Month: May 2025

Categories
Student Success & Retention

Now hiring for the Student Success Professional position within the Office of Student Success and Retention

SMU Student Academic Engagement & Success (SAES) is excited to share that the Office of Student Success and Retention is hiring a full-time Student Success Professional.

Please consider sharing this with your colleagues and posting it within your professional networks.

Student Success Professional, Student Success and Retention: As part of the Office of Student Success & Retention, the Student Success Professional will help undergraduate students navigate campus resources and resolve issues as part of a coordinated effort to improve students’ experience & persist to graduation. The Success Professional will practice data-driven outreach and proactive resource referral to meet the needs of students. This position will help with a range of initiatives focused on students’ academic success, including first-years, transfers, those on academic probation, those returning from leave, and others identified as at-risk. The position will generate data and reports to help identify barriers to student satisfaction, academic progression, & retention. The Success Professional will provide mentorship and daily academic counseling to students to support their academic pursuits. They will also assist with many efforts in partnership with student affairs, academic affairs, and other campus areas.

  • Priority Deadline: June 18, 2025
  • Final Deadline: June 25, 2025
  • Hiring Contact: Lisa Miller, Director of Student Success and Retention (lamiller@smu.edu; 214-768-6824)

Submit an application within the SMU Staff Career Portal.

A search committee comprised of SAES and SMU staff members will review applications, conduct virtual and in-person campus interviews, and make a recommendation for hire.

Categories
Office of General Education

Common Curriculum Course Search updated on May 27, 2025

Office of General Education logo

The Office of General Education has updated the Common Curriculum course search with added breadth and graduation requirement tags.

The May 27, 2025, update reflects the following tag additions and removals:

Added:

ARHS 1380 – Creativity & Aesthetics: Analysis (CAA) ARHS 3310 – Oral Communication (OC) ASAG 1310 – Creativity & Aesthetics: Creation (CAC)
BIOL 1303 – Exploring Science (ES) BIOL 4133 – Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) BL 3335 – Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE)
CEE 4380 – Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) ECO 4330 – Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) ENGL 2303 – Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE)
FILM 2363 – Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) FILM 3352 – Historical Contexts (HC) HRTS 3320 – Oral Communication (OC)
JOUR 3314 – Community Engagement (CE) JOUR 3380 – Global Perspectives (GPS) PHIL 3385 – Philosophical, Religious & Ethical Inquiry (PREI)
PSYC 2351 – Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS) PSYC 3372 – Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) SPAN 2421 – Global Perspectives (GPS)
SPAN 2421 – Literary Analysis & Interpretation (LAI) UNIV 1270 – Quantitative Applications (QA) UNIV 2303 – Technological Advances and Society (TAS)
WL 3308 – Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE)

Removed:

CS 5351 – Oral Communication (OC) DSIN 5303 – Community Engagement (CE) EDU 5348 – Human Diversity (HD)
FILM 2362 – Historical Contexts (HC) FILM 3304 – Oral Communication (OC) PSYC 4380 – Historical Contexts (HC)

Any questions or concerns about the Common Curriculum course search can be directed to the Office of General Education.

Categories
Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention University Testing Center

Undergraduate Education and Academic Success units closed Wednesday, May 21 for staff retreat

The Undergraduate Education and Academic Success area within the Division of Student Academic Engagement and Success will close on Wednesday, May 21, for a staff retreat.

We encourage our constituents to use our websites or office self-service portals during this time for answers to common questions and requests.

Units include:

We will reopen during standard operating hours on Thursday, May 22.

Categories
Office of General Education

Approved meeting minutes from the Council on General Education on April 4, 2025

Three faculty members standing by a building

The Council on General Education met on April 4, 2025. The meeting minutes for March 14, 2025, were approved at this meeting. Below is the agenda, and the meeting minutes have now been posted on the General Education website.

  1. Approval of the Agenda for April 4, 2025, Council on General Education meeting.
  2. Approval of Minutes for March 14, 2025, Council on General Education meeting.
  3. Course & Experience Proposals
    1. ARHS 1380 (African American Art) – CAA
    2. ARHS 3310 / HRTS 3320 (War, Looting, and Collecting of Ancient Art) – PREX-OC
    3. UNIV 3306 (Community Partnerships) – PREX-CE
    4. Stampede Guides (Stampede Guides) – PREX-OC
    5. ENGL 2303 (Ethical Leadership and the Language of Influence) – PREX-CIE
    6. FILM 2363 (Media Production Ethics and Representation) – PREX-CIE
    7. Student Senate (Student Senate) – PREX-CIE
    8. The Common Curriculum Reading – PREX-CIE
    9. BIOL 4133 / BIOL 4133 H (Bioethics Seminar) – PREX-CIE
    10. CEE 4380 (Civil and Environmental Engineering Design I) – PREX-CIE
    11. ECON 4330 (Economics of Human Rights) – PREX-CIE
    12. PSYC 3372 (Ethics in Psychology) – PREX-CIE
    13. MNO 30XX (AI and Business Insights) – PREX-QA
    14. SPAN 2421 (Intermediate Spanish I for Heritage Speakers) – LAI and PREX-GPS
    15. UNIV 2303 (From IM to AI: How People Learn with Technology) – TAS
  4. CC Human Diversity Graduation Requirement Task Force Update
  5. TCCNS Working Group Volunteers

Please contact the Office of General Education for questions or proposal development support.

