▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁and ▁received ▁a ▁B . A . ▁in ▁history ▁from ▁Pr inc eton ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁he ▁received ▁a ▁M . A . T . ▁from ▁the ▁Harvard ▁University ▁Gr adu ate ▁School ▁of ▁Education . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁Ed . D . ▁from ▁the ▁Harvard ▁Gr adu ate ▁School ▁of ▁Education ▁in ▁administration , ▁planning , ▁and ▁social ▁policy ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁Career ▁in ▁education ▁and ▁politics ▁ ▁Smith ▁served ▁one ▁year ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁Verm ont ▁Commission er ▁of ▁Education . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁found ing ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Community ▁College ▁of ▁Verm ont , ▁a ▁Verm ont ▁State ▁College . ▁He ▁first ▁ran ▁for ▁office ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁defe ating ▁inc umb ent ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁of ▁Verm ont ▁T . ▁Gar ry ▁Buck ley ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁primary ▁but ▁losing ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁to ▁Dem ocrat ▁Made le ine ▁M . ▁Kun in . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Verm ont ▁State ▁Senator ▁representing ▁the ▁Washington ▁County ▁district . ▁After ▁Kun in ▁chose ▁not ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁re - e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁Smith ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁succeed ▁her . ▁He ▁served ▁two , ▁two - year ▁terms . ▁He ▁ran ▁for ▁Governor ▁of ▁Verm ont ▁in ▁