Kara Smith

Biography

Dr. Smith joined Belmont University in 2010, where she teaches Healthcare and Public Finance Economics. Prior to earning her Ph.D., Dr. Smith worked in the State of Tennessee’s Department of Finance and Administration where she assisted with the annual preparation of the state budget. As a result of that experience, her research focuses on public finance economics with a particular interest in the economics of state lotteries, state and local taxes and the intersection of public programs, poverty, and health disparity. She presents her work at regional and national conferences, and her research appears in Southern Economic Journal, Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Journal of Poverty and Public Policy, and International Review of Economics Education.

In 2020, Dr. Smith was honored by the Southern Economic Association with the Georgescu-Roegan Prize for her work on the regressivity of so-called “education lotteries.” She holds a B.A. in International Economics and Spanish from Carson-Newman University, and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she taught a variety of classes and worked as a research assistant in the Center for Business and Economic Research. Dr. Smith serves on the Board of Nashville Ballet, and is an active member at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church.

Education & Certifications

• Ph.D. - The University of Tennessee, Economics
• M.A. - The University of Tennessee, Economics
• B.B.A. – Carson-Newman College, Economics and Spanish
• Lean Healthcare Certified (2016)

Professional Experience

• Associate Professor of Economics, Belmont University
• Assistant Professor of Economics, Belmont University
• Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of Economics, The University of Tennessee
• Graduate Research Assistant, Center for Business and Economic Research, The University of Tennessee
• Administrative Budget Analyst, Department of Finance and Administration, State of Tennessee

Recent Publications

• Smith, Kara. “Is it Facetime or Structure and Accountability that Matter? Flipped versus Flipped/Hybrid Classroom." Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education (2020).
• Carruthers, Celeste and Kara Smith. “Are ‘Education Lotteries’ Less Regressive? Evidence from Texas.” Southern Economic Journal. 86.3 (2020): 1019-1040.
• Cannonier, Colin and Kara Smith. “Do Crib Sheets Improve Student Performance on Tests? Evidence from Principles of Economics.” International Review of Economics Education 30 (2019):100-147.
• Smith, Kara, and Robin Lovgren. "Empirical Evidence of Deep Learning in Learning Communities." Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education 10.3 (2018): 311-321.
• Smith, Kara D., and Bryan Shone. "Progressive State Taxes and Welfare." Poverty & Public Policy 8.4 (2016): 430-437.

Honors & Awards

• Georgescu-Roegan Prize, awarded by the Southern Economic Association (2020)
• Outstanding Teaching Award, Jack C. Massey Collee of Business, Belmont University (2015)
• Outstanding Graduate Student Presentation Award, The University of Tennessee (2009)
• Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, Carson-Newman College (2004)