The Middlebury Campus

Issue date: 11/30/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Courtesy [Click to enlarge]

Professor Emeritus of Economics David K. Smith '42 passed away last Wednesday, marking the College's loss of a great mind and a good friend. His colleagues, former students and many friends and neighbors will remember the native Vermonter not only as a great scholar, but also as a compassionate teacher and an always-cheerful friend.

After graduating as an economics major from the College in the early '40s, "D.K." Smith served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He earned his master's degree in business administration, as well as a master's and doctorate in economics at Harvard University, and returned to the College's Economics Department in 1950. Smith taught for 37 years and led the department as its chair for 15, indelibly influencing the direction of the department he so faithfully served during his tenure.

"He's the one who built the Economics Department here as we know it today," said Professor of Economics Michael Claudon, whom Smith hired in 1970. "He humanized the discipline of economics."

For his fellow professors, he was an inspiration and a beloved mentor, particularly because of his dedication to teaching.

"I was immediately impressed by his humanity and his knowledge of the field, but especially his commitment to his students," said Claudon after reflecting on first meeting Smith. "That, I have to say, is what attracted me to Middlebury."

This commitment was consistently present in Smith's patience and compassion with students, traits that motivated his colleagues to engage their students in lively, meaningful ways.

"He was a like a father figure to me," wrote D.K. Smith Professor of Economics Phanindra Wunnava, who currently holds the endowed professorship named in Smith's honor, in an e-mail on Tuesday. "Over the years, I have had numerous discussions with him about how to be an effective teacher."

During the 1970s, Smith created a course in environmental economics that strengthened the College's commitment to its then-burgeoning role as an environmental leader. His courses were perennially among the most popular in his department, and during his time at the College he taught over 5,000 students. His students will remember him not only for his spirited humor and ever-present wing-tipped shoes, but also for his passion for his field and his unwavering interest in their success.

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