Month: August 2021

Categories
Announcements News

Faculty and staff opportunities available with Engage Dallas

Engage Dallas aims to help students connect their in-class learning, leadership skills, and personal values to advocate for and alleviate community needs.

There is an opportunity for every faculty and staff member to partner with our students and connect their course content or personal values to a community need. There are many ways that this can be done. We invite you to check out the brief video below and learn about some of the engagement opportunities. We don’t want you to feel limited though…if you have an idea that would allow you to partner with Engage Dallas outside of what we have listed, please email us.

Categories
Announcements Community Partners News

Partnerships are pivotal…community partnerships are highlighted in new Engage Dallas video

Community partners are central to what makes Engage Dallas possible.

We recognize that the Engage Dallas initiative is new to the South and West Dallas communities, so we plan to work with community partners to advance the goals and initiatives that are important to the community members and best fitting for their needs. We know that we are not the experts, but our community partners offer invaluable insight and expertise that will empower us to serve in the most effective and efficient ways. Check out this short video to learn more about what Engage Dallas is and how you can get involved!

We invite you to explore our 11 community needs. If your organization supports or addresses one of these areas, we would love to have you connect with us!

Categories
Announcements News

Reed steps into Engage Dallas Initiative Manager role effective September 7

Audryanna Reed (she/her/hers) is the newest addition to the Office of Academic Initiatives, serving as our new Associate Director for High-Impact Practices. Reed will provide leadership, vision, and management for the implementation and sustainment of high impact educational practices in SMU’s residential setting.

As the Associate Director, Audryanna will serve as initiative manager for Engage Dallas, collaborate with various offices to offer our Peer Leader programs, and implement the pillars of SMU in Four.

As the initiative manager, Reed will lead campus elements of Engage Dallas including: facilitating the Engage Dallas implementation team, supporting the Engage Dallas Student Directors, overseeing risk management efforts, and supporting sustained relationships with community partners.

Reed continues her service at SMU, transferring from Office of Housing Operations to the Office of Academic Initiatives in Residence Life and Student Housing, effective September 7th, 2021.

She has experience with curriculum development, policy review, and began her journey in student affairs as an Academic Resident Assistant. Audryanna earned her BS in Hospitality Management from the University of North Texas, and went on to earn her Master of Liberal Studies with concentrations in Human Rights & Social Justice and Organizational Dynamics from SMU.

Reed is active with DFW Urban League Young Professionals, One Community Church, and keeps busy as the owner of her own small business.

Categories
Announcements

We are better together: Partnership brings author and social impact entrepreneur to campus

Engage Dallas partnered with SMU’s Office of Engaged Learning on July 21 for a engaging virtual discussion entitled Better Together: Service that Improves and Unifies and Community.

Author and Social Impact Entrepreneur, Alex Quian, discussed his book Better Together: How 30 Days of Service Changed My Life. The book chronicles Alex Quian’s decision in spring 2019 to use his college summer break to serve the DFW community.

Unsure of what he should do after college, he shared this idea with his mentor, who then challenged Alex to complete 30 different service projects in 30 days. He accepted this challenge and created an initiative called 30 Days of Service. Watch the video and get inspired! Serve via Engage Dallas or directly in the community.

Interested in serving? Check out opportunities for service on the Engage Dallas website. Students in attendance were able to receive 1-hour of general engagement credit toward their Community Engagement Proficiency and Experience with Engage Dallas. Have a program that relates to the Engage Dallas initiative or one of the 11 identified community needs? Submit your program to be marketed to SMU students and/or count toward hours required for the proficiency.