Des Plaines, Ill. (Oct. 7, 2026) — What kind of future can a community college help create? That question has been at the heart of Oakton College President Joianne L. Smith’s leadership for more than a decade.
Smith, a Glenview resident, has answered that question by expanding opportunities for students, championing innovation and strengthening Oakton’s connections with the communities it serves. That leadership has earned Smith the 2026 District 3 Pacesetter Award from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR).
Smith received the award Oct. 6 during NCMPR’s District 3 conference in Madison, Wis. The Pacesetter Award recognizes a community college president or CEO who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and support for college communications and marketing. Smith now advances for consideration for the national Pacesetter Award, which will be awarded in spring 2027.
“Community colleges have always been places of possibility — where you can pursue your educational goals or discover a new direction,” said Smith. “Marketing and Communications teams, like Oakton’s, are critical to helping people understand that those possibilities are within reach.”
Smith has long viewed marketing and communications as a strategic partner, essential to advancing Oakton’s mission. An example of this is her support of a multi-year brand evolution that coincided with the College’s renaming from Oakton Community College to Oakton College in 2023. The philosophy emphasizes authentic storytelling by involving students, alumni and community members in developing and sharing their stories and images.
Additionally, President Smith supported a multi-year environmental branding project across Oakton’s campuses, led by the College’s Marketing and Communications department. The initiative ensures that Oakton’s physical spaces reflect the College’s values by using words and images to foster a greater sense of belonging and inspiration.
Under Smith’s leadership, Oakton was designated as an Achieving the Dream (ATD) Leader College. The distinction, which was reaffirmed in 2026, recognizes sustained improvements in student outcomes and efforts to reduce equity gaps.
In 2025, the Aspen Institute, a global nonprofit organization, named Oakton one of the nation’s top 200 community colleges, recognizing the College among institutions demonstrating strong student outcomes and a commitment to student success.
Smith’s leadership extends beyond Oakton. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Endeavor Health Northshore Hospital System and Community Colleges for International Development as well as the Steering Committee for Evanston Cradle to Careers. She also regularly participates in community events and supports numerous community organizations through participation in events and initiatives.
Before becoming Oakton’s fourth president in 2015, Smith served as Oakton’s dean of students from 2002 to 2004 and vice president for Student Affairs from 2005 to 2015. Before joining Oakton, she held administrative roles at Northwestern University and Middlebury College. She has also worked as a licensed psychologist and maintains her license in Illinois.
NCMPR represents marketing and public relations professionals at two-year community and technical colleges across the United States and Canada. District 3 includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Ontario.