Category: Campus Life

An English Major among Engineers

Post author By Zoe Patterson
Post date September 18, 2017

I can remember the first time I heard the job title “Maker.” It was from a friend who referenced a man he knew who would make custom objects for a living.

“What!?” I asked, “you can make a living off of just making random things for people?”

To say I’m a handy person is an exaggeration of my actual skill, but most of my childhood was spent playing with Legos and building popsicle stick castles with hot glue cobwebs. My inner child squirmed at the idea of taking these little projects to the next level, so I bought a sketchbook and began to doodle every idea that popped into my head. Fueled by a Pinterest inspired mania of design ideas – I know, I’m shaking my head, too – the pages quickly filled up. With more than a little disappointment, I began to realize the limitations of my ability to create; equipment and materials aren’t cheap, especially for a college student.

Fortunately, I had the Deason Innovation Gym, SMU’s proud maker space. Located in the Caruth building of the Lyle School of Engineering, the innovation gym is a place for ALL students at SMU to design and create, regardless of major. The only thing between me and a wood shop, laser cutter, multiple 3D printers, a vinyl cutter and a Carvey – Google it if you don’t know what it is; it’s really cool – was a 45-minute safety course supplemented by orientations for each piece of equipment.

My first project was for a friend who found that the peephole in his apartment was a bit too high for him to reasonably reach.

“One of my friend’s joked that he could build me a periscope,” He laughed.

“I can build you a periscope!”

It wasn’t a simple project by any means, but the trained staff at the Deason Innovation Gym was there to help. After sketching my plans on paper, I was able to use Adobe Illustrator – conveniently available to me through Fondren Library computers – to create the design for the Innovation Gym’s laser cutter. After that, a little paint, wood glue and a few mirrors were all that it took to make my design a reality, all thanks to the materials and equipment provided to my by SMU.

With such a repertoire of tools and materials at my disposal, my only problem is finding the time to bring my designs into three dimensions. Good thing the Innovation Gym is open 24/7!

Stephen Chamberlain

Campus Life General

Tips For College as I Graduate

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date October 13, 2016

Now that fall break just ended and my friends are getting emails about spring enrollment, the reality of my early graduation is sinking in. Two months from now my chapter at SMU will end and a new one will begin. Looking back on my time, I’ve come up with some tips for those about to embark on their own collegiate journeys.

Be shamelessly yourself.
Coming into college, I was not true to myself. I wore what I thought others expected me to wear, studied subjects people told me would lead to high-paying jobs and created an identity for myself that was anything but me. I’m not entirely sure at what point it clicked, but I no longer feared being different with the amazing friends I made at SMU. I changed my majors, and the university resoundingly supported me in further discovering my sense of self.

Surround yourself with people who challenge you.
Going to school with people from all different backgrounds is one of the most humbling experiences. Be vulnerable to the diverse ideas people will pose in the classroom, and it will benefit you the truest form of education. SMU is full of some of the most ambitious people I have encountered to date, and they have helped reshape my perceptions of what is possible.

Ask questions.
I realized the times that yielded the most valuable learning experiences thus far were times that I dared to ask questions. Many come into college with the fear of raising hands, but now is the most important time to question “why?”

Study abroad.
One of the most formative experiences I’ve had in the past three and a half years was studying abroad. Immersing myself in a new culture taught me as much about my own culture as it did about the new. It also led to my dream of working in London after graduation.

Eat as many tacos as you can.
This one speaks for itself. The majority of my remaining time will be well-spent in line at Velvet Taco.

Keep these in mind and the opportunities at SMU will be endless!

