How Wayne State helped an alumnus turn a passion for teaching into leadership

Wayne State alumnus, Ryan Smith says his passion for working with children remains at the heart of how he leads Ferndale Lower Elementary School.

Every step of Ryan Smith's career has been driven by one thing: helping students succeed. Wayne State University helped him discover that he could make that impact not only as a teacher, but as a school leader.

Wayne State alumnus Ryan Smith stands outside Ferndale Lower Elementary School, where he is starting his first school year as principal.

This fall, Smith is stepping into a new role as principal of Ferndale Lower Elementary School, bringing more than two decades of experience working with students and school communities. His preparation for the role began in Wayne State's education specialist certificate in administration and supervision program in the College of Education.

Designed for working educators, the program combines online coursework with an in-person internship to prepare educators for K-12 administrative and leadership roles.

"I just loved working with kids of all ages," Smith said. "And I recognized that I had the ability to take what I loved about teaching and grow into a leadership role. Wayne State brought it all together."

A program built for working educators

Wayne State became part of a new chapter for Smith both professionally and personally. Newly married at the time, Smith entered the program while working full time, and his wife, Phelan, enrolled in the program a few years later. For Smith, who had already built a career teaching in Detroit and Novi, finding a program that could grow with his busy life was important.

"Wayne State really worked where I was in my life at the time," he said. "The online format gave me the flexibility to keep growing professionally while balancing work and life outside of school."

Putting leadership into practice

One of the most valuable parts of Smith's Wayne State experience happened outside the traditional classroom.

"Wayne State brought it all together." Ryan Smith works from his office at Ferndale Lower Elementary School, where he is beginning a new chapter as principal after more than two decades in education.

In 2018, through the program's internship, Smith shadowed the principal in his own school building, allowing him to see school leadership from a perspective he had never experienced as a classroom teacher. He gained firsthand exposure to the meetings, conversations, decisions and responsibilities that happen behind the scenes to keep a school running.

The experience allowed Smith to connect what he was learning at Wayne State with the realities of leading a school. By observing a practicing administrator, the internship became an important bridge between his years in the classroom and the leadership roles that followed.

Coursework that reshaped his approach

One course in particular, Field Studies with Dr. Carolyn Shields, reshaped Smith's leadership philosophy by challenging him to consider how bias and assumptions can affect student achievement.

"That course reshaped my entire leadership philosophy," Smith said, "shifting my focus toward radical empathy and ensuring every single child receives the equitable support they need to succeed."

Smith also credits professors Jon Dean and Matthew Outlaw with helping him understand school law and the importance of recognizing others' strengths - lessons he continues to carry into his leadership today.

From Wayne State to the principal's office

Ryan Smith stands beside his framed Wayne State University certificate.

After receiving his certification in 2019, Smith carried that preparation into leadership roles at Swartz Creek Community Schools and Huron Valley Schools before becoming principal of Ferndale Lower Elementary School.

"My learning from Wayne State helped me ... have the confidence to work with people of all walks of life, of different cultural backgrounds, different economic backgrounds," he said.

Smith encourages teachers considering leadership to be ready for more than administrative training at Wayne State.

"It will force you to examine your own biases, re-evaluate your core beliefs about education, and reshape how you view leadership," he said.

Through every step, Smith said his focus has remained the same.

Smith reads to a group of students in a classroom.

"I love working with kids," he said. "Even now in leadership, I'm always about the kids."

And his Wayne State journey may not be finished. Building on the experience that helped prepare him for school leadership, Smith plans to return to the university to pursue his doctorate.

By Darlene A. White