Tag: immigration

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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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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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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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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