-Austin Whittle

Athletics Campus Life Student Organizations

Intramural Sports

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date October 13, 2016

I love playing Intramural sports. Every season, I’m always involved in one event or another. Intramurals are a great way to get involved at college as well as creating a great environment for teamwork, cooperation, and motivation. For the past four years, I have been involved with an intramural team at any given point in time during the school year. Ranging from flag football, to indoor soccer, to beach volleyball and softball, I have played them all, some more competitively than others. In flag football, nothing is left to chance; from making playbooks, to snap counts, to defensive schemes, we have everything covered. Compared to softball where it is much more of a bonding experience with the guys than it is a competition we need to win. The best part about intramurals is the ability to play with and compete against friends. Not only will you become closer with those friends you’ve played with but also you will guarantee eternal bragging rights for the ones you beat. This will be my fourth year competing in intramurals, and I have yet to win a single championship. Although I have many successful seasons, resulting in second and third place finishes; I have yet to win the infamous Intramural Championship t-shirt. Hopefully, that will change soon, as I am beginning to run out of time. However, if I do not win, I will still have the memories of playing with friends that I won’t soon forget. See you on the field.

-Jack Student

Campus Life Life Around Dallas Uncategorized

My Favorite Apps to Stay Healthy on Campus

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date October 7, 2016

Eating, sleeping, and procrastinating. These are a few of the biggest challenges once you come to college. All of the sudden, you have more time on your hands than you’ve ever had before. What do you do with it? After you are finished studying, joining as many extracurricular activities as possible, and hanging out with your best friends, it’s time to eat, sleep, and, of course, procrastinate.

Eating in college is the best. It’s so great, actually, that you may even do too much of it. The unlimited fro-yo machine at the dining hall will quickly start calling your name three times a day before you know it. Like everything in college, it’s all about balance. I have found a few new apps that have made eating treats and staying healthy at the same time a little bit easier. The first app is Google Calendar. Open up the app, click the “+” icon, select goal, and input it in with a date and time you want to achieve it by! There are not only goals premade for exercising, but also building a skill, spending time with friends and family, setting aside “me time”, and organizing your life! Another app is called Fooducate. You can scan any food with a barcode and it will display the nutritional information on your phone. If you’re interested, it can also log what you eat and how much you exercise. Another helpful app is called Microsoft HealthVault. This app stores health data from the apps on your devices and makes accessing the information super easy in case you need to visit the health center.

Another fun part of college is sleeping. The key to successful sleeping is at least trying to get the same amount of sleep each night. One app that will help you wake up after a great nights rest is called Sleep Cycle. Sleep Cycle is an app that analyzes your sleep and wakes you during your lightest phase of sleep. FitBit also tracks how well you sleep. That is another great way to set sleeping goals for yourself.

The never-ending struggle of college is procrastination. Why write your paper that is due for a month when Gilmore Girls and Game of Thrones is calling your name? Well, to be successful in college of course! If you spend too much time on social media apps on your phone, give the app called Rescue Time a try. This app limits the amount of time you can spend on certain apps. Self-control is also a great tool to stay focused. Download self-control and create a list of websites that you need to take a break from. You customize the amount of time that the websites will be blocked, so you can watch that episode of Orange is the New Black right after you finish your homework!

College really is a fantastic time in your life. You learn as much outside of the classroom as you do within it. These tools and resources may just make the learning curve of setting your own boundaries a little bit easier!

-Caroline Gurley

Campus Life Residence Life and Student Housing

The Fourth Lasso

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date October 7, 2016

Before school starts every semester, a program called “Mustang Corral” takes place. This program consists of programming on campus, an excursion in Dallas (touring Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium, taking a Dallas Trolley Tour, doing community service at Bonton Farms, and more), and an overnight program at an off-campus campsite. Every year, I’ve grown to appreciate Mustang Corral more and more. The bonds that are made between first-years are invaluable, of course, but the memories I’ve made as a Mustang Corral Guide are some that I will cherish forever.

As a senior, all Corral guides that participated in Corral for at least 3 summers get to give a “senior speech” at a special ceremony that concludes the camp portion of Mustang Corral. This year, I was incredibly nervous to get up and speak in front of almost 2000 students, faculty, and staff members. It took forever for me to figure out just the right advice to give, but I landed on advising the first-years to create an SMU bucket list.

