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Michael Ray Smith

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki

Michael Ray Smith
BornFebruary 21, 1955 (Age 64)
🏳️ NationalityAmerican
🎓 Alma materPennsylvania State University
💼 Occupation
Professor, Author
👩 Spouse(s)Dalia Gertmonaite, married Sept. 24, 2024; Barbara Jean (Wojcik) Smith, 36 years of marriage, died Jan. 24. 2017.

Michael Ray Smith (born February 21, 1955) is a professor, author,[1] speaker, and an award-winning journalist.[2] He worked as a professor in communication, most recently at LCC International University, Klaipėda, Lithuania, where he was a professor.[3][4] Smith taught on and off from 2019-2025 on the faculty as a distinguished visiting professor of journalism and chair at LCC International in Lithuania.[5][6] He spent 11 years leading the new media charge at Campbell University[7] teaching students online skills and multimedia, through the internet.[8][9][10][11] He was part of the graduate faculty in communication at Regent University, Virginia Beach, Va., where he was once chair of the journalism program until 2003.[12][13] He is also a writer and actor, known for River Town (2013).[14]

He worked as a professor of journalism at Palm Beach Atlantic University[15] in South Florida for two years, and his students covered presidential candidates in the field, including Donald J. Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, and Hillary Clinton. He was a professor at Lee University, Cleveland, Tenn.[16] In addition, he has taught at a state college in Georgia, Lycoming College, a private, liberal arts college in Williamsport, Pa.; and Taylor University, a faith-based university, which is now exclusively located in Upland, Ind.

Early life and Education

Smith grew up outside Washington, D.C., where he was born, and attended public school in Prince George's County, Md., including Prince George's Community College where he was named one of the Fabulous 50 Alumni, outstanding graduates during an October 8, 2008 ceremony.[8] Smith was born to William Osbie Smith, Clark Range, Tenn., and Ceedie Rae (Phelps), Roper, N.C. Both his parents were business owners.[17][18]

Smith holds a doctorate from Regent University.[19][20] He achieved his master’s degree from Shippensburg University and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland. Smith received his second master's degree from Pennsylvania State University.[21]

Career

Smith carries a teaching experience of more than three decades.[22] Smith worked as a professor at Lee University. While he continues to work on the graduate faculty as an online professor at Regent University, Virginia Beach, Va., he works as a writer in Waynesboro, Pa., near Gettysburg.[23] He taught as an adjunct professor for the Spring Arbor University graduate program in its online communication program in 2014 and Olivet University, Washington, D.C., from 2023-2025.[24]

Smith began his teaching career as an Instructor of English and the founder of the pilot journalism program at Gordon College, Barnesville, Ga., in 1988. In 1989, he became an assistant professor of mass communication at Lycoming College, Williamsport, Pa., then an associate professor in the Department of Communication Arts at Taylor University, Fort Wayne and Upland, Ind., until 1999. Once Smith finished his doctorate at Regent University, Virginia Beach, in 1999, he joined the graduate faculty full-time and was chair of the journalism program until 2003. Smith became chair of the Department of Mass Communication at Campbell University. While teaching at Campbell University, The King’s College,[25] Manhattan, enlisted him as visiting distinguished professor. In addition, he taught graduate classes in Campbell University’s Lundy-Fetterman School of Business’s MBA program as an adjunct professor[26][27] until he became a professor of journalism at Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, Fla., in 2014. He then became a professor at Lee University, Cleveland, Tenn., in 2016, teaching both classes in journalism and public relations. He has also participated in workshops organized by the Baptist Communicators Association.[28] In 2015, Smith received the CMA Noel Ross Strader Award for his work in the field since 1988, presented by the College Media Advisers[29] and participated in the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference.[30][31][32][33][34][35]

