Author: Lamisa Ali

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ARIANA HUDSON ’16

ARIANA HUDSON ’16

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, Communications Studies; Minor in Spanish (2016)

Johns Hopkins University: MS in Education (2022)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Ariana was involved with Alternative Breaks and Delta Delta Delta. She also conducted research on corporal punishment with SMU Psychology, served as a Resident Advisor and TFA Campaign Coordinator, studied and interned abroad in London, and participated in the Civil Rights Pilgrimage. Her SMU awards and honors include Honors Distinction in Communications, the Texas A&M Communicating Diversity Conference, Provost Scholarship, Hilltop Scholars Program, Choctaw Nation Scholarship, Communications Advisory Board Scholarship, Stan Levenson Communications Scholarship, Farrell London Study Abroad Scholarship, PRSSA, SMU Multicultural Academic Achievement Award, and Friendliest Hilltop Scholar Award.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Since graduating, Ariana was a Teach For America (TFA) Corps Member, serving KIPP New Orleans as a special education teacher from 2016-2017 and lead teacher from 2017-2018. For TFA in Atlanta, GA, Ariana was a School Operations Manager in 2018 and Corps Member Advisor in 2019. For KIPP Texas Public Schools, she has worked as lead 8th grade ELA teacher since 2019; Literacy Department Chair, Anti-Racism Committee Co-Chair, and Teacher Career Pathways Advisory Board Member since 2020; and Grade Level Chair and Relay Resident Advisor since 2021. Ariana has also been a Leadership Development Specialist for TFA in Houston since 2021. Her honors and awards include KIPP: Prime Inquiry Award, KIPP: Prime Excellence in Teaching Nominee, and KIPP: New Orleans Rookie of the Year Nominee.

Updated January 2022

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AUDREY NGO ’20

AUDREY NGO ’20

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, French, BS in Health and Society (2020)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Audrey was involved with Student Senate, Debate, Alternative Breaks, Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, and the Multicultural Greek Council. Her honors and awards include the SMU McNair Scholars Program and A. Kenneth Pye Outstanding Greek Leader Award. Through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, Audrey studied the immigrant diaspora and impact of colonization in immigrant communities in Paris, France in June 2018.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Since graduating, Audrey has served in the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) in Amiens from 2020-2021 and Paris from 2021-2022. 

Updated January 2022

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MORA NAMDAR ’08

MORA NAMDAR ’08

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Political Science, International Studies; Minors in Human Rights, Philosophy, and Fine Arts (2008)

American University Washington College of Law: JD (2011)

American University School of International Service: MA in International Affairs (2011)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Mora served as President of Amnesty International, SMU Student Senate’s Organizations Committee Chair, and Alpha Chi Omega. She was one of the first graduates of the SMU Human Rights Program and also authored and passed Student Senate’s first legislation to urge SMU’s administration to offer a human rights major.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Before returning to private practice, Mora was appointed by the President of the United States to perform the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs. Prior to taking that role, Mora served as the Vice President of Legal, Compliance, and Risk at the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of State working on a variety of global issues. Mora worked closely with the White House National Security Council and other interagency counterparts to create and implement effective policy supporting US national security and international human rights interests. Previously, Mora worked for Occidental Petroleum (Oxy), a Fortune 500 company, reporting directly to the V.P of Government Affairs and for the Voice of America advising on National Security and Policy.

Mora has worked with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and has extensive experience in domestic and international issues. She has successfully represented clients which include individuals, corporations, political candidates, nonprofit organizations, and businesses. Mora is licensed to practice law in Texas and Washington D.C. and was the founding Editor-in-Chief of the American University’s National Security Law Brief. She has been published in the Hill, the National Interest, 1945, and other publications. 

Mora currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. She has worked on human rights issues for many years and was invited to speak about human rights during the United Nations General Assembly by the U.S. State Department in New York City in 2018. Mora founded BAM Beauty Bar, which enables giving back to hundreds of charity organizations and worthy causes in North Texas. She was named by Modern Luxury Magazine as a “Dynamic Women” in 2018 and “Power Player” in 2021.

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

Updated January 2022

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MADELEINE CHARD ’15

MADELEINE CHARD ’15

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights (2015)

Boston University School of Law: JD (2023)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Madeleine was involved with the Human Rights Council (formerly known as the SMU Human Rights Program’s Student Leadership Initiative) and Hilltop Scholars Program.

Postbaccalaureate Career: After graduating, Madeleine worked as Legal Secretary for Coffin Renner LLP from 2018-2020. She is currently pursuing a JD at Boston University School of Law.

