The Maguire Ethics Center proudly announces its 2024 cohort of Public Service Fellows – four exceptional graduate students from SMU dedicated to advancing public service and ethics research.
Generously supported by the Irby Family Foundation, the Maguire Center awards summer fellowships to empower SMU students pursuing public service or ethics research. Over the past two decades, we’ve provided over $400,000 in stipends to more than 200 students, fostering a culture of service and ethical inquiry. Our fellows have served in over 150 agencies across 18 states, 25 countries, and 5 continents.
Maguire Public Service Fellows engage in diverse internship placements, immersing themselves in communities and gaining firsthand understanding of their needs and challenges. Drawing upon their academic background and personal strengths, fellows refine their skills and develop the confidence to become innovative leaders. The fellowship aims to remove financial barriers, enabling students to embrace public service opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Sara Beth Becker
Sara Beth will leverage her ethnographic research, interview techniques, and community engagement skills to support the South Texas Equality Project’s collaboration with the Rio Grande Valley’s queer community. This initiative aims to document the resilience and development of LGBTQ+ networks amidst challenging political environments. Through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and analysis of formal and informal support systems, Sara Beth will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of local queer experiences. Additionally, she will explore the significance of Pride celebrations within these communities, laying the groundwork for future research on transgender communities and DIY transitioning. In conjunction with her research, Sara Beth will intern with the South Texas Equality Project, offering organizational support and event planning expertise. This collaboration promises to advance both academic inquiry and practical advocacy efforts for LGBTQ+ rights in the region.
Simon Gonzales
Simon is leading a multi-sited project aimed at addressing the gap in anthropological literature surrounding substance misuse and mental health within Chicano, Tejano, Mexican American, and Latino families in Texas. Through applied anthropology methods, including dialogues with healthcare counselors, observational studies, and active engagement at addiction clinics in San Antonio and Dallas, Simon seeks to explore the cultural nuances of mental health communication and wellness journeys within multicultural families facing substance misuse challenges. Simon aims to use his research to inform future grant proposals, develop culturally sensitive mental health interventions, and initiate a dialogue mapping the healthcare infrastructure and public opinions in major Texas cities, thereby fostering more inclusive and responsive healthcare services statewide.
JT Martin
JT will use his data analysis skills, qualitative research coding, and literature review to support Good Fruit Faith, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting evidence-based teaching on marriage and sex among evangelical Christians. The project aims to identify research opportunities by applying collected data to gaps in current research on religion, sexuality, and the physiological influences of theological beliefs. By analyzing survey data, interview transcripts, and relevant literature, JT will propose new scholarly papers that address gaps in understanding within the evangelical discourse on sex and sexuality. As part of the initiative, he will develop five paper proposals, complete with abstracts, and contribute to advancing Good Fruit Faith’s mission of educating professionals and the evangelical community on sexual health and ethics.
Genevieve Soucek
Genevieve Soucek will be leveraging her expertise in linguistic and environmental conservation to support a project on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. This initiative, in collaboration with Clean Coast Outer Hebrides and various heritage organizations, explores the interplay between linguistic and environmental conservation and its impact on physical and mental well-being, identities, and a sense of belonging. The project actively engages in local environmental efforts, such as beach cleans and school presentations, while also preserving Scottish Gaelic heritage. Genevieve will immerse herself in community activities, including cultural events like the Hebridean Celtic Festival, to gain insights into how language and identity intersect with environmental stewardship.