David S. Smith
Department Chair of Traditional Undergraduate Business Programs; Assistant Professor, Business and Leadership
Centennial Hall 202
David.S.Smith@eastern.edu
David S. Smith is an assistant professor in the College of Business and Leadership at Eastern University, with a focus on Business Technology. His extensive career in IT has provided him with the experience required to ensure students walk away from his courses with an understanding of the content and application so they are equipped to provide real solutions to business problems. He has worked with domestic and multinational organizations with global responsibility to assist them with implementing IT solutions that were right sized to meet the business need.
Outside of academia, David is the founder and owner of Cortez IT, a boutique consulting firm that specializes in assisting its clients with IT strategy and governance serving organizations like The Commonwealth of PA, Highmark Insurance and The Pennsylvania State University. Prior to Cortez IT, he founded the nonprofit organization – Winning Wealth Services – to provide financial literacy training to underserved populations. Through partnerships with organizations like The Vanguard Group and Habitat for Humanities, Winning Wealth has assisted over 10,000 individuals with improved personal financial management practices. He is also an ordained minister through the American Baptist Church.
Education
D.Min. Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University
M.Div. Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University
MBA The Pennsylvania State University
B.S. Information Systems, Clarion University of PA (now PennWest)
Research Interests
His research focuses on intersectional impact across disciplines. This includes but is not limited to churches, businesses, government entities, trauma informed care, and other fields of study.
Why I Teach at Eastern
I chose Eastern because it is a place where I can live out my faith in Christ and calling as an educator authentically. The university lives out the mission of Faith, Reason and Justice in ways that make it easy for me to agree even when we don’t fully agree. I feel blessed to be working where the work of the faculty is supported, the students are prioritized, the staff are valued and the administration leads as they follow God to the best of their ability.
Courses Taught
Business 101
Management Information Systems
Business Ethics
Global Business
Publications
Christianese 101; A lexicon for new believers; Wipf and Stock Publishers; 2018
Select Presentations
Smith. D. (2023) Presenter of "Bridging the Generational Inequality Gap through Financial Literacy." Presented at the 23nd annual Frederick Douglass Institute Research and Creative Arts Conference. Virtual.
Smith. D. (2023) Panelist for "Faith Communities Respond to Trauma Informed Care”. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Virtual.
Smith. D. (2025) Presenter for "PhD Residency Keynote Address on Justice”. College of Business and Leadership of Eastern University. Philadelphia, PA.
Smith. D. (2026) Presenter of "When Activism Meets Incentives. A Case Study of Community-Led Policy Change." Presented at International Association of Business and Society (IABS). Providence, RI.
Smith. D. (2026) Panelist for "Beyond the Anchor: Carrying Faith, Hope and Community FORWARD”. Faith and Spiritual Affairs Symposium. Philadelphia, PA.
Professional Associations
International Association for Business and Society (IABS)