SANAA GHANIM ’20, ’23

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, English; Minor in Arabic (2020)

SMU Dedman School of Law: Juris Doctorate (2023)

SMU Accomplishments: As an undergraduate student, Sanaa served as Dedman Senator in the SMU Student Senate and held leadership roles in multiple student organizations including the Human Rights Council, Muslim Student Association, the Feminist Equality Movement, and Amnesty International. Through the SMU Human Rights Fellowship, Sanaa she pursued an applied research project to measure, analyze, and critique the role of education in shaping perceptions of the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In recognition of her service to the university, she received the prestigious “M” Award.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Through the Sumners Foundation Scholarship, Sanaa won a full-tuition scholarship to SMU Dedman School of Law. During her law school experience, she has worked as a Summer Associate at Thompson & Knight’s Dallas office, volunteered in the VanSickle Family Law Clinic, been active in the Muslim Law Student Association, and served as a Student Representative to the SMU Board of Trustees Student Affairs Committee.

Learn more about Sanaa’s post-graduation journey through the following links:

• www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Texas-shouldn-t-teach-students-that-14123939.php?fbclid=IwAR3KOFQknX8KIfJqwC1MTCC2I84Fe7PGlwxTApB7FxS79iYIOGznrBRYliQ 
• blog.smu.edu/towercenter/2020/11/02/the-u-s-public-education-systems-failure-to-accurately-educate-students-on-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict/ 
• blog.smu.edu/towercenter/2019/07/08/smu-student-to-research-the-toll-of-war-on-educational-systems-with-al-g-hill-jr-fellowship/ 
• www.smudailycampus.com/opinion/class-of-covid-sanaa-ghanim
• www.smudailycampus.com/news/chasing-the-american-dream-sanaa-ghanim

Updated January 2022