SASP/A-LEC held a celebration to honor our 19 graduating tutors on Monday, April 29. Cake, cookies, fruit and lots of congratulations were doled out to these students who give their time to help other students. Thank you all for a great semester!
Month: April 2024
Student Academic Success Programs would like to send a huge “congratulations” to Becca Umobong, our Director of Academic Skill Development, for receiving the “M” Award this year at the Hilltop Excellence Awards ceremony on Friday, April 19.
“The ‘M’ Award is the highest recognition bestowed upon students, faculty, staff and administrators on the SMU Campus. The recipients’ efforts have been continuous during their years at the University and are not limited to a narrow vested interest. The ‘M’ Award honorees are an inspiration to others, giving unselfishly of their time and talents in order to make the University, and indeed the world, a better place.”
We know this to be true. Anyone who works with Becca can see her heart for serving students, and we are so proud of Becca for the work she’s accomplished (and we are thrilled to see her recognized for it).
Thank you for all you do, Becca, for students and us.
Everyone, please join us in congratulating Becca!
On Friday, April 19, 2024, SMU honored their undergraduate students in the annual Honors Convocation Ceremony. This year’s ceremony marked the 27th celebration of SMU’s outstanding students whose intelligence, dedication, and hard work contribute greatly to the life of the University. Out of 538 SMU Students honored at this event, 8 student-athletes were selected for various awards this year. To view the full list of Award Recipients, click here .
Macie Soderquist is a Senior on the Equestrian team and received the University Honors Program Award. Macie is majoring in General Business and has a GPA of 3.861. Learn more about the UHP here.
Abigail (Abby) Dermott of the SMU Women’s Soccer Team, earned the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Biochemistry award. As a senior, she participated in the University Honors Program and is studying in the Natural Sciences Program. She is majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Ethics and Neuroscience with a cumulative GPA of 3.991.
Isabella Dickinson is a Senior on our Women’s Swim & Dive team. Originally from California, she was recognized for her work in the University Honors Program for her business courses. Isabella is majoring in Finance with a specialization in Real Estate. Additionally, she has a minor in History with an impressive overall GPA of 3.94.
Maddy Lewis, also a senior on our Women’s Swim and Dive team, obtained this accolade from the University Honors Program. She is majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Art with a 3.571 GPA.
Maxine Parkinson, of SMU’S Women’s Swim & Dive team, earned two various awards from the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. First, she was acknowledged for Outstanding Senior Student, and also awarded the Hamilton Undergraduate Research Scholar. Learn more about the requirements of these candidates here. She is majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Computer Science and Neuroscience. She has a cumulative GPA of 3.931
Jessamine Crowley is a Senior distance runner on the Track & Field, Cross Country team. She is triple majoring in Economics, Philosophy and Statistical Sciences with an overall 3.839 GPA. She received the Phi Beta Kappa award from Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.
Kailyn Gearin, a senior from Oregon, who is on the SMU Track & Field, Cross Country team (TFCC) brought home two awards last Friday. The first award, Applied Physiology and Health Management Departmental Distinction Award from the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, and the second from the University Honors Program. Gearin is majoring in Applied Physiology and Sport Management (Health Management) and minoring in Biological Sciences with a GPA of 3.639.
Mia Olsen, a Track & Field, Cross Country senior, who is double majoring in Biochemistry and Health and Society; with a minor in Biomedical Anthropology and Psychology. Her cumulative GPA is 4.0 and she was recognized for 2 separate awards: Phi Beta Kappa and the Outstanding Senior Student in Health and Society from the Anthropology Department.
Congratulations to these 8 student-athletes who are well on their way to becoming World Changers!
Watch the full ceremony video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUK-zfxAH9U
The A-LEC would like to congratulate several tutors for their accomplishments this semester.
