Services: Sunday November 24, 2013 at 2pm Providence Baptist Church 1106 Tuscaloosa Street Greensboro, NC 27406 Reverend Doctor Howard Allen Chubbs Officiating

South Carolina State University announced Tuesday that Dr. Albert E. Smith, who served as S.C. State's sixth president, died Sunday in Pembroke Pines, Fla.

"The S.C. State University family is deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Albert E. Smith. The legacy of his leadership as president is ever present, and we continue to benefit from the contributions he made to S.C. State during his tenure," President Thomas J. Elzey said.

"We extend our condolences to his wife, Sadie, his children, family and friends," he said.

A native of Sioux Falls, S.D., Smith earned his degree at North Carolina A&T State University.

He was a student-athlete, playing on the university's baseball team. His talent on the field eventually led him to a short stint as a minor league baseball player.

Ten years after his baseball career, he was named N.C. A&T State University's athletics director.

Smith then left A&T to further his academic career and returned to the campus in 1976 as vice chancellor of development and university relations and executive director of the university's foundation.

Smith left A&T to become the president of then-South Carolina State College in 1986.

During Smith's tenure, the college established working relationships with several major corporations, created the School of Freshman Studies and an Honors Program. Fundraising efforts brought nearly $3 million to the college, and ground was broken in late 1991 for a new women's residence hall.

Smith was instrumental in efforts to gain university status for the college.

After six years at S.C. State, he became the president of Florida Memorial University in 1993, retiring from FMU in 2006.

Smith earned a bachelor's degree from North Carolina A&T State University, a master's degree from George Williams College and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Services are being held in Miami Gardens, Fla. and Greensboro, N.C.

In Miami Gardens, a viewing will be held at 9:30 a.m. and funeral at 11 a.m. Thursday in Florida Memorial University's Susie B. Holley Center. Range Funeral Home of Miami is handling the arrangements.

In Greensboro, a family hour will be held at 1:30 p.m. and funeral at 2 p.m. Sunday at Providence Baptist Church, 1106 Tuscaloosa St. Interment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Park, U.S. Highway 29 North. Brown's Funeral Home of Greensboro is handling the arrangements.