Tag: Dallas

Categories
Profiles

RACHEL MUMAW ‘19

RACHEL MUMAW ’19

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, BS in Biology (2019).

Perkins School of Theology: Master of Divinity (2023)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Rachel worked as a Social and Clinical Neuroscience Lab Research Assistant from 2017-2018, and she held leadership positions with the Wesley House from 2016-2018 and MHPS Commons Council from 2016-2017. Her SMU honors and awards include the 2018-2019 SMU Human Rights Fellowship, 2018-2019 Engaged Learning Fellowship, 2018-2019 Caswell Leadership Program, 2018 Clinton Global Initiative University, 2018 Robert L. Mayer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, 2018 Cooper McElvaney Peace and Justice Fellowship, 2017-2018 SMU Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility Public Service Fellowship (through which she interned with the Resource Center’s GenderBrave program), and 2017-2018 Hamilton Undergraduate Research Scholars Program.

Postbaccalaureate Career: After graduating, Rachel began pursuing her MDiv at the Perkins School of Theology, where she won the 2021 William K. McElvaney Preaching Award. In 2021, Rachel published a dystopian novel, Jericho (barnesandnoble.com/w/jericho-rachel-mumaw/1139374351).

Updated May 2022

Categories
Profiles

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

Categories
Profiles

HANAN ESAILI ‘15

HANAN ESLAILI ’15

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Convergence Journalism; Minor in Human Rights (2015)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Hanan served as Concerts Chair for Program Council and held multiple roles on both The Daily Campus and The Daily Update leadership teams. 

Postbaccalaureate Career: After graduating, Hanan worked as Editorial Assistant for D Magazine in 2015; Editorial Assistant for Praetorian Digital from 2016-2017; and Associate Digital Producer, MVT Content Lead, and HBOMax Promo Project Manager for HBO from 2018-2021. Currently, she is Program Manager of Media Creative Strategy at Facebook. She has been published in textbooks and HuffPost for her article, “Why Don’t Young People Vote?” Hanan has won over 15 honors in entertainment and marketing, including an Emmy nomination and Emmy Award. Beyond her work in the tech and entertainment industries, Hanan volunteers at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum as well as the Bowery Mission in New York City. She has also participated in her local ACLU chapter’s letter writing campaigns to advocate for better conditions at prisons and closing down Rikers Island.

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

Updated December 2021

Categories
Profiles

TAYLOR KRAMER ’19

TAYLOR KRAMER ’19

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, BS in Applied Physiology and Sports Management (2019)

University of Southern California: MPH in Biostatistics and Epidemiology (2021)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Taylor’s involvements included serving as President of Relay for Life and Assistant Director of Knights Volleyball Academy, a youth volleyball club in North Texas.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Since graduating, Taylor has volunteered with the Arthritis Foundation and American Cancer Society and served as a volleyball coach for both Saint Monicas Middle School, Dallas, TX and USA Volleyball’s North Texas region. She has also interned with the Cancer Control Center at USC’s Keck School of Medicine.

Updated January 2022

Categories
Profiles

ASIA RODGERS ’15

ASIA RODGERS ’15

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights; Minor in Women’s and Gender Studies (2015)

SMU Accomplishments: Asia traveled globally with the SMU Human Rights Program to Costa Rica. She engaged the Dallas community by volunteering with anti-trafficking organizations Mosaic Family Services and New Friends New Life. Asia worked to organize the SMU Women’s Symposium through her leadership in SMU Core, the student organization that brings this symposium to life each year. Through the SMU Engaged Learning Fellowship, she founded Art Healing, a program that used art to build the confidence of formerly trafficked or incarcerated women. Through Art Healing, she provided access to art classes and events where these women are able to showcase their creative work.

Through her anti-trafficking initiative, she was selected to attend the eighth annual Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) meeting in 2015. She also served as a campus representative for CGI U, connecting more SMU students to this opportunity. 

Postbaccalaureate Career: Following graduation, Asia deepened her relationship with Dallas’ nonprofit community. She has worked for more than eight different nonprofits helping them with fundraising strategies, campaign planning, donor engagement, and team building workshops. Her work in the nonprofit/philanthropy sector has included roles with the Texas Women’s Foundation and the Communities Foundation of Texas. Today, Asia continues to fuse her passion for community engagement and data-driven analytics through Asia Rodgers Consulting, her consulting business for nonprofits. 