Smith has worked as a freelance writer and has published about 3,000 articles in the popular press since 1977.[36][37] He has worked as a reporter and editor at News-Chronicle, Shippensburg; Public Opinion, a Gannett newspaper, Chambersburg; and Lancaster Newspapers, York and Lancaster, Pa. Smith was a freelance writer for The Grit and the wire editor for The Sunday Grit, Williamsport, Pa., and summer videotext editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has worked nearly 10 years in various newsrooms.[38]

Smith served as a board member of Magazine Training International until 2023[39] and is a lifetime member of Evangelical Press Association.[40] He served as a judge of various writing contests for EPA.[41]

Throughout his career, Smith has spoken at international conferences such as the one September 2019, where he spoke at the Novomedia Forum, hosted by Ruslan Kuharchuk in Kyiv, Ukraine.[42][43][44][45][46][47] His research the media and Christianity, objectivity and handwritten newspapers.[48][49] In 2014, Smith presented academic research at the Religion and Media and Small Programs Interest Groups conference for Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication in Montreal.[50] Smith has spoken at more than 40 academic conferences in his career on the influence of media[51] For instance, in 2024 he spoke in Barcelona at International Academic Forum[52] and in 2025 he spoke in Paris at the International Academic Forum on Face Negotiation Theory.[53]

Smith was interviewed by publications such as the New York Times.[54] Smith is a freelance writer and publishes for Religion Unplugged. https://religionunplugged.com/news/tag/Michael+Ray+Smith Among his articles is a look at the Amish press[55] and a best-selling Amish romance writer. [56]

Publications

Smith is the author of Fake News, Truth-Telling and Charles M. Sheldon’s Model of Accuracy: How a Clergyman Insisted on Accuracy as Job One, 7 Days to a Byline that Pays,[57] The ABC List of Feature Ideas and Free Press in Freehand.19,24 He has also published The Jesus Newspaper and FeatureWriting.Net[58] The ABC list of Feature Ideas, Yesterday's Waynesboro[59], and Worship in Franklin County: Sketches of Faith from Mid-1700s to the Civil War.[60]

He has also published 14 peer-reviewed journal articles on media, religion, and other journalism-related topics.[61] Some of his popular articles and books include:

  • Smith, M. R. (2002). The Jesus newspaper. Lanham, Md.: University Press of America[62]
  • Smith, M. R. (2013, July 2). Civil War news coverage vastly different from today’s media, Fayetteville Observer, p. 5A.
  • Smith, M. R. (2011, April 12). Handmade Civil War news in Harnett County, The News & Observer, p. 19A[63]
  • Smith, M.R. (2014, Oct. 7). Questioning media is part of National News Engagement Day
  • Smith, M.R. (2013, July 7). Riding to keep history accurate. The Pilot

Online Journal Articles

  • Fantasy Theme Analysis[64]
  • Journalists with disabilities[65]
  • Semiotics and the coverage of people with disabilities. Disability Studies Quarterly[66]
  • The ADA, Congress, and the press[66]
  • Language use and disabilities[67]

Articles in the Grassroots Editor Journal

  • Smith, M. R. (1999, Summer). My Newspaper is older than your newspaper! American Journalism, 16(3), 99-101[68]
  • Smith, M. R. (1998, Spring). Extra! Extra! Pennsylvania’s Tim Hughes offers old and rare newspapers for sale. American Journalism, 15(2), 101-104[69]

Other Publications

References

Smith, M.R. (2018). "Promoting accuracy and advocacy in an age of competing voices. Charles M. Sheldon: The journalism of accuracy "In Robert H. Woods Jr. and Naaman Wood (Eds.). Words and Witnesses. Hendrickson Publishers: Peabody, Mass.[70]

Smith, M.R. (2006a). Protestantism, Conservative. In D. Stout (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Religion, Communication, and Media. Great Barrington, Mass.: Berkshire[71]

Smith, M.R. (2006b). Proselytizing. In D. Stout (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Religion Communication, and Media. Great Barrington, Mass.: Berkshire[72]

Smith, M. R. (1994). Assistive technology and software, liberating all of us. In J. A. Nelson (Ed.), The disabled, the media and the information age (127-144). Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group[73]

