When it comes to presenting his research, Keith Smith, a graduating doctoral student in Southern’s educational leadership program, is happy to be a man of few words. “The more you get to know me, the more talkative I become, but I tend to be concise. … My wife would definitely agree with that,” he says.
On Feb. 19, Smith put that intentional approach to language into action, winning Southern’s inaugural Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. The international competition challenges graduate students to present their dissertations in just three minutes — making their work clear and compelling to a panel of judges and guests. Each competitor is allowed a single slide to illustrate their work, and there are no second chances; go even one second over, and you’re disqualified.
Launched in 2008 by the University of Queensland in Australia, the competition is now held in more than 85 countries. Students from over 900 universities participate, and this year, for the first time, Southern’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) joined in, becoming the first in the Connecticut State Universities and Colleges system to do so.
Competing is no easy feat. Smith’s dissertation — focused on the lived experiences of diversity, equity, and inclusion leaders at Connecticut independent day schools — spans roughly 100 pages of research. His winning 3MT presentation, conducted without a single notecard, ran 2 minutes, 52 seconds, about the length of a television break.
Mr. Smith earns a doctorate
The 3MT competition was just the latest challenge Smith embraced. On May 19, he’ll participate in the College of Education’s graduate commencement exercises, held on campus at the Lyman Center for the Performing Arts from 7-9 p.m. Smith completed his doctorate in educational leadership while working two jobs; he’s the director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at The Country School in Madison, Conn., and directs the pep band at a neighboring university. “I feel fortunate because both roles inspire me,” he says.
Smith majored in music education as an undergraduate at Old Dominion University and earned a master’s in music at James Madison University. He credits his wife, Julian Smith, an assistant professor of communication disorders at Southern, for encouraging him to enroll in the university’s doctoral program in educational leadership.
“This degree would position me to be in important rooms and have conversations that can improve the quality of life for a wide range of students,” he says.
Through his dissertation, Smith aims to expose the constant, often unseen work happening in DEI spaces. His 3MT presentation began with a bang: “Imagine being the person everyone turns to when something goes wrong.”
DEI leaders at Connecticut independent day schools shared their experiences with Smith during semi-structured interviews. Their responsibilities are vast. As Smith explains, they’re “sitting with students in moments of harm, navigating conflict others don’t want to touch, and stepping into situations after something has already gone wrong rather than being part of the decision-making from the start.”
A nationally ranked research university
The Southern win qualified Smith for the 2026 Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools regional competition. The virtual event, hosted by Concordia University on April 22, brought together institutions of higher education from across the Northeast and parts of Canada. Smith didn’t advance to the regional final rounds, but he “felt honored to represent Southern” at the event.
The competition also highlights Southern’s growing research profile. Southern is the first and only university in the state to earn the prestigious Carnegie R2 classification. The university is also ranked among Connecticut’s top three research universities by Research.com, alongside Yale University and the University of Connecticut.
That momentum extends to graduate education. The School of Graduate and Professional Studies is recognized for excellence and has been named a full member of the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools (NAGS) for the 2025–2026 academic year. In March, Southern added a chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected interdisciplinary honor societies.
“Some of the world’s most respected research universities participate in the 3MT, and we wanted SCSU to have a seat at that table. With our R2 status, we knew we belonged in that conversation,” says Rabia Hos, dean of Southern’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies. “We’re proud to be leading the way as the first in the Connecticut State University system to bring this competition to our campus, and that means something. It signals to the world that serious, impactful research is happening right here at SCSU.”
