January 11, 2024
DALLAS, Texas - Elizabeth Smith will become Interim Principal of Ursuline Academy of Dallas on July 1, 2024, when Dr. Andrea Shurley, current Principal, begins her new role as Ursuline’s next President. Ms. Smith has served as Dean of Academics since joining Ursuline in 2016. “I am so pleased that Elizabeth has agreed to serve as our Interim Principal next school year. Working closely with her over the past eight years has been such a pleasure. She is a deeply caring professional who loves these girls and fully supports our school and mission,” Dr. Shurley said. “She will ensure a smooth learning experience and continued growth in all the areas of focus that she and I have built up together.”
At Ursuline, Elizabeth Smith has been a key member of the school administration team charged with implementing strategic roadmap goals, including the introduction of a new faculty evaluation process and student-centered scheduling. A champion of girls’ education, she has worked with the Ursuline faculty to incorporate research on how girls learn best in the classroom.
Prior to joining Ursuline, Ms. Smith held various positions over nine years with The Hockaday School including Director of the International Program, Chair of the English to Speakers of Other Languages Department, and first Director of Global Education. She began her teaching career working with adult refugee populations and teaching them English.
“I am both honored and delighted to serve as Ursuline’s Interim Principal next year,” Ms. Smith said. “Working with our students and this entire community brings me much joy, and I look forward to serving the school in this new role.”
Growing up in Dallas, Elizabeth Smith graduated from The Hockaday School and received her BA in French and Art History from Mount Holyoke College. She began her graduate studies at Brown University and earned her MA in Linguistics/Teaching English as Another Language from The University of North Texas.
Founded in 1874, Ursuline Academy of Dallas is an independent Catholic college preparatory school for young women sponsored by the Ursuline Sisters. Celebrating its Sesquicentennial this school year, the Academy has a current enrollment of over 880 students in grades 9-12. The mission of Ursuline Academy is the total development of the individual student through spiritual formation, intellectual growth, service to others, and building of community. Ursuline educates young women for leadership in a global society.