Teach for America – SMU Human Rights Program

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

SAMANTHA MATTHEWS ‘12

Educational Background: Southern Methodist University: BA in Human Rights (2012)

Hunter College: MS in Early Childhood Education, Special Education (2015)

SMU Accomplishments: Through the SMU Human Rights Program, Samantha traveled globally with the program to Rwanda. At SMU, Samantha was involved with Best Buddies and served as the Community Service Chair for Chi Omega sorority. She connected with the Dallas community by volunteering as an after-school tutor and the director of a summer camp for refugee youth in Dallas’ Vickery Meadow neighborhood. She and Shireen Tavakoli ‘12 were the first SMU students to receive a B.A. in Human Rights.

Postbaccalaureate Career: Samantha moved to New York City after graduation, where, through her Teach For America (TFA) fellowship, she served as a lead teacher with SCO Family of Services and worked with Special Education Teacher Support Services at Harlem Village Academy. Upon her return to Dallas, Samantha gave back to her community as a volunteer and consultant with Save the Children, a member of the Lynn McBee for Dallas Mayor Campaign, a Board Member at Hearts Across Romania, and as a Board Member with the AT&T Performing Arts Center Auxiliary Board. She has impacted Dallas’ nonprofit community in her work as the Executive Director at Texas Legends Care, through which the NBA G League basketball team Texas Legends (affiliated with the Dallas Mavericks) helps disadvantaged children via educational and sports initiatives. Later, as an associate at Allyn Media, she focused on nonprofit development and public affairs campaigns. Most recently, she has worked directly with Afghan refugee families arriving at Fort Bliss as they resettle in the United States. Samantha shares that she is “forever grateful to be honored as one of the first to receive a Human Rights degree at SMU.”

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

Updated January 2022