As Summer 2025 comes to a close, we are excited to celebrate the achievements of this year’s Summer Forge cohort. Now in its third year, Summer Forge continued to provide critical academic, financial, and social support to help students accelerate their path toward on-time graduation.
This summer’s cohort of 29 students completed courses during May Term and Summer Term to fulfill a major, minor or Common Curriculum requirement. Students attempted more than 180 credit hours during the summer, with 90% of the coursework being completed successfully.
Beyond the classroom, students built meaningful connections and community. From our Academic Skill Development workshop to the June and July Socials, and one-on-one academic counseling, students had multiple avenues to strengthen both their academic skills and peer networks.
Here is what some students had to say about their time in the Summer Forge:
“It is an incredibly valuable experience and was a wonderful opportunity to make progress towards graduation.”- Zeff S.
“Building community and connecting with your classmates in summer is a whole lot easier …” -Kaity W.
“It was definitely a new experience and helped expand my learning experience. Summer Forge gave me the opportunity to connect and explore the resources SMU has to offer!” – Lexi C.
“If you’re stuck after your freshman year, just take more classes. Summer Forge offers you the ability to not fall behind and also save money and time for those who may be struggling in the first year. It’s OK to struggle.” – Michael A.
We look forward to seeing how our students carry their momentum into the fall semester and beyond to graduation!
This initiative is a partnership between the Office of Student Success and Retention, the Office of General Education, and Academic Skill Development reflecting the university’s commitment to improving retention and graduation rates.
For questions or more information, please email summerforge@smu.edu.