Smith, M. R. (1998). The apologetics of Chesterton and Lewis in a world marked by disbelief. In Hill, R. (Ed.), Inklings forever, A collection of essays (pp. 130-133). Upland, IN: Taylor University[74]

Smith, M. R. (2013). Charles M. Sheldon’s Jesus Newspaper and the Reformist Impulse in Evangelical Publications. In Robert H. Woods Jr. (Ed.), Evangelicals and Popular Culture. Santa Barbara, CA.: ABC-CLIO Books[75]

Smith, M. R. (2007, September 28). Hyperlocalism and the Daily Record. Paper presented at National Newspaper Association conference, September 27-29, 2007, Norfolk, VA.[76][77]

Smith, M. R., & Keefer, J. (1992, September–December). Newspaper employment of journalists with disabilities. Newspaper Research Journal, 13–14(4–1).[78]

Reviews

  • Smith, M. R. (2004, Fall). [Review of the book Inside the Pentagon Papers] American Journalism. 21(4), 130-132.[79]
  • Smith, M. R. (2003, Summer). [Review of the book Beyond the Barricades, Nicaragua and the Struggle for the Sandinista Press]. American Journalism, 20(3), 110-112.[80]

Smith's work can be seen in a newscast on TV, such as a report on a Civil War journalist who handwrote newspapers.[81] He also wrote a historical drama and acted in it as that journalist.[82]

Recognition

Smith was named one of the best 50 journalism educators in the nation by journalismdegree.org in 2012. He was awarded the CMA Noel Ross Strader Award in 2015, for his work in the field since 1988.[83] Smith was named the John McCandlish Phillips Scholar for 2011 by the World Journalism Institute.[8] He was selected as the first university-wide award recipient for teaching excellence at Campbell University, and his journalism program was named one of the top 50 programs in the United States in 2012.[84] His students won newspaper awards.[85]At Palm Beach Atlantic University, his students won award for their digital engagement.[86]

Smith's recognition further includes the 2011 John McCandlish Phillips Chair for the World Journalism Institute, Manhattan Distinguished Visiting Professor at The King’s College, Manhattan, Fall 2006[87][88] and Guest co-editor. (2013, summer) Special issue on service learning, Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication: A Journal published by the Small Programs Interest Group.[89]

Controversy

In 2003, Regent University closed its Northern Virginia campus and furloughed Smith and his colleagues.[90]