Categories
News Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research Student Academic Engagement & Success

ELF Spotlight: Ellen Aughenbaugh

By Diana Bautista Hernandez, Student Media Assistant for OEL

Ellen Aughenbaugh ’26, a double major in Biological Sciences and Studio Art and 2025 Engaged Learning Fellow, showcased her project, Interlinked: Bridging Art and Science this semester at the Jordan Gallery in the Owens Art Center. Aughenbaugh’s vision was to bridge the field of art and science together in an exhibit collection of oil paintings and charcoal drawings. She invited the viewer to contemplate not just the art but the deeper connection that it shares with the world of science.

What is your project about?

Interlinked is an interdisciplinary artistic research project that bridges the fields of art and science. The project culminated in a gallery exhibition inviting viewers to contemplate the similarities between the two disciplines as they intertwine in their search for truth and beauty. I primarily created oil paintings and charcoal drawings, focusing on neuroscience-related themes.

What was one moment during this project that really stuck with you?

One moment that really stuck with me was the moment of the exhibition itself, when the private, often lonesome work of creating art suddenly became public. Seeing my pieces up on the wall, framed and lit, was an entirely different experience from seeing them scattered across the floor of my studio. It felt like they transformed in a way I hadn’t expected. What was even more striking was witnessing how different groups reacted: scientists, artists, interdisciplinary thinkers, and even people who didn’t consider themselves part of either world. Everyone brought their own questions and perspectives, and each related to my work in unique ways. I was surprised and moved by how many people, regardless of their background, wanted to know more about the scientific inspirations behind my work. It reminded me that curiosity is universal, and that art can be a bridge between fields that might seem separate at first glance.

In what ways did this experience help you grow or push you outside of your comfort zone?

One thing that really pushed me outside of my comfort zone during this project was figuring out how to make science feel personal and empathetic. As a portrait artist, I’m used to people immediately connecting with faces- there’s an instant emotional reaction. With Interlinked, I had to find a way to make cells, anatomical sketches, and synapses feel just as relatable and emotionally provocative. It challenged me to push my craft further, and to find humanity inside the structures and processes that make us who we are.

Categories
Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education completes the first year of the Common Curriculum Reading and looks toward 2025-2026

In the 2024-2025 academic year, the Office of General Education launched the Common Curriculum Reading (CCR). The CCR is a pre-approved activity done in the co-curricular that allows students to obtain their Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency and Experience (P&E), a Common Curriculum (CC) requirement.

Students who join the CCR are required to attend seven reading group meetings, during which they discuss assigned readings with SMU staff/faculty facilitators and complete two assessments. This year, students read Meredith Broussard’s Artificial Unintelligence, in which she discusses the ethics of AI and the growing belief that it can solve societal issues.

77 students completed the program in the 2024-2025 academic year and received their CIE P&E. Students provided positive feedback about the program, stating they appreciated the following:

  • That it was a program offered at no cost to students
  • The flexibility of meeting bi-weekly as opposed to weekly
  • Building friendships with peers they wouldn’t have met otherwise

The Office of General Education will continue the CCR in the 2025-2026 academic year. The book selection is Chris Anderson’s Infectious Generosity, which encourages society to engage in their community and discusses the ethics behind being selfless.

The CCR has also built partnerships with the following:

Students can sign-up for the program via Qualtrics. The Office of General Education is also seeking SAES staff or faculty facilitators for the upcoming Fall 2025 semester.

Facilitators who complete their commitment will be offered two days of extra comp time, which they will be responsible for coordinating with their direct supervisor. Prospective facilitators can learn more about the commitment and sign-up via Qualtrics.

The Office of General Education is excited to expand and continue the CCR as we move into the 2025-2025 academic year.

Categories
Mentorship Office of Engaged Learning Student Academic Engagement & Success

Celebrating the Inaugural Year of Mustang Mentors!

Mustang Mentors Pair: Xzavier Washington (Mentee) and Kamile Cerna (Mentor)

This academic year marked the exciting launch of Mustang Mentors, a peer mentorship program designed to support first-year, second-year, and transfer students as they transition to the Hilltop.  The program’s core goals are to recruit, engage, and retain students by fostering meaningful connections at the university.

In its inaugural year, Mustang Mentors matched 92 students, pairing mentees with peer mentors based on shared academic interest, professional goals and hobbies.

With over 351 conversations logged, mentors provided guidance on everything from course selections to involvement in student clubs to career planning. One sophomore mentor reflected on how participating in Mustang Mentors has positively impacted her connection to SMU, saying, “It has helped me feel more connected not only with my peers in Mustang Mentors, but also with communities outside of this program. I feel like it has inspired me to be more involved on campus.”

