The ADSA would like to wish everyone a wonderful and safe Halloween! Every year, we participate in the Spooktacular S.P.I.R.I.T costume contest held by SMU Athletics. This year our selected theme was Space Jam! All your favorite Looney Tunes characters attended– even Gossamer made an appearance!
Happy Halloween!
Join the Addressing Equity: Transfer Student Success and Retention Dedman College Interdisciplinary Institute (DCII) Research Cluster as we read Discredited.
This research cluster addresses equity issues to support transfer student success and retention at SMU. Its focused research and collaborative approach on the Hilltop make these efforts significant.
Join us for our book club preceding the SMU Transfer Summit scheduled for February 14, 2025. In Discredited, education scholars Lauren Schudde and Huriya Jabbar illuminate the successes and failures of the systems that support student transfer among postsecondary institutions. Summarizing the key challenges of various transfer pathways, Schudde and Jabbar show how the current decentralized, bureaucracy-ridden, and often confusing process undermines equity and access in higher education.
To sign up, email Kate Bell-Miller (kebell@smu.edu) and Dustin Grabsch (dgrabsch@smu.edu) and pick up your book from the Transfer & Veteran’s Center located in Laura Lee Blanton Student Services Building, Suite 100, on or before November 22.
Upon sign-up, you will receive Outlook calendar invites to the three book club meetings outlined in the flyer above. We look forward to learning with you this year.
Our 4 Mustang Champions for September highlight two upperclassmen and two freshman that embody the SMU Student-athlete experience and strive to be World Changers.
Mayu Inokawa
Mayu is a midfielder on our Women’s Soccer team and is no stranger to adversity. Originally from Japan, her journey as an SMU transfer student-athlete started with her acclimating to the Hilltop after spending time in the Midwest. Now as a senior, she has dealt with adversity this Fall soccer season but has not let it bring her down; she still persists through every day with a positive attitude and smile on her face. She has been just as supportive of her teammates during this season. She is extremely dedicated and hardworking student who takes advantages of the resources and opportunities provided in the ADSA and LAB events. She is a role model to all student-athletes, but especially her teammates!
Brandon Booker
Brandon, a freshman linebacker, has had a strong start to his academic pursuits at SMU! He has come into his first semester as natural leader. No only does he consistently show up early but he also encourages his teammates to always put their best academic foot forward. ADSA appreciates that he advocated for himself during his first semester regarding his academic goals, needs, and desires. We are excited to see his growth continue!
Sage Sungail
Sage is a junior on the Men’s Swimming and Diving team. He specializes in the freestyle and holds the conference record in 2024 for the 400 Free relay. Katie Evans, his ADSA academic counselor, had this to say about Sage, “ I’m incredibly proud of him for his dedication to both academics and athletics. As a Finance major, he’s challenging himself with a rigorous course load while also excelling on the swim team. His hard work in the classroom and in the pool is a testament to his commitment and drive. It’s inspiring to see him excel in both areas, and I’m excited to watch him continue to succeed.”
Emma Mehner
Meet Emma Mehner! She is a freshman rower who joined the Hilltop from Dresden, Germany in Fall 2024! She joined SMU to become a better coxswain, a type of rowing positon in which sits at the stern and steers the boat (learn more about coxswain here). Emma is already making strides towards success during her first semester. She started getting involved with the Life After Ball program, in her first few weeks here and has enjoyed the possibilities/opportunities it can provide. She plans on majoring in Business Management or Sports Management. It is great to see Emma’s dedication to her academic and personal development!
It’s easy to see why our Mustangs shine so bright when we have these four student-athletes leading the charge!
The Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) and the University Advising Center (UAC) concluded Success Fest on September 26th. Success Fest is an event dedicated to the adoption and use of Degree Planner among undergraduate students.
In the weeks leading up to Success Fest, the UAC hosted 3 Degree Planner workshops with a total of 27 attendees. The PALs hosted 4 Degree Planner workshops with a total of 55 attendees. The PALs also offered 1-1 appointments in Blanton Suite 338, and helped 60 students complete their Degree Planner.
These efforts proved successful as there was a significant increase in the use of Degree Planner from September 13th until September 26th. Some data points include:
The PALs and UAC will host Success Fest again in Spring 2025 on February 27th, encouraging students to complete and update their Degree Planner before the March 1st deadline.
This summer, students have a unique opportunity to join a 4-week program in Taos—unlike any experience in Dallas or during regular terms. Set in Northern New Mexico, this program blends immersive field trips with hands-on learning, allowing students to explore the rich culture, history, and landscapes of Taos while advancing their academic goals. The program runs from May 16 – June 17, 2025.
A key highlight is the exceptional faculty, whose courses are designed specifically for this setting. Small classes foster in-depth discussions with faculty and guest lecturers, creating a dynamic learning environment. Students will also benefit from a close-knit living-learning community, forming lasting friendships and connecting with dedicated mentors.