Duke Bartholomew, Nino Castellano, and Ethan Zech for the Ben Thomas Excellence in Tutoring Award; Malachi Steward for the Tau Sigma Undergraduate National Fellowship Award and the Gilman Scholar to France Award; Sneha Alex for the Honors Program; Blake Wallace for the Honors Program and the Religious Studies Writing Award; Yumiko Hastings for Phi Beta Kappa; Anna Lena Adams for Tau Sigma; Faith Bellamy for the Hamilton Undergraduate Research Award; and Kshounish Bhadra-Bhaduri for the Chalk Scholarship Award for Excellence in Physics.
Lisa Miller is already known on the Hilltop, currently serving as assistant director and degree counselor in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences Academic Services since 2011. She will begin as Director of the Office of Student Success and Retention effective May 22. 
Lisa Miller has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Before her time at SMU, Lisa worked professionally in operations at the New York University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and in academic services at the University of Central Florida and the University of Texas at San Antonio.
As Director of the Office of Student Success and Retention, Lisa will:
- Supervise three full-time staff and provide day-to-day problem-solving for students trying to remain, depart, or return to SMU.
- Operationalize processes to identify at-risk students, strategically outreach to inspire engagement, coordinate interventions, track academic progress, and assess our institutional strengths and weaknesses in these areas.
- Chair a university-wide retention and financial support committee to retrain undergraduate students.
- Serve as a critical partner to the Office of the Dean of Students via the Caring Community Connections CARE Team.
- Analyze and present data obtained from exit and leave of absence surveys with various campus offices.
When asked what she is most excited about, Lisa shared, “Excited to join Student Success and Retention! I believe communication is the key to understanding and learning what students, staff and faculty can use to help all achieve their goals. Keeping the lines of communication open, identifying and understanding others opinions, and working closely with different offices on behalf of students creates successful graduates and contributing members of society. SMU is one of those special places where this philosophy really works–everyone is committed to our students to obtain their very best outcomes possible.”
When not at work, Lisa enjoys traveling, going to Broadway shows, listening to music from the ’70s, and watching Marvel superheroes.
Please join us in congratulating Lisa Miller (lamiller@smu.edu) on her new adventure on the Hilltop!
Assistive technology can enhance the academic life of neurodivergent and neurotypical students alike. In part 1, we touched on text-to-speech software and browser extensions that make Canvas easier to use. If you missed it, check it out! Here in part 2, we’ll take a look at mindfulness software and AI.
Recent, long-term scientific studies suggest that mindfulness leads to academic success not just for students with ADHD, but all students. Just 20 minutes of daily meditation or meditative prayer can decrease rumination, emotional volatility, and anxiety, and increase memory, focus, and cognitive flexibility. For more information, check out apps like Headspace, Smiling Mind, and the Apple Mindfulness App.
Researchers are also identifying how ChatGPT and other AI tools can assist students with disabilities, such as exploring research topics, brainstorming self-advocacy conversation starters, and providing activity ideas for self-care. Some uses of AI are not useful for learning, however: having AI write even part an assignment is plagiarism; overreliance on AI leads to decreased comprehension due to a lack of engagement with course material; and information provided by AI may not be factually based or able to be sourced. Regardless, students should always consult with their instructors before using AI in a class.
Assistive technology helps to create an inclusive environment where students of all kinds, not just those with disabilities, can participate and engage. For more information, contact Disability Accommodations and Success Strategies (DASS) at dass@smu.edu or 214-768-1470.
At the Undergraduate Research Lunch on Thursday, April 18, the Office of Engaged Learning announced the 2024 Excellence in Mentoring Awards.
2024 Recipients:
Dr. Mark Allen
Senior Lecturer, Temerlin Advertising Institute (Meadows)
Mentees: Tyler Chapman ’25, Morgan Martinez ’24, Ross Yenerich ’25
Dr. Jessie Zarazaga
Clinical Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering (Lyle)
Mentees: Kristen Edwards ’24, Arlo Kadane ’24
Each year, The Office of Engaged Learning honors faculty members who have provided our Engaged Learning Fellows exceptional mentoring. The criteria for selection considers the quality of the student’s nomination, the student’s accomplishments, and the faculty member’s history of successfully mentoring students in the program. The awards come with a small honorarium.