Personal Life

Smith married Barbara Jean (Wojcik) Smith in 1980. They were married for 36 years. His wife died of brain cancer in 2017.[91] On Sept. 24, 2024, he married Dalia Gertmonaite from Lithuania, Europe. Smith lives, writes, and teaches online classes from Waynesboro, Pa., which is near Gettysburg, and 80 miles from Washington, D.C.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/3155806.Michael_Ray_Smith
  2. ↑ https://issuu.com/campbelluniversity/docs/campbell_accolades_2014_opt
  3. ↑ https://leeuniversity.academia.edu/MichaelRaySmith
  4. ↑ http://clevelandbanner.com/stories/dr-michael-smith-teaches-in-kenya,88249
  5. ↑ https://lcc.academia.edu/MichaelRaySmith
  6. ↑ https://lcc.lt/news/lcc-faculty-meet-with-rogerio-silva-ma-im-graduate-to-share-insights-about-living-in-lithuania
  7. ↑ https://news.campbell.edu/articles/communication-professor-offers-daily-record-as-model-at-national-conference/
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 https://expertbeacon.com/experts/michael-ray-smith
  9. ↑ http://www.phikappaphiforum-digital.org/phikappaphiforum/winter2012?pm=2&fs=1&pg=17#pg17
  10. ↑ http://mydailyrecord.com/stories/the-times-erred-in-publishing-unsigned-op-ed,34767
  11. ↑ http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.460.5140&rep=rep1&type=pdf
  12. ↑ https://www.regentalumni.org/s/832/subindex.aspx?sid=832&gid=10&pgid=106&cid=283
  13. ↑ https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/smith-michael-ray-1955
  14. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8211422/
  15. ↑ http://alexishowick.com/how-to-succeed-as-a-journalist/
  16. ↑ https://www.leeclarion.com/2018/michael-ray-smith-talks-his-time-at-lee-university-his-wifes-passing-and-seasons-of-life
  17. ↑ https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/smith-michael-ray-1955
  18. ↑ https://www.minds.com/brookewhistance/blog/a-gem-in-the-field-of-journalism-957217902031028224
  19. ↑ https://dailylivenews.livejournal.com/4407.html
  20. ↑ https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/smith-michael-ray-1955
  21. ↑ https://magazinetraining.com/authors-trainers/dr-michael-ray-smith/#:~:text=He%20holds%20three%20graduate%20degrees,live%20workshop%20speaker%20for%20MTI.
  22. ↑ https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/2-uncategorised/1711-library-spotlights-author-michael-ray-smith
  23. ↑ https://www.dacdb.com/Rotary/Accounts/7360/Newsletter/0/September%202019%20Clubs%20Happenings%20Newsletter.pdf
  24. ↑ https://scshub.net/webinars/can-the-press-be-reformed-by-michael-ray-smith-thursday-19-march-2026-at-1400-utc/
  25. ↑ https://news.campbell.edu/articles/communication-professor-teaching-at-the-empire-state-building/
  26. ↑ http://pba.academia.edu/MichaelRaySmith/CurriculumVitae
  27. ↑ https://magazinetraining.com/out-of-the-classroom-and-into-the-world-mti-trainers-students-experience-real-world-reporting/
  28. ↑ https://www.baptistcommunicators.org/workshop/2017/
  29. ↑ http://www.collegemedia.org/awards/other_adviser_awards/noel_ross_strader_memorial_award_winners/
  30. ↑ https://www.evangelicalpress.com/epa-member-journalism-professor/
  31. ↑ https://docplayer.net/11133444-Kentucky-christian-writers-conference-history.html
  32. ↑ https://outl.it/stories/dr-michael-ray-smith-and-his-role-in-shaping-the-new-age-of-journalists/10091167/p/OscarShepherd
  33. ↑ https://www.bloglovin.com/@oscarshepherd/dr-smith-has-spent-a-lifetime-teaching-upcoming
  34. ↑ https://ello.co/georgianabrown/post/qhr3xie0qdt4y-ffdwgmda
  35. ↑ https://www.evangelicalpress.com/epa-member-journalism-professor/
  36. ↑ http://www.qhublog.com/1197/key-tips-for-aspiring-journalists-in-the-world-today/
  37. ↑ https://religionunplugged.com/news/2019/11/18/teaching-at-a-baltic-based-university-offers-sanctuary-for-the-battered-and-best
  38. ↑ https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/2-uncategorised/1711-library-spotlights-author-michael-ray-smith
  39. ↑ https://magazinetraining.com/category/blog/mti-trainers/
  40. ↑ https://www.evangelicalpress.com/epa-member-to-speak-in-ukraine-at-journalism-conference/
  41. ↑ https://localnews1.org/waynesboro-author-and-educator-to-speak-at-european-congress-on-disinformation/
  42. ↑ http://novomediaforum.org/novomedia-forum-2019-yak-tse-bulo-v-osobah-i-temah/
  43. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/B4fC0DYJzTK/
  44. ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6597418505824534528/