The program includes a reflective research paper and a two-day cultural excursion to Santa Fe, offering deeper insight into the region. This intensive experience allows students to:
Encourage your students to take advantage of this transformative Taos experience. With world-class faculty, an immersive curriculum, and a unique setting, it’s a rare opportunity to grow academically, personally, and professionally.
Apply Today: Visit smu.edu/taos to secure a spot, scholarships, and one-way transportation.
Deadlines:
For More Information:
Join us for the 2024 Fall Research Symposium on Wednesday, October 30, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center. Enjoy light refreshments and hear presentations from our talented student researchers. All are welcome—come support and celebrate student research at SMU!
| Room 120 | Room 121 | |
| 4:00 | Regina Moreno Vera | |
| 4:15 | Shriya Siddhartha | Marc Pham |
| 4:30 | Alexis Schroeder | Laurens Gijsbertsen |
| 4:45 | Simon Gonzalez | Ashley Pitts |
| 5:00 | Sara Beth Becker | Rachel Mannon |
| 5:15 | James Martin | Taylor Shimizu |
| 5:30 | Genevieve Soucek | Aguer Atem |
| 5:45 | Mustafa Haque | Mereya Sanchez |
| 6:00 | Sahar Khan | Brianna Freshwater |
| 6:15 | Vivian Thai | Jane Liu |
| 6:30 | Tessa Peterson | Alyssa Pfieffer |
| 6:45 | Jerry Ma |
Atem Aguer (McNair Scholar). Mentor: Jill Kelly. Turning Pages: Examining the Influence of International Aid on Educational Migration from South Sudan to Kenya.
Sara Beth Becker (Maguire Fellowship). Mentor: Kelly McKowen. To Be Seen: Visibility as Praxis in a Neoliberal Age and the Place of Not Knowing.
Brianna Freshwater (Engaged Learning Fellow). Mentor: Kara Sutton and Sondra Barringer. The Racialized Nature of Advanced Placement in Minority White Schools.
Laurens Gijsbertsen (Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship). Mentor: Simon Mak. Applying Alternative Asset Investment Models to Digital Assets.
Simon Gonzales (Maguire Fellow). Mentor: Nelly Myers. Addiction, Recovery, Yoga and Kinship from Dallas to San Antonio.
Mustafa Haque (Engaged Learning Starter Award). Mentor: Janille Smith-Colin. Stakeholder Engagement in Civil Infrastructure Envision Projects.
Sahar Khan (Hamilton Scholar). Mentor: Dr. Amy Brewster. A role for complement C3 in modulating neuroimmune interactions in epilepsy.
Jane Liu (Hamilton Scholar). Mentor: Alexander Lippert. Synthesis Steps Towards Monoamine Oxidase Chemiluminescent Probe.
Rachel Mannon (Engaged Learning Fellow). Mentor: Peter Kupfer. A Voice for the Wilderness.
James Martin (Maguire Ethics Center). Mentor: Steve Long. For the Bible Tells Me So: 20th century Evangelical Epistemology.
Regina Moreno Vera (Hamilton Scholar). Mentor: Dr. Glasscock. Unlocking Genetic Potential: Investigating Discrepancies in Neurodevelopmental Disjunction within epileptic and Ataxic models.
Tessa Peterson (Hamilton Scholar). Mentor: James Hollifield. Handbook on Migration and Human Rights.
The Mustang Mentors peer-mentoring program, through the Office of Engaged Learning, had its first-ever cohort lunch, bringing together new mentors and mentees from across campus. The lunch served as an opportunity for mentors and mentees to build relationships with their peers in the program.
The inaugural cohort currently has 41 match pairs that represent a diverse range of academic disciplines, career interests, and involvements in extracurricular activities. The mentors, comprised of upperclassmen students who have been successful on the Hilltop, meet with their mentees at least once a month for goal setting in their collegiate career and to further peer-to-peer connection.
The Mustang Mentors Program is an essential, university wide retention tool for students at SMU who do not belong to an academic community or a larger group of affiliation. You can be a part of this campus wide effort as a faculty/staff member by nominating a student to serve as a mentor or be a mentee with this form.
More updates to come as the Mustang Mentors program progresses, showcasing the stories of mentors and mentees who are making connections at SMU.
Dr. Teiana Jones, Senior Director of ADSA and Assistant Athletic Director of Academics, has promoted Keyana Smith, M.S., to Director of ADSA & Eligibility in October 2024. Smith joined the Hilltop in August 2023 as the Associate Director and lead Academic Counselor of Football. Since then, she has positively impacted the student-athletes and individuals she works closely with.
Keyana’s background has prepared her for this new role with 16 years of experience in academics; as she previously held titles such as the Assistant Director of Athletics Academic Services at the University of Mississippi. While there, she was responsible for the academic success of the Women’s Basketball and Football teams. She has a proven track record of providing individualized support and guidance to student-athletes, helping them balance their athletic commitments with their academic goals.
