Dr. Don Good, Levi Smith named to All-Southern Conference Faculty and Staff Team

Published 12:11 pm Wednesday, January 4, 2023

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its All-Southern Conference Faculty and Staff Team on Wednesday, with two representatives each from all 10 member schools being recognized by the league. Dr. Don Good and Levi Smith received the honors for ETSU.

While the selections were left up to each institution’s discretion, the recipients all shared the common characteristics of demonstrated service to the institution and contributions to campus life and the local community. Faculty members selected have demonstrated strong contributions to teaching, research and/or service, while staff members are being recognized for bringing out the best in others and creating conditions for success.

The faculty and staff recipients include: The Citadel’s Dr. Deirdre Ragan and Kester Melville; ETSU’s Dr. Don Good and Levi Smith; Furman’s Dr. John Harris and Hunter Reid; Mercer’s Dr. Caryn Seney and Katie Johnson; UNC Greensboro’s Dr. Susan Phillips Keane and Melinda Wolf; Samford’s Laura Promer and Doug Wilson; Chattanooga’s Dr. Michael D. Thompson and Will Watson; VMI’s Col. Tom Timmes and Sergeant Major Tom Sowers; Western Carolina’s Dr. Cyndy Caravelis and Brian Boyer; and Wofford’s Dr. Cecile Nowatka and Dr. James Stukes.

“The Southern Conference is proud to once again recognize outstanding faculty and staff members from each of our member institutions,” SoCon Commissioner Jim Schaus said. “They are all integral parts of each of their campuses and it’s our honor to commemorate their service. I look forward to meeting all of them at our recognition ceremonies throughout the next couple of months.”

The recipients will be recognized at one of their institutions’ home men’s basketball games this year. Dr. Good and Smith will be honored at tonight’s game as the Bucs host Western Carolina at 7 p.m. inside Freedom Hall.

Dr. Don Good, a professor in the department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at ETSU, is also the program coordinator for the doctoral program in Higher Ed Leadership. He has chaired over 30 dissertations and served as a committee member on over 200, chairs the Clemmer College Curriculum Committee, serves as a faculty advisor for Cru Campus Ministry and the ETSU Wrestling Club, and as a member of the Academic Freedom and Faculty Ethics Committee. He has also served on the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee and is a strong supporter of ETSU student athletes. Good is the author of The Campus History Series: East Tennessee State University as well as numerous publications in the area of higher education. In addition to his service to ETSU, he is a member of the Bristol Motor Speedway Fan Advisory Board and is an extra in the movie and series, Mayberry Man.

Levi Smith began his professional career at ETSU in 2016 as a transcript analyst in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and since August 2021 has served as the Coordinator for Transfer Evaluation and Articulated Programs. He also handles all processing and admission of second-degree students and performs the initial evaluations for prospective student athletes. Smith also serves on the General Education Review Committee. Although his work is almost entirely behind the scenes, what he does has a direct impact on students and their success at ETSU. A true legacy of the Johnson City, Tennessee, area, Smith’s sixth-great-grandfather was Henry Johnson, the founder of Johnson City, and as a student and employee, Smith has been coming to ETSU’s campus nearly every day since 2006.