Smith

Tom Smith said he always wanted to do the right thing.

Smith, 76, who retired in 2009 after spending 38 years as a high school math teacher and counselor, recently made a significant gift to Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine.

Smith, of Hollidaysburg, received a master’s degree in secondary counselor education from IUP in 1976 while teaching.

“Mr. Smith’s loyalty and his ongoing commitment to making a difference in the lives of current and future students is inspiring,” IUP Vice President for University Advancement Jennifer DeAngelo said. “As his alma mater, we are very proud of his professional success and leadership in the field of education and very grateful for his generosity and his public recognition of IUP and the difference it has made in his life.”

In December 2022, IUP’s Council of Trustees endorsed the exploration of a possible development of a college of osteopathic medicine at IUP. With Smith’s gift, IUP has secured more than $34.3 million in private and government funding for the initiative.

“IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine has drawn incredible and enthusiastic support from alumni, community members and legislators,”

DeAngelo said. “People tell us over and over how excited they are for the impact that our proposed college will have, especially in our rural communities, and we continue to be grateful and appreciative of the confidence that our donors and supporters have in IUP’s expertise and ability to change the landscape of rural healthcare.”

Over the years, Smith has made other gifts to IUP, which include a package that provides five scholarships, one of which honors his mother, Margaret “Peg” Smith.

“They provided me with the education and experience to be what I thought was a good counselor. It was fitting to give back to them in some form,” Smith said.

Smith pointed out that his family made a donation to Penn State Altoona in 2010 for the Robert L. Smith Learning Resource Center in honor of his father, an administrator who devoted nearly seven decades of distinguished service to the college’s advancement.

“I thought it was important to have his legacy carried on. Dad needed some recognition for his contributions,” Smith said.

Smith grew up in Altoona, graduating from Altoona Area High School in 1967. After spending two years at Penn State Altoona, he earned a bachelor of science degree in secondary education mathematics in 1971 from Penn State University.

He started his career at Tussey Mountain Junior/Senior High School as a math teacher from 1971-75. He then went to Keith Junior High School for three years as math teacher. He became a counselor at AAHS in 1979.

He decided to switch gears early in his career and switched from math to counseling.

He landed on IUP for his graduate school studies.

“At the time in 1971, I was able to get a math job; jobs were tough to get at that time. I would have had to drop my job and go four consecutive terms to get a master’s at Penn State. IUP provided more flexibility. I went in the spring and fall from 1973 to 1976,” Smith said.

Smith said he enjoyed his career in education.

In teaching, he enjoyed developing relationships with the different classes he taught.

“All were different. Some were more challenging than others, never two days were the same,” Smith said.

In counseling, he enjoyed developing relationships with students who needed support the most. “I enjoyed being a reliable form of support for students who had needs and numerous challenges,” Smith said.

Smith said he always tried to treat all of his students with respect and dignity.

“I enjoyed the job and the different situations I was presented with. If they needed more help, I would send them to the proper agencies. I tried to address the needs and challenges of each student and enjoyed each student,” Smith said. “I tried to maintain an even personality. Never get too high or too low, I tried not to show emotion and personality. I tried to show a genuine concern for their problems and concerns. I just tried to do the right thing, be respectful of everybody regardless of their differences and preferences.”

Smith was well-respected among his colleagues.

Tom Bradley, his longtime friend and retired AASD director of public relations, said Smith did everything he could for his students to help them achieve their goals.

“He cared for his kids, he worked very hard on a daily basis to make sure they got what they needed,” Bradley said. “As a high school counselor, he played a very important role to help them figure out what they needed to get into college, (and) he helped them any way he could. Early in his career, he was dealing with 400-500 kids a year.”

Everything Smith did was “about the students,” according to Drew Yingling, another longtime friend and AAHS counselor. He said Smith always had their best interests at heart.

“He is unflappable. I have seen him in some serious situations he always handled with a calm demeanor,” Yingling said. “He was always there for them.”

Smith said his role models were Dr. Kathleen O’Rourke, who was head of the guidance department at AAHS, and his father, “who taught me to do the right thing.”

Music as therapy

Throughout the years, music has played an important role in Smith’s life.

He has played the saxophone throughout his life, and is a proud nearly 38-year member of the 28th Division Army National Guard Band, traveling to Europe with the band five times and supporting many memorial services and parades.

He also plays in the Altoona and Hollidaysburg community bands, as well as the Jaffa String Band and Jaffa Concert Band.

Dan Klingbeil, director of the Altoona Community Band, said he and Smith became friends as members of the National Guard band.

He said Smith was one of the original members of the Altoona Community Band.

“He is a solid musician, he is the epitome of someone who didn’t go into music as a profession. He is sort of the poster child for what I tell people they can go on with their career and play their instrument and make music as an adult,” Klingbeil said. “He is one of the older guys I can rely on and is always there.”

Doug Stephens, director of the Hollidaysburg Community Band, has known Smith for about 20 years.

“He has been a steadfast contributor to the Hollidaysburg Community Band, both musically and professionally, and is a genuinely nice human being who consistently finds the good in every situation and is always willing to lend a hand,” Stephens said. “Tom has also served multiple terms as vice president of its board of directors and is the current acting president of the board. He is a well-respected member of the band and has served in a leadership capacity for over two decades.”

Smith is active in many organizations such as the Altoona Rotary Club, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Blair County, the Jaffa Shriners and the Penn State Altoona Advisory Board.

He is also an Eagle Scout and strong supporter of scouting in the area.

“I believe community service is extremely important; the community has been very good to me and I want to give back through various agencies, contributions and serving on boards,” Smith said. “I try to help whenever I can.”

Smith partnered with Bradley to help run a capital campaign for Zion Lutheran Church in Hollidaysburg in 2020.

“Smitty not only stepped up to do that, he contacted people, he did it quietly and was very generous with his financial resources,” Bradley said.

Smith retired from the school district in 2009 and said at times he misses those days.

“The first couple of years out, I did some second guessing, I could have gone a few more years. I miss the sense of belonging and being part of something much bigger,” Smith said.”I felt I had a good career and wanted to look into other things.”

He keeps busy with his many organizations and finds time to play golf and tennis, and he is also a collector.

“I have lots of Penn State football programs and memorabilia, Sports Illustrated back to the 1970s,” Smith said. “I have a 1969 Z28 Camaro that I have restored twice and take it to car shows.”

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.

The Smith file

Name: Tom Smith

Age: 76

Position: Retired counselor from Altoona Area School District

Education: 1967 graduate of Altoona Area High School; 1971 graduate of Penn State with a bachelor science degree in secondary education mathematics; 1976 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a master’s degree in secondary counselor education

Family: Several cousins

Quote: “I try to be nice to everybody, accept individual differences, try to be a peace maker at times. I just try to do the right thing, be respectful of everybody regardless of their differences and preferences.”