Michael Smyer

Senior Consultant

Dr. Smyer joined K&A in 2017 after serving in various teaching and administrative roles throughout higher education for more than 40 years. Most recently, he served as Provost and Professor of Psychology at Bucknell University; prior to that, he was the chief research officer and Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Boston College. He began his career as a faculty member and administrator at the Pennsylvania State University.

Mick was a Fulbright fellow (Japan, India) and is widely regarded as a national expert on aging and its ramifications, topics he has written and lectured about extensively. He was a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences and a visiting Professor at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (the d.school) at Stanford where he developed expertise in the application of design thinking methods, empathy, and strategies.  As a Senior Consultant, Mick provides K&A with deep experience in academic administration, college leadership, and executive coaching. 

Mick earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yale University, and his doctorate in clinical psychology, with an emphasis on aging, from Duke University. Mick and his wife, Piper, have two children—who are liberal arts graduates—and four grandsons. Beyond his professional roles, Mick maintains a vivid connection with his New Orleans roots as the washboard player with the Rustical Quality String Band.

Areas of Expertise

  • Academic Affairs
  • Faculty Leadership & Development

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