As a member of the ADSA leadership team, she is excited to further the ADSA’s mission in her elevated position. Keyana will continue to lead and supervise the academic support for Football as well as provide operational and key support in the unit.
Smith states “one focus will be improving processes to more efficiently serve our student-athletes. I am excited to further grow our campus partnerships and see continued success with increasing Academic Progress Rates (APR), Graduation Success Rate (GSR), and overall student-athlete success at SMU”.
Join us in congratulating Keyana on this significant milestone in her career!
This fall, the Office of Engaged Learning awarded 13 students the Engaged Learning Fellowship (ELF). Each student received up to $2,500 to support their capstone projects. Please join us in congratulating these recipients!
Hala Arnouk ’25
Public Response to Authoritarian Regimes in the Middle East
Mentor: Hiroki Takeuchi (Political Science)
Aguer Atem ’25
Turning Pages: Examining the Influence of International Aid on Educational Migration from South Sudan to Kenya
Mentor: Jill Kelly (History)
Na’Ni Caliste ’25
Undergraduate College Student Acceptance Rate of Bisexuality in Their Own and Other’s Romantic Relationships
Mentor: Dustin Grabsch (Assistant Provost)
Andrew Castles ’25
X Marks the Spot
Mentor: Devon Smith (Film)
Anna Foweather ’26
The Effect of Academic Lesson Structure on Learning Outcomes for High School Students
Mentor: Sarah Kucker (Psychology)
Meredith Hughes ’25
Undergraduate Students Perspectives on Anti-Obesity Medications: Awareness, Perception, and Attitudes
Mentor: Austin Baldwin (Psychology)
Katy Merchant ’25
A bigger picture of early childhood media exposure: Examining the association between media content and temperament in young children across diverse SES and family structure
Mentor: Sarah Kucker (Psychology)
Jordan Naivar ’26
Take a Break from Social Media PSA Campaign
Mentor: Mark Allen (Advertising)
Swarangi Potdar ’25
what remains… [art exhibition]
Mentor: Ian Grieve (Art)
Mireya Sanchez ’25
Wounds Beyond the Battlefield: The Link Between Sexual Assault and Army Stability
Mentor: Clark Fernando (Sociology)
Vivian Thai ’25
Paths to Parenthood: In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Narratives from Quy Nhon, Vietnam
Mentor: Elizabeth Berk (Sociology)
Mahima Quazi ’25
Urban Growth and Its Impact on Surface Temperatures: A Case Study of Dallas
Mentor: Xiao Yang (Earth Sciences)
Maddie Wathanacharoen ’25
How Does the Involvement in Dance Classes Influence Self-Confidence of 2nd Grade Students, and in turn, How Does Increased Confidence Impact Their Academic Achievement on Math and Reading Tests?
Mentor: Sarah Kucker (Psychology)
The Council on General Education approved updates to the Common Curriculum (CC) Civic and Individual Ethic (CIE) Rubric on September 6 recommended updates were proposed by a cross-functional faculty working group convened by the Office of Institutional Planning and Effectiveness over the summer. While the student learning outcome remains the same, the supporting skills were modified to more clearly emphasize ethical topics, questions, concepts, and dilemmas within civic or individual contexts.
With the approval of the updated rubric, SMU in Four would like to announce a call for new or the redesign of existing courses to convey the Civic and Individual Ethic graduation requirement. The call for course proposals seeks to increase the number of CIE-tagged courses, and, thereby, the number of seats available to undergraduate students – aiding in time to degree. Proposals are due by November 15 at 5:00pm via the online submission platform.
Three types of CIE course proposals are being sought. Full-time faculty are encouraged to apply:
After the November 15 deadline, proposals will be reviewed by the Provost’s Office. A limited number of courses will be selected for development. The courses proposed should appeal to a wide range of undergraduate students. Courses that are cross-listed or fulfill additional Common Curriculum requirements are among those that have wider appeal. In-person courses will be expected to have a minimum capacity of 35 seats and the online asynchronous course should have a minimum capacity of 25 seats.
Given the expectation that these courses will be offered annually as part of the regular fall-spring teaching load, a statement of commitment from the department chair and dean will be necessary to finalize the selection process. Selected courses will be routed for approval to department chairs and dean’s offices before candidates are notified of their proposal’s acceptance. Following the development of a new course, the course will be proposed to the Council on General Education for final review and approval.
To support the enhancement of the Civic and Individual Ethic curriculum, the Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility is pleased to announce its support by providing funding to aid course development. The selected faculty cohort will offer faculty members a robust network and various development opportunities, including intentional sessions focused on ethical issues and instructional strategies. Participants will benefit from immersive retreats designed to foster collaborative learning, deepen their engagement with ethical topics, and find course development resources. Through this initiative, the Maguire Ethics Center aims to enrich the academic experience and contribute to the growth of high-quality, impactful CIE offerings at SMU.
If you have any questions regarding submitting your proposal, please contact Dr. Molly Ellis (facultysuccess@smu.edu).