Julia Smith, Ph.D., M.A.
Julia Smith, Ph.D., M.A.
Julia Smith is an associate professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Teacher Education. She received her doctorate in Family and Child Ecology in the College of Social Science and her master's degree in Literacy Instruction in the College of Education at Michigan State University. Her research and community engagement scholarship focuses on community/school gardens and young children of farmworker families. She recieved the Featured Faculty for Excellence in Engagement Award in 2023 for collaboration with community partners and faculty on launching the School of Education Urban Garden in 2019.
- EDU 31500 Child Development
- EDU 35500 Early Childhood Mental Health
- EDU 22200 Early Childhood Multilingual Learners
- EDU 32700 Early Childhood Social Studies Methods and Family Studies
- Smith, J. (2026). 'Critical ways of thinking': Preservice teachers' reflections on migrant farmworker families in an early childhood education undergraduate course. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2026.2615747
- Smith, J., & Ohlinger, J. (2025). Farm to college: Community engagement, learning and addressing food security while growing local foods on a Midwest college campus. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-05-2024-0333
- Smith, J., & Johnson, D. J. (2022). Parental perspectives on education: Mexican and Mexican-American farmworker families with young children enrolled in Migrant and Seasonal Head Start. Journal of Latinos and Education, 21(4), 388-403. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15348431.2019.1666010
- Smith, J., & Clegg, J. (2021). Providing consistency in care: A case study of bilingual and bicultural early childhood educationfor farmworker children in the rural midwestern United States. Early Child Development and Care, 191(10), 1636-1650. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03004430.2019.1670652
- Smith, J. (2020). Teachers' perspectives on communication and parent engagement in early childhood education programs for migrant farmworker children. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 18(2), 115-129. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1476718X19898712
- Smith, J., & Cuesta, G. (2020). Hunger in the fields: Food insecurity and food access among farmworker families in Migrant and Seasonal Head Start. Journal of Latinos and Education, 19(3), 246-257. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15348431.2018.1500291
- Smith, J. (2019). Voices from the harvest: The role of language, identity and life experience in the education of young children of migrant farmworkers. Journal of Latinos and Education, 18(3), 277-292. https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/xrxH643ydKRZtyv2i32R/full
- Smith, J., Parnin, S., & Cho, H. (2025, November). A faculty collaboration with Abbett Elementary School. Alliance Showcase, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, United States.
- Choi, S., Suntornpithug, N., Smith, J., Kanathanavanich, T., & Essig, R. (2025, June). Enhancing learning outcomes through rubric design: Investigating cognitive, emotional, and collaborative impacts in higher education. Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society Conference, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, United States.
- Smith, J. (2024, February). Using art and project-based approaches to 'draw' theoretical ideas in the college classroom. Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, United States.
- Adilov, N., Egger, J., Hogg, T., Sauerland, W., & Smith, J. (2023, November). Award-winning teachers. Alliance Teaching Showcase, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, United States.
- Smith, J. (2023, March). Creating a significant circle to discuss the links between identity and practice in the college classroom. E.C. Moore Symposium on Excellence in Teaching, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States.
- Martin, J. (2023, November 13). PFW to host Farm to School Summit Nov. 14. 96.3 XKE Fort Wayne's Classic Rock. https://963xke.com/2023/11/13/73293
- Cabo, A. (2023, November 13). First ever Farm to School Summit to be held at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Allied Healthcare US School News and Data. https://alliedhealthcareschools.com/news/article/?aid=861.%20smitj/medcont/First-ever%20Farm%20to%20School%20summit%20to%20be%20held%20at%20Purdue%20University%20Fort%20Wayne-1.pdfv
- PFW to host Farm to School Summit. (2023, November 4). The Crescent-News. https://www.crescent-news.com/news/local_news/pfw-to-host-farm-to-school-summit-nov-14/article_0bd599f8-79b9-11eeabd3-67880d7d9712.html
- Sloboda, A. (2020, March 29). Virtual learning now a real necessity. The Journal Gazette. https://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/schools/20200329/virtual-learning-now-a-real-necessity
- Urban garden to be created at Purdue Fort Wayne. (2019, March 27). Inside Indiana Business. https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/40203957/urban-garden-to-be-created-at-purdue-university-fort-wayne