Some sample items for their bucket lists were to jump in all 11 fountains we have on campus before graduation and to meet former President of the United States and frequent SMU visitor, George W. Bush. Being at SMU has afforded me many exciting opportunities like these and more.

Standing backstage, the few senior Corral guides and I were feeling nostalgic, nervous, excited, and bound together by the spirit of SMU. We nervously chattered about what we were going to talk about, joking about the craziness surrounding the fact that we were actually seniors, about to spend our last year on campus.

When we all got on stage, I looked around and felt overwhelmed with joy and appreciation for SMU.

I was surrounded by some of SMU’s brightest, most involved, and most impactful leaders on campus. I was sharing the stage with people who would go on to be “world changers,” and we were all able to make a lasting impact on the class of 2020 with our speeches.

At SMU, I’ve found that although opportunities for greatness are present all over the nation, there seems to be a disproportionate amount at SMU (in a good way). Not only this, but being a mid-size university allowed myself and my classmates onstage at Corral to actually have access to the resources and opportunities, and to be able to talk about them to incoming first-years, prospective students, professors, friends, family members, and future employers.

Although we were all emotional after the speeches, we looked at each other knowing that this wasn’t the end of our collegiate journey, but the beginning of our lives that were now filled with connections, networks, and opportunities that only SMU could have ever given us.

-Jacqui Jacoby

Campus Life Uncategorized

A New Library

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date October 7, 2016

As you look around SMU’s campus, you will see many new buildings and walkways that not only add to the beauty of SMU, but also enhance the student experience. Two new additions that stick out to me are the Crain Family Centennial Promenade and the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center. The promenade is a brick-lined walkway that connects the southern end of campus to the Hughes-Trigg Student Center. The new Health Center provides comprehensive health care to SMU’s students and also serves as an education space for health related programs. However, one recent addition to campus is one that you wouldn’t notice from the outside.

The renovation of Fondren Library, which opened in 1940, has noticeably improved the aesthetics of the library and at the same time, has enhanced the overall social and academic experience at SMU. The renovation includes a new Centennial Reading Room, a redesigned Learning Commons, a new Starbucks Café, and a Collaborative Computing Area.

During the past 3 years I’ve been at SMU, Fondren was a place wherepeople exclusively went to study for exams or write papers. After this new renovation, it has not only fulfilled its role as a study space, but has now become a hub of social activity. It has been great to sit in the new café area and see my friends and meet new people. If you haven’t checked out the new Fondren, I definitely recommend it!

-Jun-Ho Koh

Campus Life General

Training for a Dallas Marathon – Staying Active at SMU

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date October 5, 2016

I’ve always prioritized living a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Whether its playing lacrosse in the Spring or training at the gym in the off-season, I love to sweat it out and keep my body active. This summer however, I decided to switch my routine up and begin training for the BMW Dallas Marathon.

In July, I mapped out my 5-month plan to success. I started off slow. My plan was to run 3 miles every other day for 2 weeks, then merge onto my official training program with three, 4 mile sessions throughout the week and one long run on Saturdays. My first week of training happened to be my sorority’s 5K run, which was a great way to push myself with friends and start off my program to a great start. To put additional motivation on myself, I also joined the Dallas chapter of Team-in-Training. Team-in-Training is an organization that raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. They manage all race registration through their website, and even provide a team of regional coaches to run with and keep you on track to success. By December 11, race date, I have set a goal to raise $1,200.

What is also great about my training is I’ve had the opportunity to take advantage of all the trails and neighborhoods in Dallas. My favorite trail to run is the Katy Trail which begins right of campus and leads all the way downtown. On the weekends, I usually opt for a more scenic route and run the trails along the Trinity River and White Rock Lake. Growing up near the ocean, I find the lakes and rivers around Dallas the perfect substitute! Even though Dallas has a myriad of running options, the great thing about training on campus is when I have limited time, I can head over to the SMU gym. Open 6am to midnight each night, no matter my workout schedule, Dedman Rec Center will be open to accommodate my training requirements.

