 In October 2014, the university renamed one of its buildings to Joshua I. Smith Center for Education and Natural Sciences to honor Smith.In November 2014, Smith received the Thurgood Marshall College Fund HBCU Alumnus of the Year award at the 26th TMCF Awards Gala.Smith has been married to his wife Reverend Jacqueline Jones-Smith since 1979, and lives in Washington D.C.