Updated January 2022

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SANDRA OSTAD ’16

SANDRA OSTAD ’16

Educational Background: University of Missouri: BA in International Studies, Women and Gender Studies (2013)

Southern Methodist University: MLS in Human Rights and Global Studies (2016)

SMU Accomplishments: Through the SMU Human Rights Fellowship, Sandra served as the Immigration Outreach Coordinator for the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Through this role, Sandra facilitated their citizenship education curriculum, assisted with development campaigns, created a volunteer training structure, and wrote a successful grant proposal for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services agency which allowed IRC’s Dallas office to significantly expand its citizenship instruction and naturalization application services.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Since 2016, Sandra has worked on the development team at CitySquare, a nonprofit addressing issues of poverty in North Texas. As CitySquare’s current Development Director, she oversees their community engagement program, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, and third party events.

Updated January 2022

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MARIE JOUNG ’20

MARIE JOUNG ’20

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BS in Biological Sciences (2020)

UNTHSC Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine: DO in Medicine (2025)

SMU Accomplishments: Through the SMU Human Rights Fellowship, Marie founded The Period Project SMU—an initiative advocating for menstrual product access in schools, starting with SMU. This project led to many opportunities for Marie to present her research and support other schools through The Period Project SMU’s academic menstrual equity toolkit. Through the SMU Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility Public Service Fellowship, Marie assisted with a study evaluating the interpretation and application of the NIH’s diversity statement in awarding training grants. For her work around gender equity, Marie won the Ann Early Award and Emmie V. Baine Legacy Award.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Since graduating, Marie has continued working as a research assistant in ethics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She has also continued working on The Period Project SMU, specifically around our research about the impact of menstruation on academic success. In 2021, Marie presented The Period Project SMU’s study at the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics conference and received the Top Undergraduate Paper Award. Currently, she attends medical school at UNTHSC Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth.

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

Updated January 2022

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HAYLEY WAGNER ’14

HAYLEY WAGNER ’14

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, Anthropology, and French (2014) 

New York University: MA in Africana Studies (2017)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Hayley’s involvements included Amnesty International and the University Honors Program. Within the SMU Human Rights Program, Hayley served as a student-leader on the Human Rights Council (formerly known as the Student Leadership Initiative), specifically for research trips to Rwanda and Uganda in 2013.

Postbaccalaureate Career: After graduating, Hayley moved to NYC to pursue graduate school in Africana Studies. During her tenure at NYU, she was active in the Queer Graduate Student Group. Currently, she is an Adjunct Professor of African-American History and Comparative Ethnic Studies at Borough of Manhattan Community College.

Learn more about Hayley’s post-graduation journey through the following link: 

Updated January 2022

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WREN LEE ’21

WREN LEE ’21

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Creative Computation; Minor in Human Rights (2021)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Wren served as the Co-Founder and Lead Designer of Green Book, Co-Primary Investigator of the “Gay and Greek” project, and a Hegi Career Center Student Advisory Board Member. Their SMU honors and awards include the SMU Human Rights Fellowship and Engaged Learning Fellowship.

Postbaccalaureate Career: After graduating, Wren began working in the advertising industry as a Junior Experience Designer at Publicis Sapient. In the greater Boston community, they serve as a Producer of The Chinatown Project.

Updated January 2022

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PETER WETHERBEE ’21

PETER WETHERBEE ’21

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, International Studies (2021)

Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies: MA in International Affairs (2023)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Peter was involved as a Student Representative to the Board of Trustees, Student Senator, President of the Student Giving Committee, Vice President of Programming for Program Council, Events Director for the Human Rights Council, Producer of 24 Hour Musical, Resident Assistant for Upper Division Housing and Morrison-McGinnis Commons, President of Amnesty International, and Research Assistant for the Office of the Provost. Peter’s SMU honors and awards include the “M” Award, Dedman College Scholars Program, Engaged Learning Fellowship, Richter Fellowship, SMU Board Fellows Program, and University Honors Program.

Postbaccalaureate Career: After graduating, Peter began graduate school in Switzerland. He serves as Treasurer of both the Environmental Committee and Peacebuilding Initiative at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. He is also helping to organize Geneva Peace Week and a large international environmental peacebuilding conference in February 2022.

Learn more about Peter’s post-graduation journey through the following link: 

Updated January 2022

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JENNIFER HUDSON ’12

JENNIFER HUDSON ’12

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BBA in Accounting; Minor in Human Rights (2012)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Jennifer was involved with the SMU Service House and Civil Rights Pilgrimage.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Currently, Jennifer works as a Bank OZK, Client Service Specialist

Updated January 2022