Today, I am in week 8 of training feel better than ever! I begin my days with the routine morning miles, then head off to class feeling awake and energized. I am stronger, more alert, and overall happier than I ever have been, even with my previous workout routine. I’ve grown to love running and am excited to finally achieve my both my personal fitness and fundraising goals this upcoming December.

-Courteney Damore

Campus Life Life Around Dallas Residence Life and Student Housing Student Organizations Uncategorized

Raising the Bar from the Ordinary to the Extraordinary

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date June 7, 2016

Enjoying Night at the Mavs with Mary Hay-Peyton-Shuttles Residential Commons

06.16 Jessica Mitchell 4 — Corral Guides preparing for Corral Kickoff Festivities

College is a magical time. Pretty much anyone you meet who has been will say that for a number of different reasons: the classes, the personal development, the freedom, etc. For me, what’s made SMU most magical is the people. When I put down my deposit in April, I knew that I would be attending a world-class institution with caring faculty and beautiful campus facilities. What I did not know was that I was about to join a community of the most amazing people I had ever met. From a Junior Olympic gold medalist in my Wellness class to a girl who had started her own non-profit that raised over $20,000 during her senior year of high school living next door in McElvaney, everywhere I looked there was another inspirational person to meet.

06.16 Jessica Mitchell 2 — Just a normal day in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center

But even beyond the accomplishments of our student body, there’s a certain quality to SMU students that makes them so enjoyable to be around, even doing the most mundane activities. My friends and I have spent countless nights chilling in someone’s room, playing cards and laughing ourselves to tears. We’ve started a brunch club (@thedallasbrunchclub on Instagram) and explored the Dallas food scene, one Sunday morning meal at a time. We’ve gone with residential commons on excursions to movie theaters and Mavericks games (even made it on to the Jumbotron during halftime). We’ve taken the DART into downtown for arts festivals and pretended to know the meaning of abstract art installations (some things aren’t meant to be understood). We’ve dressed up in crazy SMU spirit swag to greet new students at Mustang Corral and basically spend three days being as silly and spirited as possible (appreciate your Corral Guides; they work really hard to make the experience awesome). Some days we just sit around Hughes-Trigg and have intellectual discussions about politics, pop culture, and any other topic under the sun.

Through all these random adventures, I’ve laughed, cried, and made memories that will last a lifetime. But it wasn’t always the activities themselves that were so impactful, but the people I was doing them with. Every single person at SMU has something they bring to the table that brings an experience to life, makes it worthwhile. Once you get to the Hilltop, I encourage you to find the people that can help you take the ordinary to the extraordinary.

-Jessica Mitchell

SMU Corral Guides — Jessica pie-ing Evan, another Ambassador at a philanthropy event

Campus Life

Meet Peruna and His Handlers

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date June 7, 2016

In 1932, SMU found its mascot in a 150-pound Shetland Pony who we named Peruna. Since then, SMU has had nine Peruna’s and the current Peruna turned nine on April 15th. Many stories surround this small mascot. Peruna is the most deadly macot in the NCAA after he kicked the Fordham ram in the head many years ago. Peruna’s name is also derived from Perunatonic, a medicine that contained alcohol in it and was popular during the prohibition era. But here are some stories and facts about Peruna and his Handlers that you might not know.
There are currently seven Peruna Handlers. All of them are current undergraduate students who have a wide variety of majors. Two of the Handlers (Captain Adam Price and Charlie Albright) are graduating at the end of this semester after three years on the team, so there will be two spots open for incoming students this fall. Every Handler has been bitten multiple times by Peruna, and most have been kicked. Over the past two years, no Peruna Handler has fallen while running Peruna across the field, but it has happened many times before. Tryouts are held annually at the beginning of the fall semester, so if you are interested in becoming a Handler, keep an eye out for an email giving location and a time.
The best-kept secret on SMU’s campus is the location of where Peruna lives. The Handlers are the only students on campus who have knowledge of his stable. It is kept secret after the University of Texas at Austin claimed to have stolen and shaved Peruna. This ended up just being a random Shetland Pony, but ever since then, Peruna has been under high security.
When coming to the Hilltop, the chances are still high that you will see Peruna. He attends convocation, special events, football games, and more. He runs the length of the football field after every touchdown and boulevards for at least 2 hours prior to every game. If you see him, come up and say hi, he loves taking photos.