  45. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/LCC.International.University/photos/pb.128673323844238.-2207520000.1572964315./2897925520252324/?type=3&theater
  46. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNPJwbIbnDM&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3PNrME6ckTEXh3zqENv37uTl7U8Th4XCZbKS6L_ICkzKZl8ABV5LPyQO8
  47. ↑ https://magazinetraining.com/authors-trainers/dr-michael-ray-smith/
  48. ↑ https://lcc.academia.edu/MichaelRaySmith
  49. ↑ https://scshub.net/webinars/can-the-press-be-reformed-by-michael-ray-smith-thursday-19-march-2026-at-1400-utc/
  50. ↑ http://religionandmedia.org/
  51. ↑ https://localnews1.org/waynesboro-author-and-educator-to-speak-at-european-congress-on-disinformation/
  52. ↑ https://www.disinformation.es/team-members/michael-ray-smith
  53. ↑ https://papers.iafor.org/submission108863/?t=6
  54. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/18/business/my-colleague-my-roommate.html
  55. ↑ https://religionunplugged.com/news/2021/8/10/as-american-newspapers-suffer-amish-newspapers-flourish-with-a-luddite-audience
  56. ↑ https://religionunplugged.com/news/2021/7/1/this-quiet-humble-amish-novelist-has-sold-more-than-350000-books-and-drops-another-title-today
  57. ↑ https://writingtipsthatworkguaranteed.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/
  58. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Ray-Smith/e/B005X764F0?tag=everybodywikien-20
  59. ↑ https://www.abebooks.com/Yesterdays-Waynesboro-1994-Edition-Collection-Bob/32442834653/bd
  60. ↑ https://www.abebooks.com/Worship-Franklin-County-Sketches-Faith-Mid-1700s/12785714754/bd
  61. ↑ https://www.regent.edu/acad/schcom/faculty/journalism/smith/
  62. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/08821127.2003.10677952
  63. ↑ https://www.thepilot.com/news/article_9790d190-e579-11e2-8de9-001a4bcf6878.html
  64. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15328415jmr0301_4
  65. ↑ http://www.cdonohue.com/nrj/staticpages/index.php?page=vol_14
  66. ↑ 66.0 66.1 http://media-disability-bibliography.blogspot.com/
  67. ↑ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/107769589104500402?journalCode=jmca
  68. ↑ https://comjig.blogspot.com/2010/05/comjig-annual-report-need-your-info.html?m=0
  69. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/08821127.1998.10731973
  70. ↑ https://www.theccsn.com/words-and-witnesses/
  71. ↑ https://epdf.pub/queue/encyclopedia-of-religion-communication-and-media.html
  72. ↑ https://epdf.pub/queue/encyclopedia-of-religion-communication-and-media.html
  73. ↑ https://www.abc-clio.com/ABC-CLIOCorporate/product.aspx?pc=C5784C
  74. ↑ https://pillars.taylor.edu/inklings_forever/vol1/iss1/22/
  75. ↑ https://www.worldcat.org/title/evangelical-christians-and-popular-culture-pop-goes-the-gospel/oclc/776495164
  76. ↑ http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.460.5140&rep=rep1&type=pdf
  77. ↑ https://opus.govst.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1077&context=capstones
  78. ↑ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/304978419201300405.40
  79. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08821127.2004.10677620
  80. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08821127.2003.10677956
  81. ↑ https://www.wral.com/lifestyles/travel/video/9430091/
  82. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5825906/
  83. ↑ https://www.collegemedia.org/noel-ross-strader-award
  84. ↑ http://www.leeuniversity.edu/NewsItem.aspx?id=12816
  85. ↑ https://news.campbell.edu/articles/student-newspaper-snags-five-awards-in-statewide-competition/
  86. ↑ https://spjflorida.com/2016-sunshine-state-awards-winners/
  87. ↑ "Archived Copy". Archived from the original on 2017-10-14. Retrieved 2019-11-27.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
  88. ↑ https://news.campbell.edu/articles/campbell-professor-tapped-for-john-mccandlish-phillips-chair-of-journalism-at-wji/
  89. ↑ https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/AEJMC/cb51e04d-0bbc-407c-8982-aece895b3c6f/UploadedImages/TJMC_3_2__2013__editors_note.pdf
  90. ↑ https://www.pilotonline.com/2008/01/17/regents-closing-of-dc-building-becomes-official/
  91. ↑ https://www.leeclarion.com/2018/michael-ray-smith-talks-his-time-at-lee-university-his-wifes-passing-and-seasons-of-life

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