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

Updated January 2022

Categories
Profiles

CHEYENNE MURRAY ‘19

CHEYENNE MURRAY ’19

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights, History, Sociology (2019)

Southern Methodist University: MLS in Liberal Studies, Human Rights and Social Justice concentration (2021)

SMU Accomplishments: As a student with a triple-major and a passion for leadership, Cheyenne pursued academic excellence and opportunities to give back to her campus community. At SMU, she was a Hunt Leadership Scholar, a member of the University Honors Program, a McNair Scholar, a member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society, as well as Alpha Kappa Delta, a honors society for Sociology students, Cheyenne worked as a Rotunda Scholars Peer Counselor, Sociology Department Research Intern, and a History Department Ambassador. She was also Vice President of the Feminist Equality Movement; for her service to the university, Cheyenne received the prestigious “M” Award. 

Postbaccalaureate Career: Cheyenne worked for two years as a graduate assistant through SMU College Access for Educational Talent Search, a federally-funded TRIO program helping low-income, first-generation high school students to understand the college application and admissions process. She currently serves as the Program Lead for Inclusive Excellence Communities for Dallas College (Richland campus), where she provides extra support and resources to underrepresented students, particularly for students who identify as BIPOC/LGBTQ+.

Updated January 2022

Categories
Profiles

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

Categories
Profiles

LISA MASSEY ’09

LISA MASSEY ’09

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Religious Studies; Minor in Human Rights (2009)

Marylhurst University: MBA in Nonprofit / Public / Organizational Management (year?)

SMU Accomplishments: At SMU, Lisa was the president of the Religious Studies Club. 

Postbaccalaureate Career: Following her undergraduate experience, Lisa used her graduate coursework in business to further explore nonprofit leadership. Today, Lisa works as the Director of Administration at Long Way Home, a grassroots Guatemalan nonprofit focused on green building, education and employment.

Updated January 2022

Categories
Profiles

JESSICA PIRES-JANCOSE ‘18

JESSICA PIRES-JANCOSE ’18

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights; BS in Health and Society (2018)  

SMU Accomplishments: Jessica left their mark on campus through both academics and activism. Jessica was a President’s Scholar, SMU Public Service Fellow, and a Clinton Global Initiative Fellow.  Through their Engaged Learning Fellowship, they conducted international research on “The Role and Nature of Women’s Movements in Peru.” Jessica also worked to address menstrual access at SMU through the Hope Project, a donation drive for menstrual products, and by creating the “Menstruation Celebration,” a campus-wide event to spark conversation on menstruation equity at SMU. For their service to the university, Jessica was a recipient of the prestigious “M” Award.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Following graduation, Jessica was selected as a SMU Human Rights Postbaccalaureate Fellow and worked to mentor students on their paths to activism. They also were selected for the John Lewis Fellowship with Humanity in Action. Today, Jessica is Avow’s Dallas Outreach & Organizing Manager; they are also a trained abortion doula. Through their work and adovacy, Jessica fights for abortion access as they collaborate with marginalized communities to demand reproductive justice. 

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

Updated January 2022

Categories
Profiles

OMAR SALAZAR ’19

OMAR SALAZAR ’19

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights; BS in Sociology (2019)

SMU Accomplishments: Omar held many leadership positions across campus, serving the university as a Resident Assistant (RA),a student officer in College Hispanic American Students (CHAS), the First-Year Student Director for Rotunda Scholars, and a member of Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity. He was recognized as a Hunt Leadership Scholar, a student speaker at the university’s MLK Unity Walk, and a recipient of the Dorothy Amman Award for his service to SMU. 

Postbaccalaureate Career: Following graduation, Omar leveraged his passion for social entrepreneurship to create Enlace Solutions LLC, where he consults for businesses and equity-focused nonprofit organizations that provide services or products to Spanish-speaking populations. In addition to serving as the founder and CEO of Enlace, Omar also engaged the Dallas community as an Emerging Leader in Philanthropy Fellow with the Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) and as Campaign Activity and Management Program (CAMP) Fellow. Today, he works as the Communications Manager for Dallas Kids First, a political organization that works to bridge the gap between constituents and high-quality elected school boards. 

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

Updated January 2022