See you on the Hilltop and Pony Up!

-David Shirzad

Campus Life Life Around Dallas

Two-Steps Ahead of the Game

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date April 28, 2016
No Comments on Two-Steps Ahead of the Game

Being from California, I was at first unsure of how Texas culture would differ from my own personal experience. However, I came into college knowing that if I wasn’t failing, I wasn’t trying many new things and stretching myself. At first, I auditioned for the a-capella team, Southern Gentlemen. I unfortunately didn’t make the team, but I was not going to let this singular defeat dishearten me in my quest for assimilation. So I kept looking for a club or group to join. Then, I thought to myself, what would be the most Texan thing I could do… I know; I’ll join the country two-stepping team the Mustang Mavericks. I knew that it was going to be a challenge, as I have never danced competitively before, and certainly not two-stepped before. I show up to the auditions and I was very nervous. First of all, I had to dance with girls I don’t know in a partner setting. As a freshman, this can be a little daunting. I would like to say that I was super suave and cool but, of you have seen the scene form “Inside Out” where the boy’s head is freaking out when he has to talk to a girl, it was probably a lot like that.

At the tryouts, there were people who danced competitively in high school and were very familiar with two-stepping. This clearly did not relieve any anxiousness as I was already nervous about making the team, it didn’t help that I had stiff competition. Although I was nervous, the team couldn’t have been nicer to me throughout the entire tryouts, reassuring me that many of them never had any experience before either. Although it was a bit unbelievable because they were doing flips and all sorts of dance stunts, it was encouraging to know that I might be able to do this one day, too.

By the end of that day, I had made the team and was making new friends. It has been by far one of the most life changing experiences as I have made life long friends from Mavericks; I even was a groomsmen for a member’s wedding in Austin this year. I am so glad that I put myself out there and was not afraid to fail and because of that courage I have bettered my collegiate experience and made lasting friendships.

-Jack Student

Campus Life Meadows School of the Arts

My Visit to the Meadows Museum

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date April 28, 2016
No Comments on My Visit to the Meadows Museum

Whenever I give a tour to students, I tell them that the Meadows School of the Arts is my favorite building on campus. As a Pre-Med student majoring in Health and Society and minoring in Spanish and Photography, I have an extremely busy schedule. My studies allow me to use both the left and the right sides of my brain and think both logically and creatively. I find so much comfort and happiness in the professors and classes I take in Meadows. From my background, it must be shocking to hear that despite my love for the Meadows School of the Arts, I had never visited SMU’s very own Meadows Museum until this semester. As a class trip, my Spanish class received a tour of the museum to get a real-life look at our studies of the history of art in Spain.

The entire museum is breathtaking. As I walked up the stairs to the entrance of the museum, I was greeted by one of the most impressive sculptures of a human face that I have ever seen. On its own, the sculpture has the ability to draw an audience into the museum due to its intricate design and impressive 3D form. Inside the museum, I got to see even more beautiful artwork, from very famous artists!

Having studied art for four years, it was extremely exciting to see the work of some of the most renown Spanish artists, such as Salvador Dali, El Greco, and Gaudi. Each original piece of work holds so much history and culture, and was only thirty steps from my classroom. SMU provides its students with the ability to learn about a topic, culture, and the importance of art in the world while in the classroom, and then provides tangible examples in our very own Meadows Museum.

