Stephanie Smith

Stephanie Smith is a Professor in the Department of Art at Youngstown State University's Cliffe College of Creative Arts, where she has maintained an active faculty position since 1998 with research spanning ancient art history and educational leadership.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Art History, Rutgers University, 2000
• B.A. in Art History, Washington & Lee University, 1989

Her research centers on death rituals and commemorative practices in Late Antique/Early Christian contexts, Roman glass production, and catacomb archaeology, while simultaneously exploring higher education leadership, curriculum design, and pedagogical innovation. This dual trajectory connects ancient material culture with contemporary academic administration through interdisciplinary analysis of funerary symbolism and institutional effectiveness.

Recent publications examine Jewish gold-glass artifacts within apocalyptic frameworks and broader Roman glass typologies, revealing patterns in Mediterranean funerary practices through material analysis of vessels from Roman catacombs and ritual sites.

Scientific Awards:

• Phi Kappa Phi (2015)
• YSU Subvention Funding Award (2011)
• Samuel H. Kress Foundation Fellowship in the History of Art (1997)
• Samuel H. Kress Fellowship in the History of Art at Foreign Institutions (1995)
• J. William Fulbright Fellowship (1995)
• DAAD Research Grant (1995)

Dr. Smith secured major research funding through competitive international fellowships including Fulbright and Kress awards for fieldwork in Rome and Heidelberg, while her ongoing professional service as Fulbright Scholar Liaison and College Board member demonstrates sustained grant administration and academic leadership beyond direct student advising.