Congrats to (L-R in group picture) Anish Senthilkumar, Karen Lin, Elisabeth Hood, Anna Su, Sadikshya Sitaula, Kevin Nguyen, Jonathan Thomas, Vivian Thai on presenting at NCUR 2024!
These eight SMU students had the incredible opportunity to present their research and creative work at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research 2024. They traveled to California State University, where they were able to interact with students and faculty from universities across the country for an exciting conference.
Here is more from a few of the students about their thoughts on the experience:
Preparing for the Conference:
Ellie Hood ’24: The best way I found to prepare for the conference was to attend the Undergraduate Poster Session! Being able to practice poster presentations on a smaller scale gave me confidence in myself and my research going into a much bigger poster session like NCUR!
Kevin Nguyen ’24: I prepared for the conference by making my poster. I made it early because I had the American Chemical Society conference a few weeks before. Thus, I had enough practice presenting my poster after that initial conference.
Vivian Thai ’25: I have been working on my project for almost 2 years prior to the conference, but to prepare specifically for NCUR, I scheduled a meeting with my PI and went over the data that I wanted to present. After that, I submitted an abstract and continued collecting leftover data until I was ready to make my poster. I had several meetings with my professor to draft my poster and I also presented at SMU’s Research & Innovation Week to prepare.
The NCUR Experience:
Ellie: To put it simply, NCUR was an intellectual feast. Not only was it fun and encouraging to share my own research, I also had the best time hearing about everyone else’s research! Every single poster and presentation that I came across was so interesting, and it’s so inspiring to me that so many undergraduates are dedicated to academia.
Kevin: My experience with the conference was incredibly rewarding. I only presented on one day, but for the other days, I went to see other SMU students’ presentations. Even then, I visited fellow chemistry undergraduates and saw their work. When I had time, I enjoyed the beach, hung out with friends, and relaxed in the hotel.
Vivian: My experience at the conference was amazing! I had the opportunity to do a poster presentation, but attendees were also able to watch other poster presentations and oral presentations. One of my favorite things about NCUR is that it’s a huge conference, so there is a large variety of topics. I listened to presentations with focuses ranging from Formula One to programming robots in agriculture. In addition, there was plenty of free time to explore the city. NCUR 2024 was hosted in Long Beach, CA and it was so much fun exploring the area and going to the beach.
Advice for Future NCUR Presenters:
Ellie: For future NCUR presenters, I say have fun with it! Don’t get in your head about whether or not your research is good enough to be at NCUR. If you’re at NCUR, you have something great to offer! Take time to see as many posters and presentations as you can, spend time with the other SMU presenters, and really soak it all in. Also, there are lots of grad schools tabling at NCUR. If you’re unsure about your post-grad plans but know that you want to pursue graduate education, definitely take the time to talk to the schools!
Kevin: For future presenters of NCUR, I recommend “selling” your presentations well. For poster presentations specifically, eye-catching titles and enthusiastic demeanors help to grab people’s attention and allow you to network with them. Also, please take some time to see other people’s work, as they could enlighten you on where you might go next in your research!
Vivian: Try to start your presentation in advance in case anything comes up. If you’re doing a poster, practice your spiel in the days leading up so you feel confident on the day of your presentation. Also, NCUR is a great opportunity for students who have never presented their research before. The environment is very welcoming and everyone is eager to hear about your research, so don’t stress too much about it!
SMU Athletics and the Academic Development of Student-Athletes (ADSA) have selected four Mustang Champions for the month of March! Let’s meet the four SMU Mustangs that are reaching for new heights personally and academically during this semester:
Leif Bouwman (Men’s Swim & Dive)
- Leif isn’t just keeping his head above water in the pool – he’s also conquering the demanding world of Mechanical Engineering (Premedical/Biomedical Specialization). Despite the challenging coursework, Leif boasts a near-perfect 3.981 GPA this Spring and exemplifies dedication and perseverance.
