By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer
Rio Salado College President Kate Smith was named the first-place recipient of the Terry O’Banion Provocateur Award from the League for Innovation in the Community College, a national recognition that honors bold thinking and innovation in higher education.
The Terry O’Banion Provocateur Award recognizes leaders who take courageous approaches to addressing systemic challenges facing community and technical colleges. The award celebrates individuals who question the status quo and advance new ideas that support student learning and institutional progress.
As part of the award process, each of the recipients submitted a proposal addressing a critical issue in higher education. Dr. Smith’s proposal explored the need to rethink the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and other traditional metrics used to assess institutional effectiveness and learner success because they omit data about significant community college student populations.
“When an entire category of student outcomes goes unmeasured, accountability is distorted, institutional strengths are obscured, and equity suffers,” said Dr. Smith. “I am advocating for an expansion of metrics so we can tell a more complete story about the impact community colleges have on learners and the communities we serve. Among the most important indicators about our effectiveness is whether learners are attaining their goals — whether that is completing a class to upskill or earning a credential.”
Dr. Smith presented her proposal and received her award at the League for Innovation’s national conference in Indianapolis, March 15–18, 2026, where higher education leaders from across the country gathered to discuss emerging ideas and innovations in the community college sector.
A substantive paper exploring Dr. Smith’s proposal and solutions will be published by the League for Innovation later this year.
The Terry O’Banion Provocateur Award is named for one of the most influential voices in the history of community and technical colleges, the League of Innovation’s website states. Throughout his career, O’Banion championed bold thinking and challenged institutions to remove barriers that prevent students from succeeding. By embracing the role of a “provocateur,” he encouraged leaders to question traditional practices, confront systemic issues, and drive meaningful change across higher education.
“To receive an award that bears Terry O’Banion’s name is to be reminded that our work is not to preserve the status quo, but to unsettle it and further student success,” said Dr. Smith. “I am deeply honored to stand in the shadow of a provocateur who spent his life challenging complacency and redefining what community colleges can be.”
Learn more in this press release.