Tag: Class of 2016

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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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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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NYA WATSON ’16

NYA WATSON ’16

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BS in Sociology; Minor in Human Rights (2016)

Washington University in St. Louis: MSW in Domestic Social and Economic Development, Management (2019)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Nya was involved with the SMU McNair Scholars Program and Alpha Phi Omicron. She served as a Social Impact Fellow, Research Assistant for the Department of Sociology, and Connect Mentor.

Postbaccalaureate Career: After graduating, Nya worked as a Homeless Division Associate for the City of Dallas in 2017. She has also served as a Micro-Entreprise Intern for Justice Petersen in 2018, as a Community Reinvestment Initiatives Intern from 2018-2019 and Community Reinvestment Initiatives Analyst in 2019 for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. From 2019-2021, she worked as an Assistant Examiner for Consumer Affairs for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, where she is now an Associate Examiner, Consumer Affairs. Her honors at Washington University in St. Louis include the Bettie Schroth Johnson Scholarship and Phi Alpha Honor Society.

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

Updated January 2022

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JOHN KALKANLI ‘16

JOHN KALKANI ’16

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in International Studies, Markets & Culture; Minor in Human Rights (2016)

Southern Methodist University: MLS in Liberal Studies with concentrations in Human Rights and Social Justice, Global Studies (2018)

University of Texas at Dallas: MA in Humanities/Humanistic Studies (2022); Certificate in Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Studies (2022)

University of Texas at Dallas: Teaching Certificate in Social Studies (2023)

SMU Accomplishments: In college, John was involved in SMU’s chapter of Amnesty International, as well as with Alternative Breaks, a service-based organization through which students volunteer locally and nationally. 

Postbaccalaureate Career: Upon graduation, John completed an internship at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, where he worked as a Student Lecturer Intern & Archivist, where he continues to work as a docent.  John is also a docent at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. He volunteers by teaching conversational English to university students in Istanbul as a way of giving back to his home city. 

John advocates extensively with various disability rights organizations. He serves on the board of the Dallas Chapter National Federation of the Blind, America’s largest civil rights organization for the visually impaired. He advocates for the rights of blind Americans by lobbying each year in Washington DC to secure equal opportunities for his community. He also serves on the board of the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) – Dallas Chapter as Chair of the Advocacy Committee (AC).

John is working towards a teaching certification to become a Social Studies teacher in grades 7-12. Additionally, he is training to work as a braille transcriber through the Library of Congress. John writes that, “Accessible education is the key to success.”

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

Updated January 2022

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MAYRA HUERTA ‘16

MAYRA HUERTA ’16

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, International Studies (2016)

SMU Accomplishments: Mayra was active in the Dallas community during her undergraduate years. She interned with the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, while working as an immigration paralegal with the Workers Defense Project. She graduated cum laude from the university. 

Postbaccalaureate Career: Following graduation, Mayra has worked for over five years with the Workers Defense Project, a statewide membership organization fighting for better working conditions for Texans. Mayra has led key initiatives as Legal Manager for WPD and today as WPD’s  Austin Campaign Manager. In addition to her work for low-income and immigrant Texans, Mayra has been active in her local community through executive leadership with the Austin Young Active Labor Leaders and has served as a Texas AFL-CIO Scholarship Committee member. Mayra continues to advance her education and organizing skills as a graduate of the Ruth Ellinger Labor Leaders School with Texas AFL-CIO, a member of the Transform Finance Cohort, and a Resident with the Windcall Institute for community organizers. 

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

Updated January 2022

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DARYL PARKER ‘16

DARYL PARKER ’16

Educational Background: University of North Texas: BAS in Public Administration (2013)

Southern Methodist University: MLS in Liberal Studies: Human Rights and Social Justice concentration (2016)

SMU Accomplishments: Daryl volunteered with the Innocence Project of Texas and was selected as a Soros Foundation Community Outreach Fellow. Through the SMU Human Rights Fellowship, he built on his background as a Marine and police officer to launch a new nonprofit organization, Actual Innocence Review, which conducted criminal investigations in cases of wrongfully convicted persons. 

Postbaccalaureate Career: Daryl continues to advance justice as a private investigator and nonprofit leader. Through the Actual Innocence Review, Daryl assisted with the release of Ben Spencer, wrongfully convicted for 34 years. His work has been featured in 48 Hours, NPR, the Atlantic magazine, and various podcasts. 

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

Updated January 2022

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JOSÉ MANUEL SANTOYO ‘16

JOSÉ MANUEL SANTOYO ’16

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, Spanish (2016)

SMU Accomplishments: José served the campus community as a Hispanic American Senator in SMU Senate. He was involved with SMU’s chapters of League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), College Hispanic American Students (CHAS), and Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity. In the Dallas community, his grassroots activism included work with the North Texas Dream Team (NTDT). His advocacy work with the SMU Human Rights Program played a significant role in the creation of the Santos Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship. In recognition of his service to the university, José spoke at the SMU’s Commencement ceremony in December 2016. He later received the “M” Award, the university’s highest recognition.

Postbaccalaureate Career: After graduation, José continued to engage the Dallas community as the director of the YoSoyDMA Initiative through the Latino Center for Leadership Development. He also served as a steering committee member for 2018-2019 CFT’s Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy Inaugural Cohort. He was a development coordinator for After8toEducate, Dallas’ first all-encompassing program to support unsheltered high school youth in DISD. He now works as the Co-Founder and a managing member of Leo de Verzay, Champagne, U.S. José also does business development as an assistant underwriter for On the Road Lending, a nonprofit that helps individuals from low-income and marginalized communities to improve their credit. He shares that he is “forever grateful for everything I’ve experienced because of this program.”

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

Updated January 2022

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JENNIFER TORRES ‘16, ‘19

JENNIFER TORRES ‘16, ‘19

Educational Background:
Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, Public Policy (2016); MA in Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management (2019)

SMU Accomplishments: Within the SMU Human Rights Program, Jenny served as a Student Leadership Initiative: Costa Rica Research in Action member. At SMU, she was also involved with the Women and LGBT Center, Sigma Lambda Gamma, Multicultural Greek Council, and College Hispanic American Students. Her honors include the SMU McNair Scholars Program, SMU Engaged Learning Fellowship, and SMU Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility Public Service Fellowship. For her leadership across campus, Jenny received the Emmie V. Baine Legacy Award and A. Kenneth Pye Outstanding Greek Leader Award.

Postbaccalaureate Career: After graduating, Jenny worked as Program Specialist for SMU College Access Programs from 2016-2021. She started a new position in 2021 as Program Associate of the Texas College Access Network (TxCAN) within the Communities Foundation of Texas’s Educate Texas initiative. Jenny says she is “So happy to be continuing my work in college access on a system’s level across the state.” She also volunteers as a translator for the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas (HRI). In 2019, she won the Friends of UB & UBMS Award. 

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

Updated December 2021