Smith, Timothy D. Endowed Scholarship
The Timothy D. Smith Endowed Scholarship was created in December 2023 to support part-time evening students enrolled at The University of Akron (°µºÚ±¬ÁÏ) School of Law.
Timothy graduated from The Ohio State University with bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism, having initially studied engineering and biology. He began his career as a journalist, working at the Painesville Telegraph, Columbus Dispatch, and United Press International (UPI). He later joined the Akron Beacon Journal as a court reporter. Tim's journey into law began when he covered a pyramid scheme trial, leading him to enroll in °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ's Law School and ultimately pass the bar exam in 1977.
After 19 years at the Beacon Journal, Tim transitioned to a professorship at Kent State's School of Journalism, teaching for 28 years and specializing in Media Law. He was a beloved professor and received the Kent State University Distinguished Teacher award in 2000. Tim also made significant contributions to journalism by founding the Center for Privacy and the First Amendment and traveling to China to recruit international students.
In 1996, he clerked for Ohio Supreme Court Justice Craig Wright and served on the Portage County Public Defender Commission. Tim continued practicing law with his son Bryan, forming Smith and Son Law in 2010, and remained committed to serving as an attorney even after retirement. He was known for his sage advice and dedication to protecting the lawyer-client privilege.
Timothy was married to his wife, Jane, for 57 years and was the proud father of three children. Throughout his life, Tim cherished his experiences in the newspaper industry and his role as an educator and lawyer.
The Timothy D. Smith Endowed Scholarship will award scholarship assistance to a part-time evening University of Akron School of Law student with financial need. Recipient selection will be made by the School of Law Scholarship Committee or the Dean. The recipient shall receive the full scholarship amount. Funds not applied directly to the student's account and/or used for expenses other than qualified educational expenses are reportable and may be taxable to the recipient.
To make a tax-deductible gift to this scholarship, please visit °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ’s . Select “A different designation” from the drop-down menu and enter “Timothy Smith Scholarship” in the text box. Thank you!
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