Meet the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation Class of 2021 Distinguished Alumni

William Smith, a 1960 graduate of Champaign High School (Central) William grew up on the “North End” of Champaign and enjoyed activities at Douglas Park and nine cent weekend movies at the Park and Rex Theatres. A varsity standout in football and wrestling, William was inducted into the Central HS Sports Hall of fame in 2003. He attended the University of Illinois and served as president of the campus NAACP where his interest in promoting diversity and ending racial bias helped to establish Project 500 and later, the Frances Nelson Health Center. Bill worked at Proctor and Gamble, served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army before returning to University of Illinois to receive his JD, Master of Urban Planning and Bachelor of Finance. He has held academic appointments as Assistant Professor of Urban Affairs at Vanderbilt University and Fisk University as well as serving as Managing Director of the Illinois Office of Minority Business Enterprises where he helped develop field offices throughout the state. Since 1978 he has served as the Executive Assistant to the President for Institutional Equity at Ohio University where he continues to work toward a just society by fostering an understanding and value of diversity. William and his wife Charlene have established the North End Scholarship with CUSF, providing opportunities for qualified minority students from C-U public schools  to pursue higher education.