MSW student Courtney Smith has been named one of Junior Chamber International (JCI) USA’s 2026 Ten Outstanding Young Americans. The national honor recognizes exceptional leaders ages 18-40 whose work reflects achievement in leadership, service and professional excellence.
Smith is the founder and CEO of the Detroit Phoenix Center (DPC), a nonprofit organization that responds to the needs of underserved and transient youth. DPC supports young people, ages 13-24, through direct services, including a drop-in center for young adults, after-school enrichment programs for teens, a youth action board, emergency crisis support, and a scholarship fund. In 2025 alone, DPC supported more than 5,000 young people.
Established in 1938, the Ten Outstanding Young Americans program is one of the nation's longest-running leadership recognition programs. Past honorees include President John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley, President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Dick Cheney.
“On a service trip to Haiti, my shoe broke, and a young person took off their own and handed it to me, willing to go barefoot so I wouldn’t. At that moment, I learned that service begins when we see a need and choose to respond,” reflected Smith.
