KEENE, N.H. - A recent Keene State College graduate will continue his career in collegiate athletics with a graduate assistant coaching position at Providence College with their women's ice hockey program beginning this fall.  
 
Graduate Jason Smith '26, a member of the both the KSC men's club ice hockey program for two seasons and the varsity program after its introduction in July of 2023, found the job opportunity on LinkedIn, where he reached out to Providence College's Director of Hockey Operations.   
 
"That initial connection led to the interview process, and I was fortunate to be selected for the role," Smith said.  "Putting yourself out there can open doors that you might not have expected." 
 
As a graduate assistant, Smith mentioned he will work in nearly every aspect of the women's hockey program, with a focus on operations. Some responsibilities Smith will have include clipping and tagging practice and game film, organizing pre-scout video, preparing resources for the coaching staff, coordinating team travel with hotels, assisting with equipment management, and supporting gameday operations.  
 
"Every day will be different...it allows me to gain experience in all aspects of running a Division I hockey program," Smith added. 
 
The Essex, Vt. native played junior hockey with the Vermont Lumberjacks and later appeared in 35 games over the final two years of his playing career with the Owls after moving from club to varsity. 
 
Keene State has helped Smith gain this opportunity by providing the hands-on experience that is needed to prepare when graduating. During the school year, Smith took an Athletic Administrative Internship where he worked with Athletic Director Marty Testo '98. 
 
"That experience helped me develop a strong understanding of leadership, organization, and the many moving parts involved in collegiate athletics," Smith said.  
 
On top of the internship opportunity at Keene State, Smith's time with the men's ice hockey program under head coach Bobby Rodrigue '00 has helped him understand the importance of teamwork, accountability, and leadership. Smith also mentioned that watching Rodrigue has helped him see first-hand the responsibilities of running a collegiate program.
  
"Jason is a great kid who has earned this opportunity," said Rodrigue.  "With his experience and growth here at the College, we know he will do very well with the Friars." 
 
Smith's time in the Human Performance and Movement Sciences Department and the Sport and Recreation Management program were also guiding forces that helped land him this opportunity.  
 
"The coursework gave me a deeper understanding of the sports industry and further strengthened my desire to pursue a career in collegiate athletics," Smith explained. 
 
He also gave big credit to advisor Dr. Wanda Swiger, who was his mentor for all four years at KSC.  
 
As for Smith's future opportunities, it will be a transition from Division III to Division I – but one that Keene has prepared him well to handle.  The differences in divisions include the number of resources and level of operation, but perhaps none is bigger than the number of people involved within the program and how granular their responsibilities can become. 
 
"Providence competes in Hockey East, one of the premier conferences in college hockey, and has larger budgets, bigger support staffs, more advanced technology, and additional personnel dedicated to areas like sports performance, sports medicine, nutrition, recruiting, video analysis, and hockey operations," said Smith. 
 
Thanks to his time as an Owl, Smith feels well-prepared and ready to take on his graduate opportunity with Providence, who begins their season September 25.