Mentees too benefitted academically and personally from their mentorship. One student shared, “I was confused about how to know what route I should take within the CCPA field, and [my mentor] has given me some guidance on how to know where I should go by exploring more in depth of each aspect and what I feel most interested in.”

Moving into the second year of the program, Mustang Mentors plans to deepen its impact:

  • Re-engaging current cohort members as returning mentors.
  • Expanding partnerships with departments like English, Film, History, and PREP.
  • Creating a Mustang Mentors Student Ambassador as a third tier of leadership.
  • Recruitment of incoming first-year and transfer students.

A special thank you to all faculty and staff who have played an essential role in program recruitment. We thank you for supporting this work and championing the program.

Know of a student that would serve as a great peer mentor? Email us at mustangmentors@smu.edu to recommend them!

Categories
News Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research Student Academic Engagement & Success

Undergraduate Research Student Spotlight: Alison Kellom

Written by Diana Bautista Hernandez, Student Media Assistant for OEL

Alison Kellom, a senior undergraduate student (Class of ’25) pursuing a B.S. in Biological Sciences, dedicated time to research a crucial need in the field of oncology. Her project, Reversing Chemotherapy Resistance in Aggressive Forms of Cancer, mentored by Dr. Pia Vogel (Biological Sciences), dives deep into lab research and trials of different proteins through computational methods.

Over the past 40 years, researchers have struggled to find a solution to the survival of aggressive cancers. Even when patients are administered different drugs in chemotherapy, some cancer cells survive; these cells are called “multidrug resistant.” Dr. Vogel’s lab is working with novel compounds in vitro to develop a clinical model that can screen the success rate of treatments. As a result, patients may experience quicker recoveries and a much better quality of life during chemotherapy. Through the Engaged Learning Fellowship, Kellom gained hands-on experience tackling this issue.

This unique project has not only contributed to the field but also has left Alison with a personal takeaway. She explains that her biggest lesson was learning to accept that you cannot control the results, especially in science. “Science doesn’t always go your way,” she says. During weekly lab meetings, she often found herself with little or no presentable data, which was initially discouraging. However, she soon realized that data points aren’t the only measure of learning and progress. “Eventually I learned that you don’t always need to get results to learn in the lab!” This resulted in helping her build a strong foundation in research, adding, “you can draw from in the future.” As Alison puts it, “I truly believe that the ability to make mistakes during research is the only way science could progress!”

 

 

Categories
Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research

Congrats to our “ELFs” and “ELSAs”

Red background with SMU Engaged Learning Fellows logo

This year, the Office of Engaged Learning welcomed 36 students to the Engaged Learning Fellowship (ELF) program. In addition, 5 students won the Engaged Learning Starter Award (ELSA).

The ELF awards up to $2500 to pursue a capstone project–often a senior thesis or distinction project, but also ambitious independent projects. The ELSA awards up to $500 for first-year or transfer students to pursue a smaller-scale research or creative project.

Congrats to the following students, and thank you to the numerous faculty mentors who advise them on their projects!

24-25 Engaged Learning Starter Award recipients:

Colin Gross
Zehra Jaffery
Phillip Perry
Taran Sortino
Raissa Umwali

24-25 Engaged Learning Fellowship recipients:

Ryland Adzich ‘28
Ruhani Ahluwalia ‘25
Haneen Amarneh ‘25
Hala Arnouk ‘25
Aguer Atem ‘25
Ellen Aughenbaugh ‘26
Faith Bellamy ‘26
Na’Ni Caliste ‘25
Andrew Castles ‘25
Anna Foweather ‘26
Mustafa Haque ‘27
Meredith Hughes ‘25
Bailey Kamau ‘26
Haley Kim ‘26
Olivia Kuo ‘26
Nomvuyo Makhathini ‘26
Katy Merchant ‘25
Maria Murad ‘26
Jordan Naivar ‘26
Amelia Nugent ‘28
Kristian Perez ‘28
Swarangi Potdar ‘25
Shreeya Prabu ‘26
Mahima Quazi ‘25
Alexandra Reyes ‘27
Mireya Sanchez ‘25
Adyn Schachtel ‘27
William Schmitt ‘26
Kendall Schumacher ‘26
Crystal Smith ‘26
Andy Su ‘26
Vivian Thai ‘25
Mariam Tran ‘25
Maddie Wathanacharoen ‘25
Mille Wiita ‘25
Rachel Zuercher ‘27

 

Categories
Mentorship Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning – Research

OEL awards for “Excellence in Mentoring”

Image shows headshots of Excellence in Mentoring award winners Elizabeth Berk and Jill Kelly

Each year, The Office of Engaged Learning (OEL) honors faculty members who have provided exceptional mentoring to our Engaged Learning Fellows. 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.

Two winners were announced at the annual Undergraduate Research Lunch on April 24, 2025:

Dr. Elizabeth Berk
Lecturer, Department of Anthropology
Mentee/nominator: Vivian Thai ’25

Dr. Jill Kelly
Associate Professor and Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor
William P. Clements Department of History
Mentee/nominator: Aguer Atem ’25

Thank you to Dr. Berk and Dr. Kelly for your continued dedication to mentoring undergraduate students!