Smalling currently serves as the associate dean for social sciences, overseeing more than 70 faculty members, as well as director of faculty community and belonging, and a professor of social work and family studies at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Smalling is passionate about creating inclusive, sustainable and intellectually rigorous academic environments where all members of the community thrive in their work and lives. During her 14 years at St. Olaf, she has been deeply involved in initiatives to improve both the academic and cultural aspects of the college, including revision of the general education curriculum, strategic plan creation, Title IX policy revisions and efforts to promote systemic equity and inclusion. Her scholarship focuses on inclusive practice and pedagogy, and she has over 20 years of experience consulting and writing in this area. 

With substantial classroom experience, Smalling has taught courses across the social work curriculum and has served as practicum coordinator and Bachelor of Social Work program director.

A licensed independent social worker, Smalling has 10 years of practice experience working in the arenas of adolescent behavioral health, child welfare and chemical health. 

Smalling completed a bachelor’s degree at St. Olaf, a master’s in social work at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and a Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. She succeeds Marcia Ditmyer, who is retiring from her role as dean; Ditmyer will remain on SVSU’s faculty.

SVSU’s Crystal M. Lange College of Health & Human Services provides a knowledge- and skills-based education, combining theoretical courses with clinical or fieldwork experience components to equip students for careers across the health care field. For more information about SVSU’s College of Health & Human Services, visit svsu.edu/collegeofhealthhumanservices.

As part of the relationship, SC4 graduates will also receive guaranteed admission to SVSU, further strengthening a seamless transfer experience for students across the region.

“Expanding educational offerings, degree pathways, internship experiences and more is good for our students, good for our communities, good for our employers and good for our state,” said George Grant Jr, president of Saginaw Valley State University. “Like SC4, we believe that students should be challenged in the classroom — we want them prepared in their career fields — but we want to remove confusion in other areas so students can focus on learning. These agreements are an important step in that direction and will help students build their careers to meet the workforce needs our employers face every day.”

As part of the agreement, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) concurrent pathway agreement was finalized, providing SC4 nursing students with a streamlined, coordinated route to complete their BSN degree at SVSU. This innovative pathway allows students to enroll simultaneously at both institutions, meeting critical workforce needs while accelerating career advancement.

“This initiative is about removing barriers and expanding opportunity,” said SC4 President Kirk Kramer. “Our organizations share a common vision of helping all students prepare for high demand careers. By bringing SVSU programs to the SC4 campus, students can earn advanced degrees close to home, saving time and money while staying connected to their community.”

The MOU establishes a framework for growing academic collaboration, including the development of new degree pathways aligned with regional workforce demands. SC4 and SVSU are currently finalizing the initial programs to be offered, with the goal of launching courses on the SC4 campus in Port Huron as early as this fall.

As the project evolves, additional programs are expected to follow, providing students with expanded options to complete advanced degrees locally. These future offerings will continue to build seamless, student-centered pathways that support educational attainment and strengthen the regional economy.

By combining SC4’s long history — over 100 years — in providing accessible, high-quality education with SVSU’s robust upper-division and graduate programs, the endeavor represents a powerful investment in the future of St. Clair County. Together, the institutions are creating new possibilities for learners — from recent high school graduates to working adults — to achieve their academic and professional goals. The work is perfectly aligned with Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal, which aims to increase the number of working-age adults with a postsecondary degree or skills certificate to 60% by 2030.

For students throughout the Thumb and beyond, the message is clear: four-year degrees and advanced educational opportunities are coming to Port Huron, strengthening career prospects and the St. Clair County region.

The state championship event is an economic boon for businesses throughout the community, with past competitions generating more than $4 million in direct spending.

FIRST in Michigan seeks to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators. Their mission is to establish a sustainable robotics competition team at every high school in the state. Teams compete in qualifying district events, with winners being determined by a point system. The 160 top-ranked teams advance to the state championship. Winners at the state level will advance to the FIRST championship in Houston. 

SVSU faculty, staff and students volunteer their time to support local schools and education programs and on campus during the FIRST in Michigan state tournament. 

For more information about the competition at SVSU, visit .