After my initial with my Spanish class, I have returned to the museum three times. Two out of the three times I visited were to complete my original tour of the museum. The third time, however, was to appreciate the beauty and work along its perimeter. Along the outskirts of the museum is a beautiful garden filled with flowers and statues of a variety of materials with a variety of meanings. From the outside in, I can guarantee that SMU’s Meadows Museum has something to catch and hold everyone’s attention.

-Taylor Nickens

Campus Life General

A Friend in Every State

“A friend in every state.” Although this is a slight exaggeration, it was a main selling point for me that SMU attracted students from all 50 states. When I stepped on campus my freshman year, the only people I knew were my roommate and the few friends I made at the Bay Area accepted students event. Many of my high school friends were going to school close to each other or even to the same university so I was nervous about making friends. I soon learned that many of my fellow SMU Freshmen were also far from home and didn’t come to college with a ton of high school friends. This evened the playing field and I can honestly say that the friends I’ve made at SMU have made me redefine friendship. Hailing from all over the country, I’ve loved learning about the regional differences in food preference, sports team heroes, slang and lifestyle. These are the people that bring me medicine when I’m sick, whom I study with until the early morning and explore Dallas with. I love getting to see where my best friends call home and the geographic diversity of the campus.

I’ve had so many experiences with my friends here from all around the country. My roommate is from Plano and it’s nice to be able to occasionally drive twenty minutes from campus to go to her house to make cookies. This past summer, I went to Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco with my friend, Alex. She flew from Dallas and I was able to show her my high school and favorite restaurants at home. One of my best friends is from Oklahoma City and in September, three of my friends stayed at her house and visited the state of Oklahoma for the first time. This past spring break, I stayed at a friend’s house in Park City, Utah. We spent the weekend skiing and trying her favorite restaurants where we coincidentally ran into more SMU students. I’m already planning to visit one of my friends in Charleston this summer. Whether we live near or far, my friends and I have had so much fun visiting each other over breaks and during the summer. As cliché as it sounds, I love knowing I have a fellow Mustang to visit in every state.

-Emma Barr

Campus Life

#SMUBound

Summer is rapidly approaching, and I can’t help but reflect upon when I finally made my decision to come to SMU. My father was practically jumping for joy knowing that one of his children decided to attend his alma mater. I, on the other hand was already getting those pre-freshmen nerves beyond belief. My everyday thoughts became a consistent cycle of “Did I make the right decision?” to “What if I don’t make any friends?” to “Why did I decide to go all the way to Texas? I hate flying!” and all the way back to the beginning again. Up until I arrived at SMU, my entire life existed in a small suburb north of New York City. I was terrified that once I left for Texas, my life would be forever changed—which it has been. If you asked me how I felt about this two years ago, you may have seen me shed a tear.

In July of 2014 I packed my bags up for AARO—SMU’s Academic Advising Registration and Orientation for first year students. I managed to push my nervous thoughts as far out of my mind as I could get them… that is until I heard the pilot say “We are now making our final descent into Dallas, Texas!” Upon arriving at campus, my parents had to practically push me out of the car. The next 48 hours consisted of picking classes, sitting in small groups playing icebreakers with students who seemed just as nervous as I was, and sitting in sessions learning about my future at SMU. Sounds like fun, huh? Well actually, it was! Those 48 hours also consisted of me standing behind a father and son who were teasing each other over the fact that they had accidentally worn the same outfit— then proceeding to become best friends with him; having my AARO leader tell me about all of the incredible things SMU had provided for her in only her first year there; and for the first time, feeling like I was finally home. Orientation combatted every single doubt that had previously filled my mind, and instead of dreading the end of summer, I began impatiently waiting for August to arrive.

