified master scuba instructor through the National Association of Underwater Instructors and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.
Mr. Smith's career has been supported through membership with several prominent professional organizations. Among them, he is active with the National Education Association, the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, the Mathematical Association of America, and the California Mathematics Council of Community Colleges. He is also a life member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
To recognize his achievements, Mr. Smith was awarded with a National Science Foundation study grant in 1970. He later achieved a Teacher of the Year Award from Santa Ana Community College in 1997, a National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Award from the University of Texas in 1998, and a John McFarland Journalist Award in 2015. A celebrated Marquis listee, Mr. Smith has been showcased in over a dozen editions of Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Science and Engineering, Who's Who in the West, and Who's Who in the World.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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