The Historic Wesley United Methodist Church presented Chancellor Smith with the award for his commitment to education equity.
July 15, 2026
BATON ROUGE – Baton Rouge Community College Chancellor Dr. Willie E. Smith Sr. was honored Sunday as a recipient of the Social Justice Award for his work as an education equity champion by The Historic Wesley United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge.
Chancellor Smith was selected for the award as a distinguished leader whose service and commitment has made a lasting impact on the Baton Rouge community.
Chancellor Smith also served as a panelist during The Historic Wesley United Methodist Church’s social justice community forum on Saturday where he engaged in conversation about his efforts at BRCC to foster an environment of service to every student at the college.
“It is a tremendous honor to receive the Social Justice Award from Historic Wesley United Methodist Church,” Dr. Smith said. “I am deeply grateful for this recognition and for the opportunity to partner with organizations that share a commitment to expanding opportunity and strengthening our community. At BRCC, we believe education has the power to transform lives, and we remain dedicated to ensuring every student has access to excellent learning experiences, meaningful support, and pathways to a brighter future.”
Under Dr. Smith’s leadership, BRCC has experienced significant momentum in workforce training, enrollment growth, industry partnerships and student success initiatives. The college has expanded programming in nursing and allied health, information technology, skilled trades and other high-demand sectors critical to Louisiana’s economy.
The Sunday service was live streamed and can be watched on the Historic Wesley United Methodist Church YouTube channel.