During my first year, I recognized how much of an impact SMU’s orientation had on me, and I could not help myself from applying to become an AARO leader. Last summer, my best friend (the one who matched outfits with his dad at our own AARO!) and I spent our summer orientating the class of 2019 to the Mustang family. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to meet students from all over the world, hearing about the same nervous-excitement that I felt just a year before, and then watching them make friends and feel like they were finally home too. Since I’ve come to Texas, my life has been forever changed—but in the best way possible! Pony up!

-Allie Rutherford

Academics Campus Life

Rob Lowe at SMU & Other Amazing Speakers

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date April 15, 2016
No Comments on Rob Lowe at SMU & Other Amazing Speakers

The last thing that most students want to do when they get out of class on Tuesday afternoons is get ready to go to another lecture after dinner at 8pm. There is only one exception—one lecture that students (including myself) dress up for, make plans with friends for, and line up to get tickets for if they get the chance: the Tate Lecture Series.

I know, I know. You’re thinking, you mean a lecture where a bunch of old people sit around and discuss boring topics in front of an audience? Well, if that’s what you’re thinking, then think again. The Tate Lecture Series brings to SMU’s campus a variety of speakers, young, old, experts in a variety of fields, and all passionate about what they’re doing and willing to share it. Basically, our lecture series is like a fancier TED talk, once a month.

Going to these lectures has been one of the highlights of my time at SMU, and in just the two years that I’ve been here, I’ve had the opportunity to see Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice, Richard Haas, Ken Burns, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Nate Silver, and even Rob Lowe (pictured above in the selfie that he took of himself in front of McFarlin Auditorium right before he went on stage). In the hours that I have spent in the presence of these influential people, I have learned so much about passion, dedication, creativity, tenacity, failure and success. Going to the Tate Lecture’s isn’t about hearing a laundry-list of these world changer’s awards and credentials. It’s about listening to their perspective on the fields they occupy and life in general. I frequently find myself taking notes during the lecture or writing down quotes to share with my friends later.

Having the opportunity to go to these lectures is an incredible opportunity that SMU students are fortunate to have, and I have done my absolute best to attend as many as possible. There’s something (or rather, someone) for everyone and I would encourage every SMU student to seize this opportunity as soon as they get to campus.

-Madeleine Case

Campus Life

Spreading Smiles into the Special Needs Community

Post author By Bridget Anderson
Post date March 31, 2016
No Comments on Spreading Smiles into the Special Needs Community

Every smile, every hug, and every “I love you” reminds me that one individual can have a profound impact on the lives of others. Since my middle school years, I have found great joy in giving back to the special needs community, and some of my best friendships have been built within it. In high school, I was heavily involved in the Miracle League of Arizona, a nonprofit in my home state that hosts a baseball league specifically for disabled kids and adults. Volunteers are paired with players who have a disability—be it physical or mental—and they learn how to play baseball on a rubber turf (suitable for wheelchairs). This wondrous organization gives individuals who may not normally be able to play baseball the chance to be homerun hitters.

My involvement within Miracle League sustained my joy throughout high school, but I wanted to grow a similar family when I moved away to Texas to attend SMU. Fortunately, I discovered the club Best Buddies on campus—a group of students are paired with a special needs individual in Dallas. At the beginning of my fall semester, I was paired with Ashley. Every month, we hang out and have girl nights, watch movies, go to dinner, sing at church together, and so much more. Since we met back in August, Ashley and I have become best friends. My heart is filled with such joy every day when I receive a text or phone call from her, and I know that I will always have a true friend by my side.

Our SMU Best Buddies chapter pairs with other chapters in Texas to host dances, fundraisers, and other events. This past semester, we had a football party, game nights, and a winter formal. Coming up in the spring, we have our Best Buddies Friendship Walk—a 5K in the heart of Dallas that benefits the special needs community. Ashley and I as well as other SMU buddies have been fundraising for this event, and all the proceeds go directly back to the special needs community. We also have our spring formal to look forward to where we get to dance, eat great food, and sing our hearts out. Best buddies has been monumental in shaping my first year here at SMU—I have met some of my best friends already through it, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.

-Emily Osman