USask political studies professor’s legacy continues through memorial scholarship

by Kristen McEwen

A late-University of Saskatchewan (USask) professor’s legacy will continue to support students through a scholarship in his memory.

For more than 40 years, Political Studies professor emeritus Dr. David E. Smith (PhD) made a significant impact in his profession while also mentoring and inspiring countless students.

Gene Anne Smith, David’s wife, is continuing the scholarship that was established by colleagues, friends and former students in his memory.

“I thought it was a very beautiful idea and that it would mean a lot to David,” she said.

As a political scientist, David was a leading expert on constitutional governance, specializing in political institutions and political processes of Canadian democracy.

He was part of many national organizations, including a member of the historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (1975-1990) and president of the Canadian Political Science Association (1994-95). During his academic career, he also was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1981 and received the USask Distinguished Researcher Award in 2003.

Though David and Gene Anne both attended Duke University in North Carolina, the pair didn’t meet until they were both living in Saskatoon and working at USask.

“We both absolutely loved living in Saskatchewan,” Gene Anne said. “I tell people where I live now (in Ontario) that living and raising our families and having our careers in Saskatchewan was a great blessing in our lives. I think we both felt that it was a wonderful place to live and work to raise our families.”

When David died in January 2023, his colleague late-Political Studies professor emeritus Dr. John Courtney (PhD) wanted to continue his good friend’s legacy in supporting students through a scholarship.

John put out a call for donations from family and friends to create the “David E. Smith Memorial Scholarship.” More than $31,800 has been raised as of January 2024.

The scholarship will be awarded to students pursuing studies in Canadian politics in the Department of Political Studies. The annual $1,000 award will go to the student with the highest grade in POLS 204 starting in the 2023-24 academic year.

“(David) loved his students, he kept in contact with students for years and years,” Gene Anne said. “He helped many students get started in their careers so he would have been very touched and honoured and loved to be remembered in this way.”

David’s encouragement of his students resulted in students becoming scholars and academics.

“When people knew that (David) was dying, we heard from so many people who wrote such beautiful letters to him about his influence on their lives and how much they loved and respected him as a teacher,” she said.

John was one of David’s close colleagues and a friend since graduate school. When David passed, John wrote a touching tribute to his friend and shared the message to the Department of Political Studies website.

John passed away later the same year, in November 2023. Gene Anne continued the momentum created by John with additional financial contributions to the scholarship. She highlighted that John’s efforts have not been overlooked.

Gene Anne intends to continue what was started.

“I thought that this was a way our family could honour (David’s) memory and that it’s in a way he would have loved—that there was support for students.”