Honoring alumni for their outstanding accomplishments
The W. W. Patty Distinguished Alumni Award is the oldest of the school's distinguished alumni awards. It is presented annually to graduates of the School of Public Health-Bloomington and its prior incarnation as Health, Physical Education, and Recreation who have demonstrated outstanding personal and professional achievement in fostering the wide ranging missions of public health that include but are not limited to evidence-based approaches to public health science, public health and health care systems, planning and management to promote health, policy in public health, leadership, communication, interprofessional practice and systems thinking. The award is named in honor of Dr. Willard W. Patty who served as the school's first dean from 1946 to 1957. Under his leadership, the school rose to national stature and produced some of the finest professionals in our fields.
2025 award recipient
Matthew Lee Smith, Ph.D., M.P.H., CHES, CHW-I, FGSA, FAAHB
Matthew Lee Smith, Ph.D., M.P.H., CHES, CHW-I, FGSA, FAAHB is a professor in the Department of Health Behavior at the Texas A&M School of Public Health and a faculty member of the Center for Community Health and Aging (CCHA), and the Center for Health Equity and Evaluation Research (CHEER). He also directs the Texas Research, Analytics, Innovations, and Evaluation Lab (TRAIL). A respected scholar and leader, Dr. Smith is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB), and has received multiple national awards for research, leadership, and mentorship. His distinguished career focuses on the social, behavioral, and environmental determinants of health, with emphasis on risk behaviors and preventive strategies across the life course.
Dr. Smith’s research advances evidence-based programs for older adults, emphasizing adoption, implementation, and sustainability of interventions that foster healthier lifestyles and reduce morbidity and mortality. His translational efforts align interdisciplinary teams, community organizations, and healthcare systems. His work has been funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Administration for Community Living, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, with cumulative awards exceeding $97 million. He has also been instrumental in evaluating and disseminating evidence-based programs such as the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Otago Exercise Program, and A Matter of Balance. He earned a B.S. in applied health sciences and an M.P.H. from Indiana University Bloomington, followed by a Ph.D. in health education at Texas A&M University. A Certified Health Education Specialist and Community Health Worker Instructor, Dr. Smith has dedicated his career to advancing public health through innovation, evaluation, and collaboration.
