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15 Students Return from Leave, 12 Readmitted for Spring 2025 semester

The Return from Leave of Absence (RLOA) initiative, launched by the Office of Student Success on October 23, 2024, aimed to welcome back Mustangs on leave last term and inform them about Spring semester enrollment updates.

Shun Colter, Assistant Director, and Saahil Mathews, Program Coordinator from the Office of Student Success and Retention co-directed this initiative.

The total number of students that originally indicated a return for Spring ‘25 was 38 undergraduate students. Currently, there are 15 students enrolled for the Spring ‘25 semester. 6 students extended their leave of absence to return at a later semester.

A total of 15 former students were readmitted (RADM), with 12 of them enrolling for the Spring ’25 semester.

To start off the campaign, emails were sent in October, introducing Shun Colter, Assistant Director, and providing information about helpful resources at SMU. This information was sent to the students personal and SMU email addresses. Second, postcards were designed and sent to the students’ mailing and home addresses.

The final outreach was conducted in January ’25, reminding students that their home at the Hilltop misses them. The communication also provided information for their School of Record and Academic Advisor/Degree Counselor to address any enrollment questions.

If you have any questions or want to know more details about the RLOA campaign, you can email us at ssr@smu.edu.

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Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention

Reminder to faculty and staff – SMU Dining flex cards are available to support student success

As the Spring ’25 semester begins, the Office of Student Success and Retention is happy to remind our amazing staff and faculty about the SMU Dining flex cards. These cards are designed to enhance your engagement with students beyond the traditional classroom or office setting.

This initiative offers a fantastic opportunity for you to connect with students in a relaxed environment, foster meaningful relationships, and demonstrate your support, particularly for those who may need additional encouragement to stay on track or at SMU.

To get your hands on a flex card:

  1. Contact the Office of Student Success and Retention at ssr@smu.edu or 214-768-6824 to reserve your card.
  2. Pick up your card from the SSR office in Laura Lee Blanton Building, Suite 100 between 8:30 – 5 PM Monday – Friday.
  3. Treat yourself and your student to coffee, tea, lunch, or a snack at any SMU Dining location.
  4. Return the card along with your receipt within 24 hours of checkout to the SSR office.

Don’t miss this chance to make a difference! For any inquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Student Success and Retention at ssr@smu.edu. Thank you for your commitment to supporting our students and helping them succeed.

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Student Success & Retention

Lisa Miller named new director of the Office of Student Success and Retention

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!