W. Sidney (Sid) Smith '65

Sid Smith has a long history with CMU that traces back to his youth. His father, Woodward C. Smith, was a history professor at CMU and later became Vice President of Public Services. Smith Hall is named in his honor. 

Sid founded Smith Equities, a real estate business, to try his hand in building apartment complexes.

Throughout the years, Sid has been an active member of the Mount Pleasant and CMU communities. He was elected Mayor in 1977, voted the Mount Pleasant Citizen of the year in 1993, and currently serves as Chairman of the National Charter School Institute. In 1999, Sid and Judy formed the W. Sidney and Judy French Smith Family Fund with the Mount Pleasant Area Community Foundation. The fund is used to support community gathering places and parks.

At CMU, Sid has served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees in the 1990s and worked with former Governor John Engler to name CMU as the first authorizer of Charter Schools in the state. Sid also served on the National Campaign Committee, CBA Campaign Committee, Dean’s Business Advising Council, and the College of Medicine Campaign Committee. In 2007, Sid received the CBA Distinguished Alumni Award and was honored with a Doctorate Degree of Commercial Science from CMU. In 2013, Sid and Judy received the Dick Enberg CMU Alumni Commitment Award. 

Today, Sid and Judy continue to give back to the university. Together they have helped fund CMU’s Medical School, Education and Human Services Building, and the W. Sidney and Judith French Smith Medical Scholarship.