Each Friday this summer, the Daniels Newsroom is telling the stories of the behind-the-scenes staff who empower students, faculty and the College at large. Read past stories on our blog.
After more than a decade at the Burns School, Smith plays a key role shaping the school’s goals
Ceci Smith wasn’t quite sure what she was getting into at the Daniels College of Business when she arrived more than a decade ago. There were no blueprints, no models to work off of and things were being built quickly.
As Smith stepped into an administrator role at the Franklin L. Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management, she leaned heavily on the foundation of her experiences at home.
“I had never been an admin in my life, but I raised a family. I’m big on planning, so I just kind of naturally could do it,” she said.
Smith arrived at Daniels after a career in journalism and graphic design took her from Fort Collins to the high country of Colorado, to Hawaii and then Texas, before she came back to the Centennial State. She took the role at the Burns School after transferring from the University of Denver Bookstore, where Marty Neary—who now works in the dean’s office— was her first boss when she was hired in 2011.
Smith excelled immediately at Daniels, thanks in large part to her attention to detail and communication skills. Her strong work was recognized by Barb Jackson, the former director of the Burns School, and Smith was quickly promoted to assistant director of operations and outreach.
As is the case with many Daniels employees, Smith’s duties and responsibilities were wide ranging. She appreciated the variety of her job. It kept her energized.
She’d run events, communicate with alumni and corporate partners, set up mentorship programs, design a Burns history book and even work on the team that would eventually build the Collaboratory classroom. Across each of these tasks, Smith’s focus always shifted back to students and alumni. They are what keep her fire burning.
“When students or alumni come back and say, ‘This was the most impactful experience of my whole time here,’ or ‘I love my classes and the networking events made all the difference,’ I really take pride in that. It’s really what keeps me motivated,” she said.
Today, Smith’s title has evolved to associate director of communications and outreach. The adjusted role affords her more time to focus on her strength in communications and has enabled her to take more of a leadership role at Burns. She’s also been able to travel more with the school, joining director Vivek Sah on trips to India, Dubai and Liverpool. Those experiences have stuck with her and serve as a strong reminder of the impact Daniels has on its students.
“The last two trips have been fantastic. [It’s amazing to see] the bonding that happens, the excitement that the students have and the lifelong connection you gain from having that experience together,” she said.
Smith also enjoys traveling outside of work, including hiking trips in Portugal and France. She wants to make a return trip to Europe to hike Mont Blanc sometime soon.
When she’s stateside, Smith enjoys hiking and skiing in Beaver Creek and Vail, playing pickleball and tennis, and reading. And she’s a salad connoisseur, known for throwing together a host of different ingredients to make a kitchen sink-style dish.
It’s the same approach she takes at her job at Burns, bringing together people, projects and priorities in perfect balance. She’s thankful for the community at the College that enables her to thrive.
“I work with so many great coworkers here at Daniels who support my goals for the Burns School,” she said. “My Burns team and Daniels colleagues are the best.”