By Norm Miller, LC communications Vincent Smith is a lot of things: husband, father, pastor, church planter, college grad, seminary student, counselor, and confidant. Certain aspects of all those roles equip Smith for his service to Louisiana College; he is dean of students. Smith defines this function as one who is an “integrator of relational activity that flows into student discipline, an administrator who helps connect students to success in the classroom.” This is not bureaucratic psychobabble. It is who Smith is. He relates to and reaches students right where they are. “Sometimes I function as a big brother, and others times I’m a father figure,” Smith said. “Discipline comes easier when I have such a relationship with students that they know I care, even if I have to be the ‘bad guy.’ I do care about our students, but I also have a backbone.” Smith said he is “okay with being the bad guy. I realize that not everyone is going to like me. But I am called to more than just tough love. My role is about honesty.” That includes telling students about behaviors that will harm them. Athletes expect you to talk about sports, and Christian Studies majors expect you to talk about theology, Smith said. “But I’m … [Read more...]