A warm, professional personality graces the position of executive aide to the chairman department of health related professions.
Drusilla Smith is this warm professional personality. Smith has worked with the department of health related professions for many years.
She has been working at ETSU for 30 years and is working towards her 31st year with the department of health related professions.
As executive aide to the chair, Smith works closely with the department chairman, Dr Don Samples. Smith assists him with major tasks. She also helps with departmental reports.
“I am here for the students and faculty,” Smith said. “I work with students to provide assistance and attempt to resolve problems.”
Smith also handles a wide variety of other tasks within the department. She is responsible for preparing the department which usually employs six student workers. Smith supervises all student workers. She takes calls, schedules appointments and provides information to students and prospective students.
Over the past 30 years, the department of health related professions has undergone many changes, according to Smith.
“We have recently started offering a bachelor’s degree in allied health,” she said.
The department will soon move dental assisting, dental lab technician and medical lab technician to Northeast Technical Community College.
Smith said that students have changed over the years.
“I think that students are more motivated today that they have been in the past,” she said. “Students seem to have a desire to work and are anxious to get into their field,” Smith said.
“The most rewarding part of my job is assisting students,” she said. “Many students come into the office stressed with a problem. It’s great to help the students find a solution to their problem.”
Smith knows that college is the first time that many students have been away from home.
“I want to make their transition easy and help to give them the right advice about schedules and classes,” she said.
One of Smith’s hobbies is reading. “I like inspirational material mostly,” she said. She also enjoys doing crafts and being outdoors.
Smith is a mother and grandmother. Her daughter is Tracy Treadway and she has a grandson, Gabriel, who is 4-1/2 years old.
Smith has two dogs named Pansy and Ellie. “They were rescued from the animal shelter,” she said.
The person Smith feels inspires her most is Jesus Christ. “He is the person I try to model most,” she said.
Smith said that she has worked only with the department of health related professions, since starting with ETSU. The department offers five different programs.
“It’s a good variety, it’s exciting and it keeps me very busy,” she said.
The department of health related professions includes the areas of cardiopulmonary science (respiratory therapy), radiology, dental assisting, dental lab technician and medical lab technician.
The department is located off campus at the Nave Center in Elizabethton.

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