Raelyn Roberson (Track & Field/ Cross Country)
- Raelyn isn’t just double-majoring in Applied Physiology and Health Management (APHM) and Biological Sciences – as a senior, she’s mastered the art of being a student-athlete. Driven, resilient, and a true leader on and off the track, Raelyn embodies what it means to excel in academics and athletics. As president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), she’s a champion for her fellow athletes, using her voice to make a positive impact across the entire campus. Want to learn more about the amazing work SAAC does? Check them out here! SMU SAAC
Kobe Wilson – (Football)
- Kobe Wilson isn’t just a standout on the field – he’s a champion for his fellow student-athletes and the Dallas community. Over the past few months, Kobe has become an active member for the Black Student-Athlete Advisory Council (BSAAC). He’s not just attending meetings, he’s actively spreading the word about BSAAC’s mission and inspiring others to join. He’s a dedicated volunteer, actively participating in DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) events and making a positive difference in Dallas. Kobe is also taking full advantage of the Life After Ball (LAB) program, networking with professionals and applying for internships. Talk about a World Shaper in action!
Jenna Watson – (Women’s Swim & Dive)
- This semester, Jenna Watson has immersed herself in the SMU Community head first! Not only did she jump in to help lead the March SAAC meeting when Raelyn was away, but she also spearheaded the preparation for the crucial SAAC/Strategy Meeting on March 25th. Jenna shouldered a huge chunk of the project, making sure all the presentation materials were polished and ready to go by deadline. This Mustang Champion clearly isn’t afraid to take charge and make a difference!
Come back next month for another update of Mustang Champions of the Month!
The invitation for Ryder McNeal ‘24, to dream big was prompted four years ago by a simple yard sign on Dallas Lawn for the Big iDeas Pitch Competition. This moment clearly made an impression, too, because McNeal, stayed intrigued about Big iDeas throughout his journey at SMU. However, it wasn’t until the fall of his senior year that McNeal decided to pitch an idea at the intersection of film, marketing, business and entrepreneurship. And a good idea it was, for his company, PREVO, was the top winner of the Big iDeas Business Plan Competition this past February!
PREVO, McNeal’s exciting new company, is a streaming platform dedicated to showing a curated catalogue of independent or student-made films, from film-makers across the country. After Big iDeas awarded prize money to McNeal, he dove deeper into his business through the Big iDeas E-Launch.
E-Launch is a robust training series powered by the Office of Engaged Learning that offers workshops and guest speakers to develop student businesses. This past year it was led by Entrepreneurship Fellow Michael Kelly (Founder, Resolute Future) and the Big iDeas team. McNeal said that E-Launch was “truly the catalyst in helping him flesh out {his} ideas and gain the feedback that was needed in order for PREVO to be successful.”
Since the pitch competition last fall, PREVO has found collaborations across SMU’s campus. Roseanne Hart, an adjunct professor in both the Division of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs, and the Division of Journalism’s Fashion Media program, asked McNeal if PREVO could be the focal point a public relations class this Spring. Hart’s PR students are tasked with creating a launch and marketing plan for PREVO and will present their plans to McNeal at the end of the semester. “I’m really excited that PREVO could be used for students in an academic space, but also that I can be encouraged by the launch plans they come up with. Hopefully, it can really help frame how I launch PREVO this summer,” said McNeal.
PREVO is set to fully launch in mid-July of 2024, on the date of McNeal’s birthday. As McNeal is concluding his final semester on the Hilltop, he has shifted many of his larger efforts towards the marketing for PREVO. He is reaching out to film faculty members and film festivals across the country, hoping to generate excitement within film schools and cities that celebrate independent films regularly. In addition to marketing, McNeal is working on getting a student ambassador for PREVO.
For a while, independent films were all that McNeal could take on with the resources that he had, but creating PREVO has deepened his appreciation for small-scale films as a whole.
All of these efforts “were made possible to me through receiving Big iDeas funding. The financial support helped be build out the steps I needed to take to be prepared to launch this summer and I am extremely grateful,” said McNeal. And for the student who may need some encouragement for starting their business or sees a simple yard sign on Dallas Lawn, McNeal says, “get involved with the things you love! Get involved as much as you possibly can because there are so many ways to do a lot with a little, especially while you’re in college.”