School of Public and Population Health Associate Professor Dr. Megan Smith was named a Boise State University 2025 President’s Community Service Award recipient.
The President’s Community Service Award for Faculty and Staff is a prestigious distinction that celebrates and honors the remarkable contributions of university employees who have displayed an extraordinary dedication to serving and enriching the broader community. This esteemed accolade recognizes individuals whose commitment to community engagement, philanthropy, and active volunteerism has demonstrated a profound positive influence beyond the boundaries of the campus.
As the founding director of Communities for Youth — an initiative addressing youth mental health issues in Idaho — Smith knows just how valuable it can be to bring other faculty, students, community partners and stakeholders into mental health work.
Smith and the Communities for Youth (C4Y) team work directly with local Idaho communities to identify and address risk and protective factors. Using an upstream approach, Smith and the team meet students and families where they are — in their schools and local community settings.
“One of the most fulfilling parts of my work with C4Y is the moment of relief I see in their faces when we can see clearly in the data the areas we can focus on to create change, not to mention the joy we see when our work together helps decrease the depression rates for young people,” Smith said.
The work Smith and the C4Y team does, she says, aims to take some of the load off schools, parents and others to help support the best possible outcomes for kids.
“That hope and the continued action it inspires, is one of the best parts, no doubt,” Smith said.
Smith receives this award alongside Boise State faculty members Brittany Brand and Laura King.