My name is Dr. John L. Smith, Jr., DMA 1979. Since receiving the degree I was awarded the UMKC Alumni Achievement Award, established an endowed scholarship in the UMKC Conservatory and authored a book, They Taught Me How To Be The Man I AM (available from Amazon and book retailers), which includes a chapter about the mentoring, support and academic counseling provided by Dr. Alexander Hamilton, the Associate Dean for the UMKC Conservatory. Without his timely and strategic presence, many of my professional accomplishments would not have occurred, including serving as President of Fisk University.
