Interim Regional Chancellor and Vice Provost of Academic Affairs
Dr. Thomas Smith was named interim regional chancellor of USF St. Petersburg in November of 2025. He serves as the chief administrative officer, collaborating with university leadership to advance the campus’s mission and strategic goals. He also acts as the public face for the campus to the community and stakeholders.
In addition, Dr. Smith is the Vice Provost of Academic Affairs. In this role, he serves as a liaison to the USF Provost’s Office, providing leadership and vision for academic affairs priorities and how that vision is implemented on the St. Petersburg campus. Working with campus deans and stakeholders, Dr. Smith supports the academic units and centers in St. Petersburg, focusing on communication, collaboration, and campus connectivity.
Dr. Smith has been at USF St. Petersburg for more than 25 years. A human rights expert, he has published widely on research interests, including international humanitarian law, Turkish politics, and foreign policy. Dr. Smith is the former Campus Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Associate Dean of the Judy Genshaft Honors College. He is a co-founder of the St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs, now a flagship event that attracts thousands each year, and previously served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Florida Holocaust Museum. He earned his undergraduate degree in anthropology from the College of William and Mary and his master's and Ph.D. in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia.